Post by Marianne Marlow on Dec 3, 2011 17:59:57 GMT
Ron Thompson Beginner Breeder and Exhibitor from Lucan, Dublin.
Q. When did you first start to become interested in budgies and what sparked it off?
A. I became interested in my teenage years, and have been in and out of the hobby since. My first aviary was in the corner of the garden shed approximately 8 x 4 foot and was used for colony breeding.
Q. Where and when did you acquire your first birds?
A. The first show birds I bought were from Harry Dixon
Q. Do you still have birds from these bloodlines?
A. I sold all my birds in 1985, so the answer is no.
Q. Which Bloodlines have given you the most impact on your stud?
A. when I started back in 2009 I bought from Mark Rodgers; these have impacted the most on my stud.
Q. Do you have a specific way of preparing your birds for the breeding season?
A. As a beginner and still learning I don’t have a specific way of preparing for the breeding season
Q. Do you pair your birds by Visual appearance/Bloodline or both?
A. All my pairings have been paired up by the visual looks of each bird, in the 2012 breeding season I will use both visual and related birds
Q. What are your views on paring up related birds? Have you had any success with this?
A. I do think this is the way forward as it is in my 2012 breeding programme
Q. How many chicks and clutches are your birds allowed?
A. My preference would be four chicks per nest and a maximum of two clutches per pair
Q. What differences are there in your feeding programme in the breeding and non-breeding seasons?
A. In the breeding season I feed extra groats, soft food, carrot, sweet corn, chickweed and when available seeding grasses are also fed
Q. What would you change about your set up if you had the chance (and infinite money to do so?)
A. The biggest change I would love to make would be to increase the size of my bird room and add an outdoor flight.
Q. Do you believe in preventative medication? If so what do you use?
A. I do Ferti Vit and the occasional tonics if and when they are required.
Q. How do you deal with birds with feather disorders?
A. Any birds with feather problems are not used in my breeding programme.
Q. Do you have a favourite mutation or variety?
A. My favourite variety are Lutino’s, I am working hard to increase the size and feather in my Lutino’s
Q. Who do you admire most in the hobby?
A. From looking at photographs on the internet I do really admire Paul Stannards birds
Q. What was the best bird you ever bred?
A. This is still too early to say as a beginner but my best achievement was winning Best opposite sex breeder at the Swords show this year (2011). I suppose this makes my Opaline grey green hen my best bird for now.
Q. What was the best bird that you have seen from someone else's stud?
A. Hard to say but the MTR1 stud have some smashing birds as does John o Neil also, but in fairness from most of the bird rooms of our club members I would gladly take home a special bird or two.
Q. What is the most important piece of advice you could give a beginner just starting out in the hobby?
A. Listen to the more experienced breeders, ask the questions , look at their set ups and use their knowledge and ways of working to improve yours.
Q. What more do you believe we can do to promote the hobby?
A. People need to get more involved in the Society’s and they must encourage beginner’s to become more involved also. A beginner with good first impressions will stay and maybe encourage a friend or two to join us in this hobby also
Q. What do you enjoy most about the hobby? Are you still as enthusiastic as when you first started?
A. I still enjoy the breeding and showing, still get the same buzz as when I first started, when the first chicks start appearing it’s like a new beginning all over again.
desmond.imageshack.us/Himg543/scaled.php?server=543&filename=rt2e.jpg&res=medium [/img]
A section of Ron's birdroom interior
Ron's favourite variety
Ron's Birdroom
Thanks Ron for your input
©2006 barrieshuttbudgerigars S3872.[/color]
Q. When did you first start to become interested in budgies and what sparked it off?
A. I became interested in my teenage years, and have been in and out of the hobby since. My first aviary was in the corner of the garden shed approximately 8 x 4 foot and was used for colony breeding.
Q. Where and when did you acquire your first birds?
A. The first show birds I bought were from Harry Dixon
Q. Do you still have birds from these bloodlines?
A. I sold all my birds in 1985, so the answer is no.
Q. Which Bloodlines have given you the most impact on your stud?
A. when I started back in 2009 I bought from Mark Rodgers; these have impacted the most on my stud.
Q. Do you have a specific way of preparing your birds for the breeding season?
A. As a beginner and still learning I don’t have a specific way of preparing for the breeding season
Q. Do you pair your birds by Visual appearance/Bloodline or both?
A. All my pairings have been paired up by the visual looks of each bird, in the 2012 breeding season I will use both visual and related birds
Q. What are your views on paring up related birds? Have you had any success with this?
A. I do think this is the way forward as it is in my 2012 breeding programme
Q. How many chicks and clutches are your birds allowed?
A. My preference would be four chicks per nest and a maximum of two clutches per pair
Q. What differences are there in your feeding programme in the breeding and non-breeding seasons?
A. In the breeding season I feed extra groats, soft food, carrot, sweet corn, chickweed and when available seeding grasses are also fed
Q. What would you change about your set up if you had the chance (and infinite money to do so?)
A. The biggest change I would love to make would be to increase the size of my bird room and add an outdoor flight.
Q. Do you believe in preventative medication? If so what do you use?
A. I do Ferti Vit and the occasional tonics if and when they are required.
Q. How do you deal with birds with feather disorders?
A. Any birds with feather problems are not used in my breeding programme.
Q. Do you have a favourite mutation or variety?
A. My favourite variety are Lutino’s, I am working hard to increase the size and feather in my Lutino’s
Q. Who do you admire most in the hobby?
A. From looking at photographs on the internet I do really admire Paul Stannards birds
Q. What was the best bird you ever bred?
A. This is still too early to say as a beginner but my best achievement was winning Best opposite sex breeder at the Swords show this year (2011). I suppose this makes my Opaline grey green hen my best bird for now.
Q. What was the best bird that you have seen from someone else's stud?
A. Hard to say but the MTR1 stud have some smashing birds as does John o Neil also, but in fairness from most of the bird rooms of our club members I would gladly take home a special bird or two.
Q. What is the most important piece of advice you could give a beginner just starting out in the hobby?
A. Listen to the more experienced breeders, ask the questions , look at their set ups and use their knowledge and ways of working to improve yours.
Q. What more do you believe we can do to promote the hobby?
A. People need to get more involved in the Society’s and they must encourage beginner’s to become more involved also. A beginner with good first impressions will stay and maybe encourage a friend or two to join us in this hobby also
Q. What do you enjoy most about the hobby? Are you still as enthusiastic as when you first started?
A. I still enjoy the breeding and showing, still get the same buzz as when I first started, when the first chicks start appearing it’s like a new beginning all over again.
desmond.imageshack.us/Himg543/scaled.php?server=543&filename=rt2e.jpg&res=medium [/img]
A section of Ron's birdroom interior
Ron's favourite variety
Ron's Birdroom
Thanks Ron for your input
©2006 barrieshuttbudgerigars S3872.[/color]