What a difference a day makes!

Yes we all know we have the ups and downs in this hobby and its been a but quiet but sometimes something happens to make you - just after you frown!

So on the frowning front the last two eggs in twelve are not going to hatch, one was punctured and one addled so it will be just the three chicks that I've taken away as they hatched and ill leave it a couple more days and remove the last two eggs hoping for another round.

The chicks in eleven are being well fed and the three transferred (consider that she didnt actually hatch any when I transferred the chick from the feeder nest) are all well fed together with the lutino and upon inspection I have a good clutch of 5 chicks- yes that's right the hen hatched one of her own! This is a major surprise as she blew up like a balloon while laying and her aroma is very sulphurous- in fact she stinks! But she is feeding, the cock doesn't have it and I hope its not contagious and will pick people's brains on it.

Also on the plus side is the dilute hen in two that has hatched a chick from the first egg, good news and fingers crossed as its a long way to go.

The chicks in one are on the cage floor while the cock is in the flight and ill keep an eye on them and see when and if the cock bird goes back in with the hen and if the chicks are fed while they are out of the nest box.

Other than that at morning feed it was amazing at just how many birds are in a very heavy moult at the moment, so it looks like ill be waiting for birds to become fit rather than waiting for breeding cages to be free- although that's the next question, is it ok to house six and sixteen week old chicks together or will they get bullied?

Ah well a swift humbling one in the plums is a great leveller!

I just knew it was going too well and something had to happen, and boy did it! I opened the manshed today and thought to myself that bird doesn't look too well- a grey first round chick all fluffed up, then I noticed a couple in the flight looking puffed up during the moult and then horror of horror's I opened nestbox eleven to find two of the chicks a very nice shade of purple- so lets take this one at a time!

I've cleaned flight and I've put the whole ched on rondizole which is a broad based antibiotic just in case and ill put them on a pro biotic afterwards to build up their immunity.

The fluffed up chick I crop fed with 2ml of the same solution and this afternoon he looked better so fingers crossed its a heavy moult about to break everywhere.

The nestbox eleven challenge....

Initially I sought council as to what it was and how to cure 1, its not contagious and so I transferred all the chicks to different nests while I regrouped. 2, all the breeding cages are now on the same broad based antibiotic. 3, I lost the two middle chicks later-4, the eldest chick is the fostered lutino and seems time.5, the two smallest chicks are doing ok with the dilute and I'm still panicking in case it all goes Pete tong later!

The symptoms are that the chick goes purple and almost dehydrates, the limbs look almost skeletal and ts almost as I they have a fix. Upon investigation it appears that there is no cure and what it is is the cock Feeds the hen and she keeps the gift in her crop too long and it sours- she then feeds it to the chicks and the result is a bacterial crop infection- hence not all chicks get it and its contained to the host and the chick- but I'm still panicking just in case!

On the other side I put the cock back in one for five mins and when he wasn't entertaining the hen he was trying to kill the chicks in the cage floor- back to the flight for him and I'm off for a long walk!

The fickle hand of fate.....

Its been a couple of days since I posted as I've tried to avoid the black cloud of fate by not posting and as per normal with mixed results!

The good news so far is that the three transferred chicks from the foster parents in eleven are all alive and looking healthy so its fingers crossed but day by day and no nigh hopes just in case!

Cage one has the cock bird in the flight and every morning I cage up the three youngsters into a weaning cage, place in the cockbird with the hen for an hour and then he goes into the flight and they go back with mum- fingers crossed as from the three chicks two are keepers and I need a couple more to see if crossing Marchant and spruce works the way I hope it will.

Cage two has the Shep6 dilute hen in with the Marchant grey green cock- so far she has hat hat hatched two of her own and two transferred from the fosters so its a nest of four and a couple that Look like they may hatch- but its fingers crossed.

Cage three- despite the Rhune stones, walking under ladders and chasing black cats we have another nest of yellow faces from the pair of normals! But as with the alligator thread I've kept up the dream of producing some hens as it looks like 50% are opaline (2 grey green and a yf grey) and ill just have to see how the yf grey and the normal grey green shape up in terms of gender in the stock cage- but ill take 60-70% of chicks being hens any day of the week- I've said it before I know so let's just see what happens. I keep having to pop a brave chick back in the box with this pair so I've taken a couple of hands of sawdust out to make the hole a little further away.

Cage seven is the foster pair and they have the yf opaline grey hen in the nest from cage three and as its a hen I hope the cock won't attack it when it fledged- they have six chi is in the box and two fostered out- not the normal status quo but in this round not not only so I have a few pieds but also some Lutino's which should be hens and they are a nice hot colour- so either the cock is split opaline and they are hens or the hen is an opaline DF dark green spangle and he is also split opaline and they are cocks but time will tell- I really hate waiting!

The pair in nine are the former high hopes grey pair and the first round were four chicks of which three were hens- in this round they have three chicks which may be all greys and they are fearing two Lutino's as they are good parents- I may lt them have another round or I may move another cock bird in there to have some split chicks- the hen is a nice long hen and after seven chicks I may want some options to generate half siblings from hens as well as cocks if that makes sence?

Other than that I have pairs starting to get ready to start first or second rounds in cages. 1,4,10,11 &12 I'm keeping an eye out as the hens in 4 and 11 are older and look like they may encounter some trouble with swollen abdomens as I think they have been "previously enjoyed" before they were gifted to me- so absolutely no complaints and a single chick from the pair will be a bonus.

I've had a good look through the flight and I have six hens for breeding in October and these are the hens that refused at the first hurdle earlier in the year so it will either be plain sailing or a nightmare but at the moment I've a dozen weaned chicks ( I don't count the feeder chicks) and In the next four weeks another fifteen (potentially) and five pairs about to nest- so it really has to be deemed a success in terms of the 10-12 hens I have for next season to replace the few that I've lost and will lose and with the odds now stacked against me I should appreciate that of these pairs two will be trouble if the rule of three holds up!

Oh well back to plotting and as the first round enters the ugly stage its time for broken dreams and shattered hearts as they show, or don't, their true potential

A bit of a mixed day today really- I managed to candle the spangles eggs and I believe so far that that are clear but it may just be the first couple but we will know by the end of the month, I've a grey cock that had a feather cyst that's exploded and needed some first aid oh and a hen abou to lay that looks to be swelling up at the back end- I do recall saying at one point in the past that all ill have left at one point are the problem hens so I guess ill be rewriting the "how to get out of jail" section if they ever republish the challenge!

On the plus side I was surprised when I opened the New wilson nestbox to find two eggs- they have only been together a week!!! so every cloud has a silver lining after all. Ok so the lining seems to be fragile at times and I'm still holding my breath over the moved chicks but it is progress and it does make me

Quite the day today and I found myself at home for periods of it and time to contemplate the goings on in the manshed.

Firstly I need to extend an apology and dash a few raised hopes- despite raised expectations I haven't in fact bred a normal blue series budgie from pair three it is indeed another two yellowface greys, I have tried and let people down and I'm sorry- at the moment I'm thinking that after eleven chicks in two rounds that I may replace the cock as I've enough hens from the pair but having looked through the flight the spare cocks are either just not right or just not ready so ill wait and see.

The cock from one keeps spending the odd hour with the hen and I'm not sure that she will be up for another round but the chicks are good in terms of a cross over between styles and lines- I'd love three or four more but if anything I'm learning to be patient! Not that I need the yellowfaces and all three in this round are yellowfaced.

The pair in two are still looking after the foster chicks and two of their own and today I rang two of these- and then noticed a newly hatched sibling- I've nowhere for it to go and the size difference is just huge so I won count it until after its rung!

Other than that the pair of sky blues look that they may lay this week but I believe the hen is well used prior and a little swollen round the back end so lets wait and see.!the spangle cock in eightfold to be clear- I think it may be a bogie cage number! So I may just swop the cock out after this round and see what happens.

Other than that I've nothing much to add at the moment - I'm waiting for fledging and weaning while a few pairs decide if they will do the right thing Andalusia some fertile eggs!

I'm not sure if I extend this year by moving things around or if I cull back hard and move on some birds to make some space- I always try and think a few pairs or indeed seasons ahead and this usually gets me into trouble in one way or another.

The nights are drawing In at the moment and the timer is still set on the summer 945 lights out timing- time for some fine tuning and indeed time to sort out the courier for the filters delivery!

Well I was up bright and early as my two daughters agree to give me a hand painting some ceilings! Great idea except I'm 6ft2 and can reach and they are 5ft3 and can't!!! So great fun was had by all..... Or rather they learnt daddy isn't an angel and they learnt some new words!!!

But before I left I changed the water from the general antibiotic and put them onto a probiotic and also mixed up some tonic seed with some probiotic and a little sprinkling of easybreeder on it- tomorrow its back to soaked millet sprays as a treat and given how they are queuing up on the perches they have missed them too,

In the cages-

The chicks in one are now perching but I haven't seen them eat so until the hen lays again I'm in no hurry to take them away- the cock is doing the business in his morning visits. In two the new chick died today squashed by his nest mates but I had nowhere for it to go- and as its a wilson/Marchant cross its a real shame!

The chicks in three haven't left the nest yet and I keep thinking of changing the cock given they have bred well- I've another grey cock in the flight of a different shape so I'm not sure what to do on this front?

The sky blues in four hasn't laid yet- but its close- she is a previously used older hen and her back end is very swollen, so far when this happens I've had one survive and one not make it- so its fingers crossed!!!!

Other than that the Marchant greys have their three chicks, the wilson greys have four eggs of which one is so far fertile and the ball greys have laid today so its all systems go!

On the downside the spangle is clear and ill seek council on what to do for a second round- just a shame they are out of sync to foster.

Other than that all is well, I've paint everywhere and more to do, tired eyes, a huge queue to the bathroom with four girls in the house and very tired eyes!!!

Never backwards at being forwards....

I know im a pain in the bum I really do but without me you wouldn't need to think and when your 90 and you dont have dementia you'll thank me- and the fish diet!

So today has been busy- I've painted the bathroom, the hallway and a couple of spare ceilings and used the forum from time to time.

The birds are doing well, the potent brew is being consumed and I'm waiting on an egg or two... I've a H&M '10 sky hen that should have laid but hasn't passed the egg yet- she isn't in trouble just yet so I'm hoping where she is old its just a question that her muscles are a little loose and she will do the business in the next day or two, I've a 50% success rate with getting one chick out of an old hen so fingers crossed for something and ill be on the look out for some knackered 11hensater in the season!!!

The dilute has hatched another chick and after I lost the last one due to its heavy footed siblings I've transferred it to the spangle and the lt green- they have a clear round that isn't due to hatch for another week but I have no other options and it will be interesting to see what happens- if it grows fast as an only chick I can always put it back!

Other than that I had to top up the better hen chick in cage one yesterday and I'm hoping that she starts to feed well in the next couple of days- she has excellent feather but really is backwards in coming forwards! And its about time the hen for to see the cock again as they are mating every other day and I've my fingers crossed!

On the plus side I've three electric orange Lutino's that I've earmarked for a good home and a thank you...

Hastings show tomorrow so if your around please so pop in and support it- I'm out of brownie points so ill be mowing the lawn!!!

Well what a good day today- up early and down the manshed with a couple of young helpers who had quite the exposure to biology when I put the cock bird from pair one back with his hen for twenty mins! Rounded off with candling an egg with a heart beat and moving on to chicks from day old to fledging- giggles and ahhh oooo all round!

I've still not decided what to do with the pair in three except the decision needs to be soon- the chicks are about to fledge as they are in seven when the cock was heavy handed with a chick that I popped back- so a close eye needed there!

I'm also keeping a hands off approach with the pair of ball birds in 12 who have started laying again- I've always been a sceptic about robbing a nest and squeezing another round out- but it appears to be working and as she is nervous and I need her to raise them until the cock can take over im leaving her to it until the 3rd of sept when its my birthday and I could do with a treat! And then four weeks later I need to move them on and put her with another cock to build the relatives or move the chicks on prior and build the line, ill not count my chickens on that front except it looks like the flight will be all greys and yellowface greys very soon!!!

On the plus side all four chicks in two are alive and very long and large legged which means I've either cracked it or they're still playing catch up after the infection but they are on a probiotic so should catch up- the good news is that the new chick they hatched was taken away at an hour or so old and placed with a hen with clear eggs and another ten days until the first was due to hatch, I wasn't sure if she would produce any crop milk this early but she seems to be coping ok at the moment and it may just spur the cock onto filling eggs next time!

Given the arrival of a DVD box set yesterday the boss had no worries dispatching me to the Hastings show with the promise that I wouldn't buy anything or wind anyone up on the forum. Wow what excellent birds and the young bis and bos awarded to mike smith and the Matthew/Ellis partnership were well deserved and congratulations to them- they were a real handful and it slapped me in the face in terms of how far I have to travel to get there as what I'm breeding would just about compete for a beginner class win!!- but although I have deep pockets and short arms I've got buckets of patience and ill Plod along and get there in the end.

I must also note ian Fordham's astonishing wins at the show- all the red eye Ino classes in YB and adult as well as the CC's- and there's me worrying that my birds are smaller than the miniatures when he has to worry about building an extension just to house the CC's!

The only downside is that whilst I was good and didn't buy a bird- despite bing offered a rather well bodied dominant pied- the girls appear to have a soft spot for the recessive pieds! I just need to get some space sorted out firSt and who knows what next year brings as right now I have to focus on building the three families I have and folding them together around the edges! Although I need to start saving for three outcrosses in two years time- unless I pop one out myself and as always fingers crossed that the families do as they should?

Oh well the next dilemma is sibling parings to develop the blow at the expense of doubling up on a short mask and square spots or crossing the blow into a line with longer feathering and hope that the blow is already a dominant feature or crossing them back later to double up on the feature in the F2 offspring?

Either way I must try harder to behave!

Kevin, please don't stop the winding up, it keeps the forum interesting, think I'm in the minority of people that understands where your coming from in your questioning , keep it up

it's all in the genes....

fingers crossed for a well spelt blog as ive some time on my hands and fired upthe laptop- i was due to be working on my boat this week (a 27ft bayliner that ive restored with my co-owner) but within ten mins of starting he lent over the side and ripped his calf muscle in half- i'd never seen a grown may cry before and yesterday was all about the waiting time in A&E and then driving him home the 50 miles.

however that does give me my week back and ive some painting to finish and a kitchen at my batchelor house that needs handles...

so on the promise of avoiding controversy this week i started badly when i wandered upto a multi CC winning champion and congratulated him on not only the CC's but his birds in the show line up- to be told with a laughing grin that he hadnt actually been in the hall to see- still it was nice to introduce my daugheters to the boss. We had to leave early- i know the signs when a woman says she likes a certain type of bird seize the moment and leave as you've peaked, even if they are 11 and 14!!- so i asked if Ian would take care of my lottery tickets and yes you guessed it he then picked mine out of the hat twice in my absence and to the ammusement of the crowd!- see even when i try and do the right thing it just never quite happens- just a shame the prises weren't a pair or two of the BIS winning birds siblings as they were further up contry...

BUT-a thourghly excellent show with the largest section being the beginners and some new friends met- mike smith won with a handsome sky and although he does look like my younger brother i can state we arent connected! and hey ive got a tin of mite spray and some iodine blocks which ironically i needed so its a happy day and when i reduce the flock in the new year ill be looking for some split recessives.

on the basis of meeting new friends i was agogg at getting a few phone calls in praise of my blogging from people that in my year out could attribute 50%of their websites hits to me admiring their birds- its just the distance would be too far at an 8hr drive each way! but thank you and thank you gary for the kind words ill be as diplomatic as always and again thanks to KP for taking it in the spirit in which it was intended- i'll make the next as soon as im inspired or the wanted posters get taken down, but hey it sells chips and gets the people through the door.

so back to matters in hand:

lets have a nice round up and a conclusion:

in cage one i have the three chicks weaning and the cock bird into the cage every onther day, the hen should have been laying by now so i think she may not go down for another round unless the cock is there every day to apply a little pressure, she is a '12 hen but a freebee at the time as she is flecked and has a limp so the chicks are a bonus.

in two i have the dilute with the mixed nest, i dont know if it was the heat but the chicks of this period look a little smaller accross the board so i mut remember to keep them as they will fill out. in the next we have two chicks (wilson/marchant), one chick ball/ball and one chick sykes/spruce which is from a freebee '10 hen from gary shep.

when that nest fledges in three weeks it really will be "presidents day" in view of the - bring me your unwashed and unwanted and ill set them free, or something like that...

in three ive taken the cock away as after two rounds and 12 chicks i think ive got enough out of him with her and im looking to put in another cock. The pair were my lesser marchant grey cock and a gifted lt green hen that have bre me most of the yellowfaces- so ive a marchant yf grey cock in the fligt that went clear earlier in the year and ill give him a go with a hen that we all know works.

cage four has a pair of sky blues- they are a fringe pair and the hen should have laid by now and to be honest given the size of her rear she should have laid last week or won the audition for the panto horses rear end this year! but she isnt in pain and isnt on the cage floor so ill step in when she is- he is a '12 cock and she is a '10 hen that was well used prior so ill keep my fingers crossed.

cage 5/6 has the chicks starting the ugly period and what a mixed bunch and motly crew they are!

cage seven has the fosters in them. he killed a chick on fledging last time and thistime i saw him attacking one so i popped it back into the box and a couple of days later him into the flight. The hen is always well fed so i topped up the feed and put in fresh millet and waited- eight hours later she still hadnt even shucked a seed! so i popped him back in and he fed them last night. So after a call to my guru he confirmed that after a couple of weeks the cock feeds and the hen is redundant so in a couple of days when im home all day ll put her in the weaning cage and see what happens- without his hen around he may be less of a pain.

however- the nest looks like: one hot lutio hen, two dominant pieds, two spangles and a YF op grey fostered in. they also have two lutio hens fostered out!

cage eight- now, this is thatspangle that's refused four hens and at last he encouraged the hen to lay, and yep they are all clear with a proven hen. ive never seen him mate but he did try a couple of times so he may be a previously battered husband- i placed a spare chick in with them 8 days before the fist egg was due and they are feeding it ok- perhaps the binding of doing this will fill the eggs next time- or he goes on a road trip...

cage nine has the former high hopes pair of marchant greys. they have three of their own chicks which true to form are 66% hens (2 opaline grey hens) and a grey together with the two fostered in lutino's from the foster pair- im sure that a gold ring is a '10 bird in which case ill have to get another cock into the cage to give me some half brothers- she is a tall slim hen so whilst not excelling in blow or shoulder it would be nice to have some hens for those short wide birds that we all breed.

and onto the bottom row:

cage ten is a pair of greys ill call them wilson to save confusion, they have three eggs that they are sitting on and fingers crossed that it all goes well with them as they are nice and clean with good frontal rise.

cage eleven has the '10 sky hen and a spuce line cinnamon grey cock- the cock is very slender and just for the blow and the hen for the size and length of feather. i lost two chicks in the nest as i'd fostered in the ball chicks as they hatched and of the three two had a crop infection. All the chicks were removed (two lutino's, a ball grey and one of their own) and placed in other nests and the shed given roni'S' for four days and now a probiotic from the bird care company.

all have made a full recovery and lets see what happend when she starts the next round which is over-due so perhaps the one chick was all that was destined to be. if it isnt the eggs will be fostered out on turning and ill put a different cock in for a third round.

and in twelve i have at least one more egg from the ball pair (round three for the hen)- due to hatch on my birthday! so as ling as the seed is going down i'm not even peeking in the box. if they hatch ill either transfer them on ringing or let the cock rear them at four weeks and get the hen to another cock to give me some half brothers/sisters to build the foundations on for any arrials at a later date with the same blood in them.

so as always im excited at whats happening in my little corner of kent.the initial objective of breeding a few hens has been passed

and ive been helped on my way by some very nice people who mentioned in my first post really didnt know me from adam this time last year.

whats next???

well i've got some shep6 barheads that will be good to form the basis of my wilson line (with some spruce/adams/boyd thrown in) in october and they are starting to become active in the flights and the two hens are spoilt for choice...

but...

ive also got four or five marchant hens that will need using, for whatever reason they are with me and need a close eye on them when in the breeding cage, but and here is the but, this is where i earn my spurs as they have all refused once or twice with me or someone else before so now they have settled down it's time they earnt some corn- some birds are like that and we all have them and have sold superb birds that become them for whatever reason and so october will be a roller coaster thats for sure.

one thing that i am thinking about is a pair of siblings that i have- they are very much the lessor birds and the brother would have contributed to the manshed had he not fallen off the perch. as i wont be adding or taking away any genes do i pair them together in the hope that they both breed better and just keep the best one chick and pair it out of the line later, ill keep that thread for later in the genetic's section....

You sometimes can't put your finger on it....

There are times I am sure when you look at a nest and you think to yourself something is amiss, don't get me wrong I don have anything other than chicks growing well but I do wonder with the heat Of a couple of weeks ago if its made either the chicks or the parents dehydrate and I wonder if they will catch up- of course they will and they are different parents but it does make you wonder and worry.

Other than that I've taken the chicks away in one and put the cock back in this morning to see what happens and the chicks I've put in the weaning cage having put a divider in and a couple of the more placid chicks to keep and eye on them- ill check the crops tonight.

The sky hen after three weeks still hasn't laid an egg but as always its due and I wonder if with these older used hens its often just a case of time and being patient- ill tell you in another three weeks but its worth waiting in my book and I will be a bonus chick and we all like those!

The rest is very much stays quo- chicks feeding well, parents behaving (with the worry of the feeder cock when they fledge but I may take the hen away soon) and waiting for either eggs to be laid, turning or hatching.

On the plus side I found tithe A4 page of notes about the shep6 chicks that Gary sent down and yep the sky is a byles hen and not a Sykes hen but I know which hen she is and its no wonder he did so well at the YBS- i understand that she is part H&M and part wilson so it will be a case of making a decision as to what line she goes into- or rather what cock is fit first!

It also makes it easier when you notice that quite a few have Adams and H&M in their backgrounds as it makes them utilitarian in that I can use them for backskull in one line and height in the other- not that the studs lack this but when I'm buying its in the bottom sales cage! so an unexpected find which means I can be a bit braver and less contravercial in september's selection I also have to tell myself when looking at the chicks that if thebparentsnlacked something like backskull and the chicks have some then its a step forwards and one of the parents must be well bred (to coin a phrase) so if I use them on partners excelling in that feature but from the same family the next round should be better- or so I hope, least I know they are fertile!!!

In fact I was looking at a couple of birds this morning and thinking to myself- just break those last few feathers and in you go.... in fact I'm running out of breeding cages and its time to move the chicks into another part of the shed!- which ill have to build first!!!!

My memory is terrible- its a Dave brick sky hen!!!

The devil makes work for idle thumbs!

Over the last few days I've been walking that very fine line where the significant other wants the cash to do a job but doesn't really want to do the job but it needs doing! I've painted a Victorian rental property that needed cleaning and when Ma B found out how much cleaners are she commented that she'd donut for that!

Needless to say it wasn't the joyous experience she expected cleaning up after students and she has announced her retirement from domestic chores other than her own!

In the plus side it took me three days to paint the four bedrooms, kitchen, lounge, dining area and common parts so today is a slack day and I just have to make sure that I don't start winding people up on the forum.

In the manshed-

I've put a couple Of the grey green chicks from the weaning cage into the main flight to see how they do and what a difference a few weeks make as I've a monster that I didn't know I had! Mind you I suspect that he is also the first to the feeding trays so it may just be the answer but somehow I don't think you can force feed budgies as they do geese!

I need to bring on a couple of cocks into better breeding condition so I sprayed the flight yesterday and fingers crossed as ive a nice YF grey cock that went clear that I want to pair to a lt green hen for her third round.

Other than that its all looking good at the moment- I've chicks fledging in three and I'm waiting for the feeder chicks to fledge. The three greys in nine are two opaline hens for sure and the mixed nest in two looks very odd- the grey green chicks can be spotted easily but the younger grey looks a little different so in hoping its a cinnamon as that would make guessing what nest it came from very easy!

I really do need to spend some time starting a breeding record system as sooner or later ill lose a nest card and they'll all start looking the same!

the benefit of the blog is that you can read the things you did right or wrong last round and so I'm leaving the feeder pair until the chicks are feeding and then ill make a decision as I know she would have laid again but im over run with pieds at the moment and need the space

Yep you guessed it time for the "going cheap" add down the co-op......

Other than that I really need to extend the breeding area and as I have the girls this weekend I may just force them into it but then again it is a town festival all weekend!!!!

The beat laid plans.....

Well I've had a bit of a mixed bag-

The good news is that the chicks in two ate feathering up and if you recall they were two from the parents (a Marchant chick and a Shep dilute hen) and they look like green series birds which makes that easy but the two fosters from two sets of parents were going to be a problem- one pair are mike ball and both normal greys and the other pair a cinnamon grey cock an a sky hen from Dave brick- and both chicks are grey!!!! Good news is that one looks cinnamon so that job becomes easier.

On the down side the hen in three that I split up to try another cock bird with after she weans the four chicks has decided to lay again by herself!

The fosters have started to throw the chicks onto the cage floor to warn them and she looks like she is going to lay again so I think the problem above may just be solved.....

Other than that its raining on the parade as its the sandwich festival today and I'm trying to organise a safari so fingers crossed it all works out to be sunshine

You know your getting old when.....

Not only can you do the "dads dance" but when your daughters comment you tell them "don't worry darling I've got years before you get married to perfect something far worse" and the truth is I just don't care as long as I'm having a good time- I switched to radio two a few years ago but I'm trying not to wear beige!!!

Back to matters in hand.

Its official I need to extend the shed's capability as I've hens coming into condition and no spare breeding cages- or rather Ive spare cages built but to erect them would mean doubling the viewable cages from the window and as that's how Ms B keeps an eye on me I must be careful. So the plan is to put a block of two treble cages under the window to act as weaning cages and free up two spare cages for breeding and ill have to cull hard after the winter.

Ah the winter when your thankful that the garden isn't twice the distance to the manshed- I do wonder if the heat has anything to do with the amount of hens I'm producing? If anyone is noticing with their records if they get more cocks in the dec-jan period rather than the April-July period I'd be all ears. But I've said it before its a nice problem to have!

Henry Ford once said any colour as long as its black- well, I've a feeder cock that lets any of the chicks perch that are green series but with greys he keeps them on the floor- even the hens! So ill have to keep an eye on him. Especially as the hen has started to lay again!

The chicks in the dilutes nestbox are feathering up well and yep its a cinnamon sky chick so that's counted out of the "who's the daddy" dilemma on the grey in the box thankfully. the two chicks of her own look like grey greens so they should be split dilute and as they are off a better cock I guess in next years pairings I many get some half siblings throwing up some dilutes which will be an interesting dilemma but right now I'm just trying to get the outline right.

The single chick that's being fed by the spangle is doing well and now rung so although his days are numbered now he may make a good feeder in the future.

The pair of greys in cage nine are rearing three of their own and two fostered in Lutino's- the hens will be good stock opaline hens but the normal grey looks to have his fathers width across the cere- not enough for the show bench as they are fine feathered but certainly worth getting another long hen for dad to make some half siblings- I have just the bird in the flight if only she will come into condition- she abandons chicks at two days so it will be eyes open and a couple of quick rounds I guess when the time is right

The other greys in ten have a clutch of eight eggs of which 6 are showing fertile and two undecided- this may be a problem if it becomes eight from eight as they are out of sync as I've three pairs that have taken a considerable amount of time from the first round and still haven't started the second- including the sky blues which are driving me mad!!

Of which I have a challenge for next year- the feeders have been worth their weight in gold to me this year and yes I haven't used them properly but this coming season I need to be more ruthless with their eggs and chicks and not be in the position where my better pairs are bringing up feeder ino's!

I'm organising a safari soon and ill have my mentor car trapped for five hours- I feel a discussion coming on and if all else fails ill sell him some earplugs!!

But right now as I look around I've a dozen from the first round a dozen from the second (I always exclude the feeders in numbers but I've a dozen of those too) and with any luck ill get a dozen from the third which means I'm going to have to sell some birds after the first moult to make some space- oh well another nice problem to have- sell or swop that's the new dilemma!!!

Woo hoo the boss is away today- I was a good boy and walked her to the station with daughter 4 and they are off to london for dinosaurs and butterflies- I get hoovering, dishwasher duties and a longer spell pairing up in my mind prior to mid sept.

I've a mixed bunch of birds that neatly fit into three waves- I was only going to have two but these things happen when your trying for a feature!

So my first wave is coming to an end soon with my Marchant birds and I've had plenty of luck and a few heart-aches but overall I bought three pairs to build a platform and was gifted some old-timers and in the main I've has three pairs from all the birds so the business and Ill have 20-30 chicks by the time they're broken up and I'd say more hens than is polite and fingers crossed the three performing cocks stay fit for next year and I get just one or two of the chicks that takes me forwards and next year should be crossing the families over and an outcross in '14

I've a few mike ball birds that have a different frame and I'm hoping that if I can work them hard and mix them around then ill have a solid nucleus and at the moment its 3 cross chicks and 1 pure bred- the next round is due to hatch on my birthday so I hope its an omen- and not in the hanging nanny, son of the devil way- I need to bolster this family and a plan is afoot.

The other wave is just about to start and is due to the kindness of my friends in the north- Gary Shep who realised I was struggling in march and sent down 8 young for noise that turned into 16 in the courier crate! And to Nick and Gary of the Allwood/bird partnership who when I was talking about the spruce blow sorted me out a few well bred birds and at the moment a cinnamon sky cock appears to be prepotant for blow and I've got to get him a cross another hen or two this season I know its a struggle trusting people these days and I firmly believe I've struck gold with my mentor (whom I also frustrate the hell out of) and with alan,mike,Gary and nick for the birds I've had.

So my wave three is mainly wilson/Adams/spruce with a spattering of H&M and Sykes in the genes from Gary and ill mix these up to maximise the impact with a sprinkling of spruce- as always all I want to do is breed some good stock hens with some blow and if a good cock pops out then that takes me forward- if not ill be badgering Gary for a wilson cock next year and nick for another spruce bird with super blow.

So there we have it thoughts from the lounge with my feet on the sofa-

In the manshed- I've just taken away a lutino and the yf opaline grey chicks from 7 as they are feeding and the cock is getting a little stroppy- the four remaining are disposable but these two needed to be taken care of- the chicks in the weaning cage aren't quite sure what to make of a yellow budgie! They had better get used to it as I've two more weaning soon, I've also got to do some reworking the shed layout as I've 20 to wean in the next three weeks before the next wave starts!

All together- its a nice problem to have! mind you as the quality goes up I think the productivity drops!!!

So ther we are my late start has given me around 30 chicks which is 18 more than my personal target and my wave three challenge will be 20 birds from 4 or 5 wilson-esque pairs for some stock hens next year- wave two will be a round of four ball birds and a couple of nests of splits to get some purchase on the directional feathering- say 10 in total and all be happy

So watch this space over sept/October as I'm going for 30 chicks and then ill worry about Christmas and buying some show cages as ill have some AA birds for next year and who knows perhaps some round three stunners?

Certainly beats the walk up the garden in the snow!

Oh well time to downsize the expectations from the manshed!

Quite a good day today- on the plus side the lutino and yf opaline grey are both eating in the weaning cage and tomorrow ill have a think about how I deal with the rest coming through the moult- I may just have to move them on early which wasn't the plan by space is a a premium.

On the downside I managed to disturb the ball pair of greys- she had four fertile in the first round and four in the second and in the third I have four eggs that will last forever! Yep four infertile eggs so its a question of rethinking that one- I suspect that without daily disturbances that the cock and hen haven't had enough perch time to become reacquainted so next time that may be the plan- good news that I've got one under fosters or I'd be very disappointed right now!

Those that read my ramblings and posts will know that I give as good as I get and yesterday I got a bit of a pasting from the mentor, or rather some much needed refocusing on what the task to hand is.......

Basically I've fallen Into the trap of using up the spare cages at the time with "last chance" hens and whilst I've had some luck you do need to draw a line when after three weeks between rounds nothing is happening- I've phase three to think about and in order to make sure I have enough cover for fostering I need to be able to put a few pairs down together and not one here and there- and to be honest the better cocks would do better with younger hens and I think I've got four pairs that should be split up in two weeks and a double breeder that's a weaning cage that should be used better- who knows perhaps these hens will be better after a moult and a cold snap or when I've got space to burn.

But the good news is that I'm playing for six pairings in a couple of weeks which means that when I'm not doing chores ill be reading the form book harder then John McCrirrick and seeing if I can pull the rabbit out of the hat- but its a major blow having infertile eggs from foundation birds from my ball line, so ill a scratch my head and make sure I hatch a plan rather than get splinters!

A very slow start to the morning- I'm building ikea furniture today so I know it will be a late finish so an hour stolen this morning to ensure all is fed, watered, grits and treats all done and four chicks moved from cage three to the weaning cage, so the hen I all alone and as soon as I can removed the chicks with the feeders ill transfer her eggs out under them and decide if I take another round or not- she is a 12 bird so I may just return her to the flight but then again Ill have another look at the boys and see who's fit- the question is if she is returned when can I use her again?

I'm really pleased with a chick in nine and can't wait for it to fledge and for ian to see it- its the one chick from the pair that I was hoping for- not a world beater but I fear his job will be to replace his father who isn't looking too happy at the moment- he has a Wing wound that just won't heal and he knocks all the time so at some stage I know he will take a turn but he can't go into the flight and he is filling eggs at the moment....

Other than that im transferring what the papers say (pedigree's not.the Middle East conflict) into critical glances in the manshed and slowly the wilson-esque pairs are forming, as a wisen sage said to me "avoid the faults like flecking and just get the outline right..." Sounds easy doesn't it?

On the plus side the sky hen looks a little fluffed up- she is a '10 hen that's been well used before me so I suspect not egg bound but internally less than 100% but as a freebie I had a feel and yes she has an egg in the tract I just hope she passes it ok- fingers crossed and time will tell....

Other than that best wishes to everyone who's building and to those selecting pairs for the new season as with luck I may be in sync with the crowd for once!!!

Well Ive been down the manshed to tuck them in for the night and with one hand he gives- I've a new chick in the shed from an Adams cock and with any luck it will be the first of many.

On the down side if the sky hen is with us in the morning then ill eat my hat! But the cock bird is still active when she moves around the cage so least I know he is keen and able!!!

Fingers crossed for the morning...

Is it safe to go into the water?

Ok so hands up I had a good run of it and like most runs (curry aside) all good things come to a crashing end! I'd had some high hopes of my pair of sky birds and I found the hen in the box this morning as half suspected having passed on to the aviary in the sky, yes I know she was a gift but you know what its like when you nurse an old hen into peak condition and your hopes get raised- no that it pays to have a bond but we'd come to an understanding her and I if you catch my drift. As she wasn't quite in the throws of riggermortise I managed to remove the egg and believe me it would have made anyone wince as it was huge! So I've popped it in a box and ill keep an eye on it- doubt it will come to anything but you never know!

.....and whilst were all down and blue the cock the the high hopes pair of greys is looking like he will be joining her soon- he has a wing injury that he just isn't recovering from and whilst he is filling eggs and has sired seven chicks I just have the feeling looking at him that he may be called soon- I've crop fed him a little GA and lets see if he picks up- he is still feeding chicks etc but the hen is very ready to start her next round and as a '10 hen it may be her last!

So there you go a down day and I'm supposed to be all ball and upbeat as she who must be feared has organised a birthday day out for me- not my birthday today but It always falls on the first day of term and so we do something early so the boss can then focus on getting uniform ready and daughters getting older!

On the plus side I have a fresh pinkie but thoughts will be about how I repair two birds whe out on a birthday dinner, who ironically are a cock and a hen whom aren't suited to eachother otherwise it would be job done!

Safari on thursday so plenty to talk about!!!

Is it me.....

Sometimes this hobby of ours delights, sometimes it keeps us awake at night with worry and then it throws us a curve ball or makes us think about kicking the cat- well...... This morning was one of those times, I fostered the egg from the sky hen under my most reliable hen yesterday with a few of her own only to find this morning that she selected it and smashed it!

So in disgust I've taken the rest of her eggs away, put them under a foster and thrown in a spare cock bird- I've candled the eggs and think that they are clear but you never know and at the moment the pied feeders are the only ones laying so ill have to make up a few pairs to cover eachother.

I kind of feel that Ive been a bit soft on the birds of late and that I need to get a little more serious and work them harder, so I've put a light green hen in with the sky cock and I'm thinking about what to out with the dilute for the next round when she's fledged the chicks in a couple of weeks- it may just be a ball grey cock bird and ill give his hen a rest or I may just let them go again- depends on how she looks at the stage she ejects the clear eggs.

I do know that I've taken for grantid the fact that what's alive today will be alive tomorrow and that's not quite the case as a certain grey cock will let me know in a few days!

Oh well back in my corner!!!

Ok so here goes- nothing happened!

No hatches, matches or dispatches but I've done plenty of procrastinating and this weekend ill be splitting up three or four pairs, making a couple of perches for a stock cage so the existing double weaning cage can become.a double breeding cage

Ill also be removing the eggs from the fosters as they are clear and this means they will be in sync with the main pairs.

See nothing has happened but it should do!

Other than that I've firmed up the safari- avoided anything to do with any conversation about longflights and enjoyed a few beers for the birthday!

Roll on the weekend.....

The weekend is almost upon us and I've for washday hands already!

Well ive had a couple of exciting days- the birds are doing what they normally do, no more deaths but I do have a fresh pinkie in cage ten which is good news but its an isolated nest as I've broken up some pairs and I'm waiting for either initial eggs or clear eggs to be thrown out.

So lets talk about the safari's

I went along on Wednesday to see the local intermediate stud of Ellis and Mathews whom were having a clear out, as always I arrived second but I still had 100 birds to Choose from and I managed to pick up a couple of spangles to try for a bit of colour.

On thursday I collected Ian Fordham and we went off to see Jim Lawrie- this was organised after his bis win and OMG I've never seen a budgie with a chest the size of my clenched fist!

But in all seriousness I know that jim has birds from mike ball and I was after something to suppliment the cock I have here and him managed to sort me out an unused 21month old hen so many thanks to jim but it was a big lesson for me in building families and you can see the key birds in terms of outcrosses and their bunch or relatives and also you can see its no flash in the pan which gives me something to aspire to- I still need a bird or two for the new season but I can wait- as always I'm just trying to breed some hens to try for next year and anything else is a bonus

I know it has to be something in the air with the amount of builds going on at the moment but I'm inspired and with some puffing and panting I've managed to put the perches in the cages under the window that will become the weaning cage and that means I will have 5 cages ready in a week or two and then its all systems go....

Well that's the theory anyway.....

Queue nature to give me a curve ball

A new dawn.....

Have you noticed how the evenings are drawing in and by seven thirty Its almost dark? Well that tells me that its time to turn back the night lights to eight thirty and basic rations to purge the birds in the flight for a couple of weeks and then its all light and treats to bring them on- you can tell when its getting cold as my extractors cut out at 20 degrees and its getting close- wasn't that long ago that 16 degrees was a luxury and then we had all that 30 something bananas!

I've had a fresh egg in three which is the start Of her fourth round and this is with a different cock so fingers crossed it all goes to plan. I've also moved the single egg in nine to the foster pair as she hasn't laid any more despite a daily visit from a fresh cock as hers was looking very unwell-

With that in mind I may remove the chicks tomorrow and see how they do and leave the fresh cock in all day- she is a '10 hen and I've a feeling if she stops any longer I've had it and I'm trying to make the young cock more of a man as I want to juggle him between hens this season but he is a little slow at coming forward!

The unwell cock with the wing wound is still limping on, fluffed, unhappy, light and dosed with 2-3ml of GA twice a day but what was an ugly wound of dried blood, seed husks and skin the size of a good grape now appears to have been picked over by the birds in the weaning cage and now looks healthy and fresh- just have to keep an eye on it and rehydrate him- he's a fighter and while there is every chance he'll pull through ill give it to him.... But expect the smoke from the chimney soon on this one

The youngsters are just starting the ugly moult and I guess its where I find out how clean- or not- my squadron of opaline hens are- time will tell but nice bought I'm three opaline hens for this year and all if then are ticked (such is a beginners lot) and various ages so if I get one round off each of three chicks ill be happy- but this year ill be greedy as I want a few good chicks to take me forwards rather than just the volume of blood related hens I've bred from the H&M line

Mind you I'm about to start again with the first refusal hens, the cross over birds around the edge and with luck back onto the ball line in November when the hen is rested and the cocks mature

Well that's the theory anyway but you do know this hobby is as Much luck as it is theory!

Here's hoping for some luck

Up nice and early today as the boss is on a health drive which means keep fit classes (and childminding for me so I can't spend hours In the manshed) and a diet and I think we all know what that means- its like dating a vegetarian- kiss meat goodbye and get used to it- so whilst its a sunny day were all walking on eggshells and dreaming about KFC

The grey cock with the wing wound is still fluffed up and quiet so Ive isolated him with the chicks from his hen for a few hours after feeding him some formula and GA to try and stave off Father Time. I've put the other grey cock back in with the hen for a little while and there doesn't appear to be fireworks so I'm hoping he's a silent assassin!!!

Other than that I've an egg in three and the hen in four is in the box, the greys in ten have hatched their fifth chick and after what seems a long long while I'm able to say that I've ring a chick!!!

The couple of birds that I've bought in certainly have mixed it up in the flight as they jostle for mid-order in the pecking order- so with some luck it may just inspire some encouraging behaviour, as always fingers crossed!