Post by Marianne Marlow on Nov 30, 2011 9:01:01 GMT
Fabian Blackman Beginner Breeder and Exhibitor from Barbados
Q. When did you first start to become interested in budgies and what sparked it off?
A. I first became interested in budgies when I was in Barbados. I used to breed fish of various kinds and became bored with it plus my mother wasn’t keen on all the tanks and jars about so I sold them all and got some budgies only pet type ones but they taught me the basics of keeping birds. It was after my going to my first show that I bought my first pair of exhibition budgies and bred them
Q. What did your first Aviary/Breeding room look like?
A. I have two one in the UK and one in Barbados. My UK one is a 9x6 apex shed which hold 12 breeding cages and soon will hold a 4x2x5 flight cage. I have room for more breeding cages but not using them as yet.
My Barbados Bird room measure 20x 10 and is attached to the side of our garage. It holds about 40 breeding cages and 3 flights each measuring 6x3x3 and they are suspended from the roof.
Q.Where and when did you acquire your first birds?
A. My first birds came from a breeder in Barbados who sourced his original stock form imports from Ray Steel.
My UK Birds came from Barrie and Paul.
Q.Do you still have birds from these bloodlines?
A. As this is my first official breeding season in the UK yes I do they are currently not paired up as they weren’t quite ready the first time round as I got clear eggs but will give them a go later in the season.
Q.Which Bloodlines have given you the most impact on your stud?
A.I can’t really say at the moment but as my stud is a mixture of different birds from different breeders when one feature stands out I will know where it came from.
Q. Do you have a specific way of preparing your birds for the breeding season?
A.I give my birds increased amounts of soft food and soaked seeds and if I can I give them some time in the sun I find this gives the birds more energy and they seem to love it. About six weeks before I pair up I split the birds up and treat them for mite. I then let them enjoy the time apart and also watch the cock birds as they start to come into condition. When they start to display to each other and the hens are calling to the cocks I put them closer together and see how they react if they are constantly on the cage wire trying to get to each other I place them in breeding cages and then add the nest box a few day later.
Q. Do you pair your birds by Visual appearance/Bloodline or both?
A. As I have no real blood line I am pairing visually and then from next season will be pairing by blood as well as visual. I think as beginner and with totally new birds it’s a great time to breed and see what pops out and then form next year when I assess the stock and look at my notes I can then start to line breed and create families based on the results of this year.
Q. What are your views on paring up related birds? Have you had any success with this?
A. I believe that without pairing related bird the fancier cannot cement good feature in his stud and as such I’m all for line breeding an in breeding.
I think its important o keep good records and when you bred your families remember that you must out cross at least once every three generations even if it’s from within your own stud.
Q. How many chicks and clutches are your birds allowed?
A. Four to five per round and they go for two rounds as a rule but if a hen is happy to go for another then I let her but no more than four rounds. Or until such time as her first round chicks moult and their quality assessed.
Q. What differences are there in your feeding programme in the breeding and non-breeding seasons?
A. I try to keep my birds on the same diet year round as it means they are use to it and there are no time when something is lacking. This is purely because in my mind you can never cater to the needs of your whole stud as each bird is unique and by gauging the health of the stud on a few birds you can miss out when a bird or two is lacking.
Q. What would you change about your set up if you had the chance (and infinite money to do so?)
A. I would definitely get a bigger shed and flight cages. I feel the birds would enjoy it more and hence breed better if they had more space. I would also get plastic cages and nest boxes as I they are easier to keep clean and they also look nicer.
Q. Do you believe in preventative medication? If so what do you use?
A. I don’t believe in preventative medications as I think good stockmanship, hygiene and proper diet will take care of any problems before they arise.
Q. How do you deal with birds with feather disorders?
A. I have had little experience with this but I think they are a good measure of when something is wrong in a family and then one need to look at the genetics and feather of the birds in question and then from there work out a solution.
Q. Do you have a favourite mutation or variety?
A. I’m quite keen on yellow faces and would say dilutes and clear bodies hold a special place for me though recently cinnamons have been catching my eye more and more.
Q. Who do you admire most in the hobby?
A. I admire anyone who year after year breeds their birds and sticks with it. They don’t get involved in the politics and they just enjoy the hobby.
Q. What was the best bird you ever bred?
A. It would have to be my Normal grey green cock bird back home. He won best in show twice and was beaten by his son the following year. He was a key bird for me and produced some nice birds.
His son
Q. What was the best bird that you have seen from someone else's stud?
A. I have seen two birds that have stuck with me. One would be a lovely grey green normal cock I saw this summer at the stud of Mr. Gerald Binks it was a lovely bird with all the features that we are striving for. The second was a cinnamon grey green hen from the T & A Luke stud. This bird was massive and had some good qualities about her and was just the type of bird I like.
Q. What is the most important piece of advice you could give a beginner just starting out in the hobby?
A. Get out and visit studs and shows, as many as you can. Find the type of bird you like and then when you have it in your head. Get the stock to develop it and enjoy putting the puzzle together.
Q. What more do you believe we can do to promote the hobby?
A. I think the hobby would benefit from a bit of good PR. We need to get out there in the public’s eye and let them know we are here and that keeping budgies is enjoyable and fun.
Q.What do you enjoy most about the hobby? Are you still as enthusiastic as when you first started?
A. I enjoy the visits and the shows but breeding birds still gives me the most joy. Opening a nest box and seeing full eggs then develop into chicks and then watching them mature into adults is what it’s about for me.
I would have to say I am not as keen anymore as I was greatly surprised when I came to the UK as what I thought the budgie hobby here would be it wasn’t and it’s hard to see at times as the bickering and politics really ruins the hobby.
2008 end of year show results
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Thank you Fabian.
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©2006 barrieshuttbudgerigars S3872
Q. When did you first start to become interested in budgies and what sparked it off?
A. I first became interested in budgies when I was in Barbados. I used to breed fish of various kinds and became bored with it plus my mother wasn’t keen on all the tanks and jars about so I sold them all and got some budgies only pet type ones but they taught me the basics of keeping birds. It was after my going to my first show that I bought my first pair of exhibition budgies and bred them
Q. What did your first Aviary/Breeding room look like?
A. I have two one in the UK and one in Barbados. My UK one is a 9x6 apex shed which hold 12 breeding cages and soon will hold a 4x2x5 flight cage. I have room for more breeding cages but not using them as yet.
My Barbados Bird room measure 20x 10 and is attached to the side of our garage. It holds about 40 breeding cages and 3 flights each measuring 6x3x3 and they are suspended from the roof.
Q.Where and when did you acquire your first birds?
A. My first birds came from a breeder in Barbados who sourced his original stock form imports from Ray Steel.
My UK Birds came from Barrie and Paul.
Q.Do you still have birds from these bloodlines?
A. As this is my first official breeding season in the UK yes I do they are currently not paired up as they weren’t quite ready the first time round as I got clear eggs but will give them a go later in the season.
Q.Which Bloodlines have given you the most impact on your stud?
A.I can’t really say at the moment but as my stud is a mixture of different birds from different breeders when one feature stands out I will know where it came from.
Q. Do you have a specific way of preparing your birds for the breeding season?
A.I give my birds increased amounts of soft food and soaked seeds and if I can I give them some time in the sun I find this gives the birds more energy and they seem to love it. About six weeks before I pair up I split the birds up and treat them for mite. I then let them enjoy the time apart and also watch the cock birds as they start to come into condition. When they start to display to each other and the hens are calling to the cocks I put them closer together and see how they react if they are constantly on the cage wire trying to get to each other I place them in breeding cages and then add the nest box a few day later.
Q. Do you pair your birds by Visual appearance/Bloodline or both?
A. As I have no real blood line I am pairing visually and then from next season will be pairing by blood as well as visual. I think as beginner and with totally new birds it’s a great time to breed and see what pops out and then form next year when I assess the stock and look at my notes I can then start to line breed and create families based on the results of this year.
Q. What are your views on paring up related birds? Have you had any success with this?
A. I believe that without pairing related bird the fancier cannot cement good feature in his stud and as such I’m all for line breeding an in breeding.
I think its important o keep good records and when you bred your families remember that you must out cross at least once every three generations even if it’s from within your own stud.
Q. How many chicks and clutches are your birds allowed?
A. Four to five per round and they go for two rounds as a rule but if a hen is happy to go for another then I let her but no more than four rounds. Or until such time as her first round chicks moult and their quality assessed.
Q. What differences are there in your feeding programme in the breeding and non-breeding seasons?
A. I try to keep my birds on the same diet year round as it means they are use to it and there are no time when something is lacking. This is purely because in my mind you can never cater to the needs of your whole stud as each bird is unique and by gauging the health of the stud on a few birds you can miss out when a bird or two is lacking.
Q. What would you change about your set up if you had the chance (and infinite money to do so?)
A. I would definitely get a bigger shed and flight cages. I feel the birds would enjoy it more and hence breed better if they had more space. I would also get plastic cages and nest boxes as I they are easier to keep clean and they also look nicer.
Q. Do you believe in preventative medication? If so what do you use?
A. I don’t believe in preventative medications as I think good stockmanship, hygiene and proper diet will take care of any problems before they arise.
Q. How do you deal with birds with feather disorders?
A. I have had little experience with this but I think they are a good measure of when something is wrong in a family and then one need to look at the genetics and feather of the birds in question and then from there work out a solution.
Q. Do you have a favourite mutation or variety?
A. I’m quite keen on yellow faces and would say dilutes and clear bodies hold a special place for me though recently cinnamons have been catching my eye more and more.
Q. Who do you admire most in the hobby?
A. I admire anyone who year after year breeds their birds and sticks with it. They don’t get involved in the politics and they just enjoy the hobby.
Q. What was the best bird you ever bred?
A. It would have to be my Normal grey green cock bird back home. He won best in show twice and was beaten by his son the following year. He was a key bird for me and produced some nice birds.
His son
Q. What was the best bird that you have seen from someone else's stud?
A. I have seen two birds that have stuck with me. One would be a lovely grey green normal cock I saw this summer at the stud of Mr. Gerald Binks it was a lovely bird with all the features that we are striving for. The second was a cinnamon grey green hen from the T & A Luke stud. This bird was massive and had some good qualities about her and was just the type of bird I like.
Q. What is the most important piece of advice you could give a beginner just starting out in the hobby?
A. Get out and visit studs and shows, as many as you can. Find the type of bird you like and then when you have it in your head. Get the stock to develop it and enjoy putting the puzzle together.
Q. What more do you believe we can do to promote the hobby?
A. I think the hobby would benefit from a bit of good PR. We need to get out there in the public’s eye and let them know we are here and that keeping budgies is enjoyable and fun.
Q.What do you enjoy most about the hobby? Are you still as enthusiastic as when you first started?
A. I enjoy the visits and the shows but breeding birds still gives me the most joy. Opening a nest box and seeing full eggs then develop into chicks and then watching them mature into adults is what it’s about for me.
I would have to say I am not as keen anymore as I was greatly surprised when I came to the UK as what I thought the budgie hobby here would be it wasn’t and it’s hard to see at times as the bickering and politics really ruins the hobby.
2008 end of year show results
Thank you Fabian.
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©2006 barrieshuttbudgerigars S3872