Reading a happy ending story in a newspaper about a lost African Grey. It seem a lady was puzzled by a constant noise over several days which sounded like a faulty smoke alarm. She even had workmen in trying to find the source of the noise. It turned out to be an escaped African Grey which she eventually found perched on her water butt in the back garden. The Grey was returned to it's original owner who lived half a mile away and had been searching for number of days for his lost pet.
The owner said she came down the stairs the first morning after her pet Grey was returned to hear him say "Good Morning"
Diary of a parrot breeder.
Saturday, 5 March 2011
Sunday, 20 February 2011
More bad news
Unfortunately after I took the Yellow Thighed Caique for hand rearing it died after 4 days. Not really sure why this was the faeces turned very brown and red. I guess it was some kind of internal haemorrage.
On a lighter note I am giving a new product a try, which is Avigold Plus. A fellow breeder and friend of mine started with this in December and has been quite amazed at the results with the feather condition of his parrots. Additionally he has a pet Amazon which has recently (in December) looked worse for wear with his chest feathers and wing feathers in poor condition. The vet had not come up with any real ideas, so my friend has been giving the Amazon Avigold Plus and I must admit the parrot is really responsing to the treatment. It's feathers are getting much better and he seems so much more active and bright. So I have bought some myself and started this week giving it to all my parrots.
The Vosmaeri Eclectus chick is still doing OK I believe but still not had a chance to view it as the mum is keeping me away from the nest box. I am thinking I must get some new nestbox camera's set up.
On a lighter note I am giving a new product a try, which is Avigold Plus. A fellow breeder and friend of mine started with this in December and has been quite amazed at the results with the feather condition of his parrots. Additionally he has a pet Amazon which has recently (in December) looked worse for wear with his chest feathers and wing feathers in poor condition. The vet had not come up with any real ideas, so my friend has been giving the Amazon Avigold Plus and I must admit the parrot is really responsing to the treatment. It's feathers are getting much better and he seems so much more active and bright. So I have bought some myself and started this week giving it to all my parrots.
The Vosmaeri Eclectus chick is still doing OK I believe but still not had a chance to view it as the mum is keeping me away from the nest box. I am thinking I must get some new nestbox camera's set up.
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Enevitable bad news
It is often the case with breeding parrots or any birds, that good fortune is sometimes followed by sad news. And it is the case today. Unfortunately the Grand Eclectus chick which hatched out earlier has died in the nest box. I guess due to some bacterial infection whilst in the egg. What was somewhat surprising was that on further inspection it seems that there was an earlier chick which had died probably at least a week earlier. Similar to the Vosmaeri Eclectus this Grand breeding pair only appear to successfully rear one chick usually out of two eggs. So finding two dead chicks is a double wammy.
I really will need to look at a better nestbox design for this Eclectus parrot pair.
Vosmaeri Eclectus chick is still OK.
I really will need to look at a better nestbox design for this Eclectus parrot pair.
Vosmaeri Eclectus chick is still OK.
Sunday, 6 February 2011
Surprise chick today
Our pair of Grand Eclectus parrots have been sitting on eggs, but as usual they made a right old mess on them. So as usual one of them was lost (chick dead in shell) and the other I thought was going to be lost also and almost threw the egg away a couple of days ago. However much to my surprise a looked in the box and found a little chick in there. The Vosmaeri still have their chick now around 12 days old. Being trying hard to get to have a look in the box, but the hen is being particularly defensive and I don't want to spook her as she has a habit of taking her anoyance out on the babies if she gets upset. Still no eggs from the Red Sided pair inspite of some enthusiastic mating which I have seen from my house.
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Strange shaped eggs
I have just ringed the baby Yellow Thighed Caique chick and looked to see if there are any other chicks about to hatch out. Sadly both the remaining eggs are not any good. One egg was obviously fertile to begin with but had a strange elongated appearance. Whatever had started had eventually dried up I guess related to the odd shaped egg. The 2nd egg was quite small and infetile or clear. Not a chance this would have come to anything. Not quite sure if this is related to age of the parents or the weather perhaps ?
Suddenly realised I had not ordered any 2011 rings (opps!), and the chick was ready for ringing. Luckily I still had a couple of 2010 rings left, so I used on of these. Technically speaking the egg was hatched in Dec 2010 anyway. I am deliberating as to whether to hand rear or parent rear this chick ? In general I have many more people asking for HR pets than breeders asking for breeding birds sadly. At the end of the day it would be easier to sell as hand reared with the market being as it is.
Suddenly realised I had not ordered any 2011 rings (opps!), and the chick was ready for ringing. Luckily I still had a couple of 2010 rings left, so I used on of these. Technically speaking the egg was hatched in Dec 2010 anyway. I am deliberating as to whether to hand rear or parent rear this chick ? In general I have many more people asking for HR pets than breeders asking for breeding birds sadly. At the end of the day it would be easier to sell as hand reared with the market being as it is.
Friday, 21 January 2011
New product Orego-Stim, but what is it ?
Come across a new product today with lots of stated claims: fertility aid , feather conditioner, gut stabilizer etc. All sounds very interesting but there is not much information on it's composition ?
Sometimes you come across these products and you never know if they are something new or just common products re-branded.
May give it a try in the second half of the year, never a good idea to introduce something at the start of a breeding season in case it backfires on you.
here is a link to the product claims:
http://www.orego-stim.com/hobby-and-pet/avian-complete/more-avian/22-avian-complete-testimonials
Caique chick looking good in the nest box tonight, perhaps a 2nd egg looks ready to hatch.
Sometimes you come across these products and you never know if they are something new or just common products re-branded.
May give it a try in the second half of the year, never a good idea to introduce something at the start of a breeding season in case it backfires on you.
here is a link to the product claims:
http://www.orego-stim.com/hobby-and-pet/avian-complete/more-avian/22-avian-complete-testimonials
Caique chick looking good in the nest box tonight, perhaps a 2nd egg looks ready to hatch.
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Vosmaeri Eclectus chick hatches out today
Very pleased to hear the sound of a young chick from the Vosmaeri Eclectus tonight, hopefully the first Eccie chick of the year. I have someone who is asking for a cock Vosmaeri so again it would be very good news if this was the case.
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Monday, 17 January 2011
Scrambled egg starts Timnehs breeding
I had a call from a pet owner who has a pair of pet Timneh Greys. They were bought as tame pets when young but all of a sudden they have mated and are sitting on eggs. Dave the owner of DJ and JD (Timneh Greys) told me that he didn't even know they were a pair until now. So his family were quite surprised to find them mating and then laying eggs.
He told me that he mostly feeds his parrots on a tropical seed mixture, but he said that the Greys love scrambled eggs. Now breeders often use eggfood to stimulate the breeding instinct in parrots as it is a source of protein, so my guess that it is this treat which has prompted his Greys to go to nest. I would not necessarily advise scrambled eggs, and would recommend that Dave substitutes this with a powder eggfood sprinkled onto a vegetable /fruit mixture perhaps with an addition of Palm Fruit extract. Palm Fruits are a naturally occuring food for Greys in the wild.
Greys are often found to have insufficient calcium in their diet, and especially a problem when they start to produce eggs. So I would recommend the addition of a calcium suppliment, either as a liquid supplement added to their water like Calcivet (Birdcare) or perhaps a powder suppliment to sprinkle over some softfood like Nutrobal (Vetark). Also give them cuttlefish bone .
Hopefully Dave will send me a photo of DJ & JD which I will post on the blog.
He told me that he mostly feeds his parrots on a tropical seed mixture, but he said that the Greys love scrambled eggs. Now breeders often use eggfood to stimulate the breeding instinct in parrots as it is a source of protein, so my guess that it is this treat which has prompted his Greys to go to nest. I would not necessarily advise scrambled eggs, and would recommend that Dave substitutes this with a powder eggfood sprinkled onto a vegetable /fruit mixture perhaps with an addition of Palm Fruit extract. Palm Fruits are a naturally occuring food for Greys in the wild.
Greys are often found to have insufficient calcium in their diet, and especially a problem when they start to produce eggs. So I would recommend the addition of a calcium suppliment, either as a liquid supplement added to their water like Calcivet (Birdcare) or perhaps a powder suppliment to sprinkle over some softfood like Nutrobal (Vetark). Also give them cuttlefish bone .
Hopefully Dave will send me a photo of DJ & JD which I will post on the blog.
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Ruppells working nest box
Having moved the Red Bellied parrots & Ruppells pairs into their new house merely 2 weeks ago, I am delighted with progress as not only is the older pair starting to spend time in their nest box but so is the younger pair. This is a real surprise with the younger pair are only around 18 months old. Perhaps being stimulated with the older pair next to them. However still nothing positive from the Red Bellied pairs.
The Ruppells are so much like the Meyers parrots I used to keep, in behaviour they are very active and looking into everything very excitable small parrots. The Red Bellied parrots are more like Senegals, more reserved shy nervous parrots more easily spooked. Larger than the Ruppells and very similar to the physical characteristics of the Senegals.
The Ruppells are so much like the Meyers parrots I used to keep, in behaviour they are very active and looking into everything very excitable small parrots. The Red Bellied parrots are more like Senegals, more reserved shy nervous parrots more easily spooked. Larger than the Ruppells and very similar to the physical characteristics of the Senegals.
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
First chick of 2011 & diet changes
George & Simone (Yellow Thighed Caique pair) laid 3 eggs in December in all that cold weather. It was lovely to see a tiny chick in the nest box tonight. hopefully we may get 2 chicks which is usual case for this pair.
I am not a great one for making changes in the food diet with my parrots, and if I do then I try to do it one thing at a time. But after abit of a scare with one of the new Eclectus parrots I bought last year with a very low vitamin A count. I started to add Palm Fruit Extract to my birds since November. Supposedly this is very high in beta-carotene in a concentrated form (found in carrots and green veg). So it is high in Vitamin E and A which should assist in the improvement of feathers and bones and is said to improve reproduction.
For convenience I feed all the Caiques, Ruppells/Red Bellies and Eclectus the same diet, so hopefully we may see an improvement all round compared to last year.
I am not a great one for making changes in the food diet with my parrots, and if I do then I try to do it one thing at a time. But after abit of a scare with one of the new Eclectus parrots I bought last year with a very low vitamin A count. I started to add Palm Fruit Extract to my birds since November. Supposedly this is very high in beta-carotene in a concentrated form (found in carrots and green veg). So it is high in Vitamin E and A which should assist in the improvement of feathers and bones and is said to improve reproduction.
For convenience I feed all the Caiques, Ruppells/Red Bellies and Eclectus the same diet, so hopefully we may see an improvement all round compared to last year.
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Unusual colour changes in Eclectus
Today our newish pair of Solomon island Eclectus ( Moppet & Poppet) were actually together for the first time, the hen was on the perch trying hard to get the cock to feed her which is a great sign. I had bought this pair from my good friend Sab last year in June.The hen was proven but he had lost the original cock and recently introduced a new companion.
The hen has some green feathering on one side of her wings, this appears to be more common than you might think. Later during the year I was sent this photo of a more extensive green feathered hen by a lady who was interested to know more as her breeding pair where regularly producing these babies below. To me it is very like pied colouration I have seen in other parrots.
According to "A Guide to Eclectus Parrots" by Dr Rob Marshall and Ian Ward, the reason for this more permanent colouration is not known. I have seen some red feathering on young cocks which appear to moult out with age. There are also some adult Eclectus parrots which are known as "halfsiders" where one side of them is entirely green and the other red ?Again the exact nature of these Eclectus have not been identified, but they are said not to breed successfully.
The hen has some green feathering on one side of her wings, this appears to be more common than you might think. Later during the year I was sent this photo of a more extensive green feathered hen by a lady who was interested to know more as her breeding pair where regularly producing these babies below. To me it is very like pied colouration I have seen in other parrots.
Thursday, 6 January 2011
Waited for 2 years for these parrots
Hopefully in the next few weeks I can plan a trip to see an old friend who breeds parrots in Germany.
He has very similar interests to me, and does breed some exclusive parrots which I have waited for some time to be able to bring back to my collection. To say that I am somewhat excited would be an understatement and I know all too easily these arrangements can still fall through. So for now I will keep the identity of these particular parrots confidential. In England there is an old bird keepers adage "don't count your chickens before they hatch".
Having moved the Ruppells they are beginning to look like they are settling down again. When I took them out the old aviary, the breeding pair was firmly fixed in the nest box and I was very reluctant to move them. However I decided in the longer term they would be more likely to breed in a different location and be less easily disturbed. So it was abit of relief to see the male Ruppells looking back into the nest box again tonight.
He has very similar interests to me, and does breed some exclusive parrots which I have waited for some time to be able to bring back to my collection. To say that I am somewhat excited would be an understatement and I know all too easily these arrangements can still fall through. So for now I will keep the identity of these particular parrots confidential. In England there is an old bird keepers adage "don't count your chickens before they hatch".
Having moved the Ruppells they are beginning to look like they are settling down again. When I took them out the old aviary, the breeding pair was firmly fixed in the nest box and I was very reluctant to move them. However I decided in the longer term they would be more likely to breed in a different location and be less easily disturbed. So it was abit of relief to see the male Ruppells looking back into the nest box again tonight.
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Amazon parrot get's arrested !
I love this story which I have seen reported in a couple of magazines (this was an extract from PsittaScene mag): Columbian police have arrested an Amazon parrot whose job it was to warn a local drug gang in case of police raids. The parrot was arrested when the police saw the apprehension of the local drug dealers go up in smoke because the bird unexpectedly started screaming "run! run!" ruining the law's surprise element.
Monday, 3 January 2011
Pirate & Mango the Yellow Thighed Caiques & Jasper the Eclectus cock
Over the last couple of days it was really great to hear from the owners of three of the pet parrots I sold in 2010. Pirate is a lovely Yellow Thighed caique I sold to Andy who appears to have taken to acting quite well.lol
And here are some photos of Jasper the Eclectus cock bought by Andy/Trish and family;
And finally I also heared from Karen that Mango (Yellow Thighed Caique) I sold to her at the end of 2010 has really settled in well with her family, and especially with Lauren who has become Mango's favourite companion.
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Red Sided Eclectus pair mating
Yesterday on the 1st Jan 2011, Dougal & Florence (Red Sided Eclectus pair) started mating for the first time since I bought them in August 2010. They was bought as a proven pair but appeared to quite remote to each other over the last 4 months, and I was suspicious as to if they were actually what they were advertised as. However it just goes to show how unusual Eclectus pairs can appear to be.
All the pairs of small African parrots are now in their new house by the end of today, so fingers crossed I hope the effort in moving them to their own private house will pay off this year.
All the pairs of small African parrots are now in their new house by the end of today, so fingers crossed I hope the effort in moving them to their own private house will pay off this year.
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