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PAUL HEARN
10-17-2005, 09:30 PM
Hi all,

I just thought I would share some very good news of mine with you all.

Just a few weeks ago I bought four Scaly Crowned Weavers from Dorset Birds, I owned and had very near breedings with this Species quite a few years ago, but over a four year period with a colony of these Birds using various angles on breeding them I never managed to rear chicks to maturity.:(

Back to the point, as I said only a few weeks ago I bought four of these Birds, at the time of purchase they were not quite in adult plumage and after a settling period I rung all of the Birds with different coloured split plastic rings and introduced all four into a 6ft long X 3ft wide X 6ft high aviary containing Conifer branches, nest boxes and whicker baskets.
From the time of purchasing these Birds they have fully moulted into adult plumage resulting in one true pair and two single cocks, during this period I have had to remove two cocks to an adjoining aviary due to aggresive behaviour from the bonded pair.
A short time ago I found a single broken egg laid from the perch on the floor of the aviary and another that had become stuck to the mesh of the aviary, this for me was great news that confirmed I had a true pair of these Birds to hopefully breed from next year.

Better news was to come when I found a tiny free standing nest built by the Weavers, even better news was to come in that the hen had chosen to lay three eggs in a whicker nest basket.:D
I told Alan Brown who owns Dorset Birds and he was over the Moon, until I told him the eggs were stone cold.:(

Anyway everything looked promising for next years breeding until this lunchtime when I came home from work and I found a newly hatched Scaly Crowned Weaver chick!!!:D

So whether this chick survives or not, I'm looking at an even more promising breeding season with these Birds for next year!!

Paul.

laurab
10-18-2005, 06:11 AM
Well done mate! I only wish I had space for a pair of these lovely little birds. :-|

jimmy
10-18-2005, 06:25 AM
nice one Paul :)

hope the chick survives mate.

Waxbillman
10-18-2005, 06:32 AM
brillliant Paul, i'm glad to hear it, and keep us posted won't you.

matthew

laurab
10-18-2005, 11:12 AM
Love the Avatar Jimmy :razz:

chris
10-18-2005, 01:58 PM
Hi Paul,

good luck with the chick mate, i hope it survives:grin: do i see the beginings of a scaly crowned weaver breeding program?:grin:

Chris:wink:

dave85
10-18-2005, 06:18 PM
hey paul,

Could you post a recent picture of the birds please? and how much did they cost?

what weaver or whydah species you reckon i should get for my aviary?

Get back to me please
Thanks
Dave

PAUL HEARN
10-18-2005, 09:17 PM
Hello all,

Thank you all for your posts regarding the Scaly Crowned Weaver chick, I just hope that I manage to rear this chick to maturity, if not, it does look promising for next year.

Dave, I'm sorry to say I don't have a recent photo of these Birds, and they cost me £45 a pair.

I can suggest many Weaver and a few Whydah Species for you to try, but please don't think I'm an authority on any of these Birds.

Napolean, Zanzibar, Red Bishop, Fire Crowned, Grenadier, Red Billed, Russ's etc and then there are the Whydah Species, Yellow Mantled/Backed, Red Winged, White Winged etc.

Paul.:wink:

PAUL HEARN
10-19-2005, 09:23 PM
Hi all,

Here is the bad news I hoped I wouldn't be posting, today I found the Scaly Crowned Weaver chick dead on the floor of the aviary not too far from the eggshell it hatched from.:sad:
I opened the other two eggs and they were both clear, so the young cock Bird had done well to fertilise one egg in his first year and first attempt at breeding.:)
Although it was heartbreaking to find the dead chick I am still confident that next year could bring better results with these beautiful Birds.

Paul.

Pyxel
10-19-2005, 09:43 PM
That is a shame Paul but atleast he did the job of fertilising them as you say, better luck next year.

chris
10-20-2005, 10:16 AM
Hi Paul,

sorry to hear you've lost it mate:cry: , i guess it must just be the wrong time of year now and too cold. also, just a general warning we are supposed to have a very cold winter this year (apparently...)

good luck for next year:wink:

Chris

laurab
10-20-2005, 10:48 AM
Hi Paul

Sorry to hear of your loss, I know how excited you were. :-|

Waxbillman
10-20-2005, 11:38 AM
hello Paul

i'm sorry to hear that, its is heart-braking everytime chicks die, all that promise and excitement for the future gone, but it happens, and has happen to allot of people this year.

like you say they have done very well to get this far in thier first year together, so next they should do very well.

matthew

dave85
10-20-2005, 11:59 AM
Sorry to hear that paul :(

Id put it down to a combination of inexperience and the weather.

Which species would you definatly reccommend for a planted flight, with mixed aussies, etc in?

Thanks
Dave

p.s paul you decided if your going newark yet? hopes you do!

jimmy
10-20-2005, 12:55 PM
Hi Paul,

Better luck next time mate, i'm sure it will happen.

PAUL HEARN
10-20-2005, 07:13 PM
Hello everyone,

Thanks for your replies,:wink: I agree this time of year and first rounds aren't the best recipe for breedings, but it does look promising for next year.

Dave you are right in your post regarding inexperience and weather contributing to losing the chick, I just hope by next year the weather will be on the Birds side and I'm experienced enough to finaly breed Scaly Crowned Weavers.:lol:

The Weaver Species I would recommend housing with Australian Finches would be Red Bishops, Napolean Weavers or the Zanzibar Bishops.

I'm still note sure if I will make it to Newark, as I told you I've only been there once and I said I never want to go through that journey again.:roll:

Paul.:grin: