Post by Marianne Marlow on Jan 7, 2012 13:44:03 GMT
David Bates Breeder and open status Exhibitor from Australia
Q. When did you first start to become interested in budgieS and what sparked it off?
A. I started with budgies when I was around nine years old, my Father built me an aviary approximately 2.5 x 2.5 metres, two years later sport and girls took over and the birds were forgotten.
Then some years later in 2002 I meet a woman that felt sorry for me and she became my wife, we decided to get a pair of budgies we name Milo and Ottis they were the Aussie bush budgie type which soon increased in numbers.
During a visit to a pet shop I spotted a notice advertising a budgerigar society, I needed something to occupy my mind as I suffer from anxiety. Up until I spotted the notice in the pet shop I was going to take up sport but the decision was made to once more take up the budgerigar hobby as I could not to afford to injure myself as I was a casual worker at the time and we had our first baby on the way.
I contacted the club, made some Aviary visits and I was hooked. My first lot of exhibition birds came from Peter Rixon who is no longer in the hobby and the bush budgie were soon gone.
Q. What did your first aviary / breeding room look like?
A. I was in a rental at the time and I built a bird room inside the Garage and had an aviary built behind the structure.
Q. Where and when did you acquire your first budgerigar?
A. Peter Rixon (no longer in the hobby) Great man with a heart of gold and a big miss too the hobby, but his family came first.
Q. Do you still have birds from this bloodline?
A. No, if only I knew what I know now
Q. Which bloodlines having given you the most impact on your stud?
A. Martin Gray’s
Q. Do you have a Specific Way of preparing your birds for the breeding season?
A. Like most people when starting out I paired up when I was ready but now it’s when my birds have had a 5/6 month rest before I pair up and the birds themselves come into breeding condition.
Q. Do you pair your birds by visual appearance / bloodline or both?
A. Visual first then I look at the pedigrees.
Q. How many chicks and clutches are your birds allowed?
A. Two rounds are normal but if they rear small clutches I let them go a third round.
Q. What differences are there in your feeding programme in the breeding and non-breeding?
A. A good seed mixture is provided all year round and oats and a mitavite sustainer id added during the breeding season.
Q. What would you change about your setup if you had the chance (and infinite money to do?)
A. I am very happy with the one I have its all new and it has everything I need. It is only 80% complete but another two months should see it completed.
Q. Do you believe in preventatives medication? If so what do you use?
A. Only Coccivet and Doxycycline
Q. How do you deal with birds with feather disorders?
A. Well I will breed with birds with feather problems as long as it doesn’t pass it on I am happy.
Q. Do you have a favourite mutation or Variety?
A. Spangle, Spangles and Spangle’s in all Variety’s
Q. Who do you admire most in the hobby?
A. There is not one single person, there is many I admire.
Q. What was the best bird you ever breed?
A. Spangle Opaline green cock bird
Q. What was the best bird you have seen from Someone Else's stud?
A. Grey spangle from Alan Rowe
Q. What is the most important piece of advice you give a beginner, just starting out in the hobby?
A. Visit as many people as possible and buy from one or two studs and ask as many question as possible there is no such thing as a stupid question
Q. What more can we do to promote the hobby?
A. I suggest an inter club sale at local clubs once or twice a year and having a cap put on the price of the birds. Having an experienced breeder on hand to offer advice and guidance when a beginner is buying an out cross would help beginners not to be taken advantage of, my club adopted this idea it and all the beginners were all very happy and cannot wait for the next sales day.
Q. What do you enjoy most about the hobby? Are you still as enthusiastic as when you first started?
A. seeing what your pairs can produce and I still drive my wife crazy about my birds, so yes I am still very enthusiastic.
Thanks David for completing the Q & A
©2006 barrieshuttbudgerigars S3872.
Q. When did you first start to become interested in budgieS and what sparked it off?
A. I started with budgies when I was around nine years old, my Father built me an aviary approximately 2.5 x 2.5 metres, two years later sport and girls took over and the birds were forgotten.
Then some years later in 2002 I meet a woman that felt sorry for me and she became my wife, we decided to get a pair of budgies we name Milo and Ottis they were the Aussie bush budgie type which soon increased in numbers.
During a visit to a pet shop I spotted a notice advertising a budgerigar society, I needed something to occupy my mind as I suffer from anxiety. Up until I spotted the notice in the pet shop I was going to take up sport but the decision was made to once more take up the budgerigar hobby as I could not to afford to injure myself as I was a casual worker at the time and we had our first baby on the way.
I contacted the club, made some Aviary visits and I was hooked. My first lot of exhibition birds came from Peter Rixon who is no longer in the hobby and the bush budgie were soon gone.
Q. What did your first aviary / breeding room look like?
A. I was in a rental at the time and I built a bird room inside the Garage and had an aviary built behind the structure.
Q. Where and when did you acquire your first budgerigar?
A. Peter Rixon (no longer in the hobby) Great man with a heart of gold and a big miss too the hobby, but his family came first.
Q. Do you still have birds from this bloodline?
A. No, if only I knew what I know now
Q. Which bloodlines having given you the most impact on your stud?
A. Martin Gray’s
Q. Do you have a Specific Way of preparing your birds for the breeding season?
A. Like most people when starting out I paired up when I was ready but now it’s when my birds have had a 5/6 month rest before I pair up and the birds themselves come into breeding condition.
Q. Do you pair your birds by visual appearance / bloodline or both?
A. Visual first then I look at the pedigrees.
Q. How many chicks and clutches are your birds allowed?
A. Two rounds are normal but if they rear small clutches I let them go a third round.
Q. What differences are there in your feeding programme in the breeding and non-breeding?
A. A good seed mixture is provided all year round and oats and a mitavite sustainer id added during the breeding season.
Q. What would you change about your setup if you had the chance (and infinite money to do?)
A. I am very happy with the one I have its all new and it has everything I need. It is only 80% complete but another two months should see it completed.
Q. Do you believe in preventatives medication? If so what do you use?
A. Only Coccivet and Doxycycline
Q. How do you deal with birds with feather disorders?
A. Well I will breed with birds with feather problems as long as it doesn’t pass it on I am happy.
Q. Do you have a favourite mutation or Variety?
A. Spangle, Spangles and Spangle’s in all Variety’s
Q. Who do you admire most in the hobby?
A. There is not one single person, there is many I admire.
Q. What was the best bird you ever breed?
A. Spangle Opaline green cock bird
Q. What was the best bird you have seen from Someone Else's stud?
A. Grey spangle from Alan Rowe
Q. What is the most important piece of advice you give a beginner, just starting out in the hobby?
A. Visit as many people as possible and buy from one or two studs and ask as many question as possible there is no such thing as a stupid question
Q. What more can we do to promote the hobby?
A. I suggest an inter club sale at local clubs once or twice a year and having a cap put on the price of the birds. Having an experienced breeder on hand to offer advice and guidance when a beginner is buying an out cross would help beginners not to be taken advantage of, my club adopted this idea it and all the beginners were all very happy and cannot wait for the next sales day.
Q. What do you enjoy most about the hobby? Are you still as enthusiastic as when you first started?
A. seeing what your pairs can produce and I still drive my wife crazy about my birds, so yes I am still very enthusiastic.
Thanks David for completing the Q & A
©2006 barrieshuttbudgerigars S3872.