So far this year's season...

[Strawblady2000]

I'm not sure if anyone's birds are in season yet...I know it depends on the species you have.

Prior to starting this season, I had:

1 pair gouldians
1 pair strawbs and 1 extra hen
6 bengalese (1 pair and 4 offspring from last year)2 cocks and 4 hens total

My goulds started in November...

Clutch 1: 4 eggs total
1 laid on floor
3 in nest...all were incubated and on hatch date, they were all pitched

Clutch 2: 5 eggs total
All 5 transferred to bengalese fosters (to 2 female siblings)
4 complete hatches...5th one died during hatching
1 died in nest
3 chicks remain (so cute to hear them peeping). They are about 1 week old. Keeping fingers crossed.

Bengalese:
WONT STOP LAYING!!

Clutch 1:
4 eggs total
3 fledglings now weaned, 1 died in nest at a few days old

Clutch 2: 6 eggs curerently sitting

The other 3 hens...yes, even the ones that are fostering...wont stop laying either! I've probably pitched a dozen clear eggs over the last month.

My strawbs are still practicing.
First clutch: 3 eggs
Found 1 on cage floor
1 was a dud (upon candling, no blastoderm...only blastocyst, indicating it was never fertile)
Dont know where the other went. Maybe it was eaten after being damaged.

They didnt sit consistenly.

So...time to rethink how to make them happier. I'm picking up 2 more strawbs next week. Also thinking about searching for a male for my odd hen and housing them only 1 flight per pair. As they get along well, the odd bird may very well be a distraction.

And...I'm going to try live food (per the mealworm thread)

Also next week, I'm picking up some zebras. They will be quarantined along with the 2 new strawbs...so no breeding intentions for a while on these guys.

Things will keep me busy, even though I dont have a lot of birds.

Goulds will be in season til March...and seems like strawb season is JUST beginning (its early, but the weathers been very warm)

And the bengalese...well...if birdies could use condoms, well...need I say more!

ANyways...I'll keep posting anything noteworthy. I know you cant count your chick before they hatck, lol, or even once they hatch...:lol:

Thanks guys!!!

PLease be sure to post as your season progresses, k?

Nik

[chris]

my breeding season won't start for another month or 2 yet, normally late february - early march. this year's pairings are as follows:

1pr red factor canaries

fife canary hen x greensinger cock, hopefully these 2 will produce a few more hybrids this year so i can test if they are fertile.

Fife canary hen x greensinger hybrid cock. i doubt anything will happen this year as i reckon it may take a year or two for the hybrid to fully mature, however no harm in trying and with any luck we may yet produce the midget canary.

CPQ, 4 hens (3 blue pearl, 1 normal) these shall be run with one, possibly 2 normal mutation CPQ cocks, which i have yet to get hold of. all hens bar the normal are parent reared so there should be a few parent reared chicks at least. finger's crossed the incubator bred hen will pick a few things up off the other 3 so we can breed some true normal CPQ (ie. normal mutation and parent rearing)

Napoleon weavers, 1 cock to 2 hens at the moment however i reckon i can get a few more hens and possibly another cock before their breeding season starts in the summer. apparently these guys can take a year just to get settled in, and i hope that is the reason that they didn't breed for me last year.

Half Masked Weavers. i'm unsure how to go about doing this, 5 birds, 3 hens and 2 cocks. i can pick out the 2 young hens and pair them to the unrelated cock, and leave the proven pair as they are, or i could leave all 5 in the aviary and let them get on with it, as i have read a theory somewhere that birds can pick out related birds and will breed with unrelated birds wherever possible, meaning the pairs should sort themselves out. however doing it this way i won't be certain of the parents so will be constantly hunting for unrelated stock. hmmmmmmm

African Golden weaver, this chappy will be housed in one of the 4 foot cages inside to prevent any hybridising with the half masked weavers, unless ofcourse i find some hens of this species in the meantime in which case i'll let them be outside as they *shouldn't* hybridise.

that's about it i think, unless i manage my new years resolution to get at least one pair of pekin robins and breed em:lol:

Chris;-)

[Waxbillman]

my breeding season will not start till June time, so i'll let you know nearer the time

i do have a pair of red-grey bengalese with eggs, and also the cordon's are doing something. i might try breeding earlier in the cages though i haven't yet started conditioning them or anything.

Matthew

[chris]

HI All,

things ae looking up now as most of my birds either have eggs or are showing signs of breeding

Greensingers: showing signs of breeding but i doubt anything will happen untill i place in a more well hidden nest pan (conifer branches etc.)

Greensinger x fife: 6 eggs and sitting

Greensinger mule x fife: 5 eggs and sitting

Red Factors: 4 eggs and sitting

CPQ: 4 eggs under the grass in the aviary, don't know who's laying them but i do know who's the daddy:-D

Vitteline masked weavers: one cock in building nests, the usual culprit! hens seem to be taking an interest in what's happening

African Golden Weaver: nearly finished a nest, only problem is i have no hens and so this chap needs to be caught and taken out of the aviary ASAP to prevent a hybrid occuring

Golden Bishops: nothing, but it is a bit early yet

Pekin Robins: were trying to nest on the floor last week before i added another conifer to the aviary, now i have seen the cock carrying around coconut fibre this morning so bring on the livefood!

Greenfinch Mule (from Greg): this chap has been getting frisky with the Hen CPQ in the same cage:shock: could have a half CPQ, quarter greenfinch quarter canary creature on my hands here:lol:

Chris:wink:

[laurab]

Are they all outside Chris?

[chris]

Hi Laura,

the canaries, greensingers and hybrids are all inside in breeding cages. the rest are outside. absolutely no extra heat in the shed though

Chris;-)

[Strawblady2000]

Excellent Chris!!!!

I finally found a mate for my spare strawberry hen!!

So...hopefully, they will do something! My other pair of strawbs seem to be taking a break after their last clutch.

Gouldians coming out my ears, though, lol. 5 more eggs, 9 juvies and a pair ready to go to nest (I hope, lol)

Keep us posted!!!