Saturday, December 25, 2010

Wishing You A Merry Merry


Peace On Earth, Good Will To All!

The lovely pewter tree ornament, Angel of Assurance, is designed by Wichita artist Carole Ranney. In addition to the ones on her web site (caroleranney.com), she also designs a new one each year for Catholic Charities (www.catholiccharitieswichita.org) which are marketed as Angels For All Seasons, a fund raiser for the St. Anthony Family Shelter for homeless families here in Wichita.


Nativity from Peru (gift from Edith and David Benites)




Male Crested Stafford

Male Green Border

Male Topaz (colorbred) Mosaic

Male German Roller


Best Wishes for a Merry Merry Christmas!!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Do Your Birds Need A Nutritional Boost?

Healthy Bird Clues

This photo of Topaz (colorbred) mosaic hens looks like a portrait painting.

Even with a feather momentarily out of place, look at the tail on this Border.

Tight Feathered Border Landing in His Fancy Swing


Healthy Bird Clues

How can you tell the effectiveness of your bird's diet?


Every day as I take care of my birds, I look them over carefully. I want to detect not only signs of illness but just as important, signs of being totally fit and healthy.

To answer these questions observe your birds from a distance when they are at ease. As you approach your bird, unfit or even ill birds perk up because they instinctively do not want to show predators any sign of weakness and vulnerability.
Tight Feathered Stafford

1. How tight are your birds feathers? This time of year when the birds are not molting, the feathers should be extremely tight so that they appear painted on with no signs of looseness. Fit birds have a aura of well being, like they are wearing their Sunday Best Suit!

2. How is your birds wing carriage? Unless the bird has been breed with obviously too long wings, the wings should be held upright and meet in the back.

A bird that drops it wings should always be caught and have their vent checked by pasting with excrement. If so, wash and make sure the vent is not sealed and then lightly apply an oil to the vent area. I put the oil on my finger and then transfer it from my finger to the vent.

3. Is the bird's tail narrow and piped or wide? The healthier the bird the more narrow it holds its tail.

Young German Roller hen whose got it all, tight feathers, great wing carriage and piped tail!

If you have an aviary of birds, some will likely appear healthier than others. Often out of kindness, we overfeed to the point that if the bird wants to, it can live on a limited diet of only its favorite seed, rather than eating the wide variety of offerings.

Seeds are nutritional deficient but birds like to crack them. A good way to address this concern is to feed a fortified seed. One such product is L'Avian Plus Canary Mix (google for location). This product is widely available and has the advantage in that each bite is fortified with nutrients including lactobacillus probiotic that the bird needs but would not be in an untreated seed.
L'Avian Plus Canary Mix

Another favorite seed mix is the wheat germ oil and vitamin coated seed sold only by Bird of Paradise (316 263-0850) here in Wichita, Kansas. This mix is coated just right to provide the birds nutritional needs. Nancy, the owner, is happy to custom the coated seed mix for your seed preference as each order is made up specially for each customer. This is a real plus if you are color feeding red birds and want to avoid rape seed which is high in natural yellow coloring.
Bird of Paradise Wheat Germ Oil/Vitamin Coated Standard Mix. As breeding season approaches, I will change the blend to "Linda's Mix" which has no millet and contains more higher protein and fat seeds like flax.

How Do You Know If A Diet Change Had A Positive Effect?

Changes that make a major contribution to your birds health, are noticeable in as little as 24 hours. To evaluate the effect, go back to the same three questions listed above especially feather tightness and see if you can observe a positive difference. If not in 24 hours, what about 48 hours?

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Questions and Tips for Big Bird!

Buster PA writes: "Our canary appears to be healthy - sings a lot, good appetite, but he has feathers that protrude horizontally from his body. Most of his feathers appear normal, but he has these crazy feathers that look stubby and stick out. Any idea what this is or what I should do?"

Those stubby feathers are called feather lumps. Google this blog at the top of the page for pictures and information.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Ask The Audience - What's Your Opinion?

Joseph Griffis is back into canaries after breeding them for one year previously. He has four pairs of Yorkshire and six pairs of Fife and is thinking of getting into Borders.

After reading about the nutritional value of pellets versus seeds, he is considering switching over from seed to pellets and would love to hear from others.

So lets ASK THE AUDIENCE? Please post your comments, to this blog posting. Should he switch to pellets, if so, what kind would you recommend?

Clear Buff Yorkshire cock

Variegated Yorkshire cock

Variegated Yorkshire cock

Blue Fife cock
Green Fife cock
View of his ABBA Fife cages
His seed cleaner All photos on this post submitted by Joseph Griffis.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

First NCA National Colorbred Show


Trophies sponsored by Higgins Premium Pet Food

NCA President Henry Vela, with approval and in consultation with the NCA Board, stepped up after the National Cage Bird Show cancellation and worked diligently to organize and present a fantastic opportunity for colorbred breeders to exhibit at the national level! Thanks Henry for making this show a reality!!


Luis Talavera from Toa Alta, Puerto Rico judged the lipochrome division. Photo by Tom Hixson

Lipochrome

1st place, Yellow Intensive bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell

2nd Place, Red Ivory Frost bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell

3rd place, Yellow Mosaic Male bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell

4th place, Red Frost bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell

1st place Novice, bred and exhibited by Alyssa Garza


The Melanin and New Color Divisions were judged by Rado Pagac from Ontario, Canada


Winner Melanin Classic a Black Red (Bronze) Intensive bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell.


2nd Red Isabel Intensive bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell

Melanin Classic

1st place, Black Red Intensive bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell

2nd place, Red Isabel Intensive bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell

3rd place, Gold Ivory Brown bred and exhibited by Vince Turner

4th place Brown Yellow Intensive bred and exhibited by Vince Turner

No novice in this division exhibited



1st place, Yellow Brown Pastel bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell

2nd place, White Brown Pastel bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell


4th place White Satinette (recessive) bred and exhibited by Hector Diaz and Ricardo Sanchez


New Color Melanin

1st place, Yellow Brown Pastel bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell

2nd place, White Brown Pastel bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell

3rd place, White Brown Pastel bred and exhibited by Carl Biers and John Cromwell

4th place, White Satinette bred and exhibited by Hector Diaz and Ricardo Sanchez

No Novice in this division exhibited

Congratulation to all our winners at our first colorbred show in Plano, Texas

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Share A Favorite Photo


Almin (pictured left) and Paul Scandlyn (pictured right) from
the Northwest Roller Canary Club drove down to the song contest
held in Alameda, California from December 9th to 11th, 2010 and
took four teams. A total of 17 teams were entered and judged by
Fred Proebstel of Dixon, Montana. Their results:
Almin:
Derby Team (Highest Scoring Young Team, Bred, Raised, Trained by Exhibitor - Entry 37,38,39,40, Points 178
Tour Special - Hollow Roll - Entry 36 Points 15
Class 4 - Sing Young Team - Champion Breeder - Entry 37,38,39,40 Points 178

Paul:
Sweepstakes: (Highest Scorning Young Bird) - Entry 48, Points 48
Tour Special - Flute - Entry 48 Points 7
Class 3 - Single Young Bird - Champion Breeder - Entry 48, Points 48 - This moves me up to the Master Breeder Class (FINALY!)

The entire show catalog will be available on the web site of the Western Roller Canary Association within the next few days.


Paul shares this interesting story:

"One thing that is very interesting is the fact that my first
win was in 1967 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood,
California. Chalice Odel Thomason was the Judge. When he
announced the winner of the Novice class he said, "There must
have been a scandal in this show; somebody named Scandlyn won
the best bird and best team in the novice class.

Now 43 years
later I finally got my third winner in the Champion
class which
moves me to the Master Breeder class. I was quite
excited when
that happened.

It was a great contest and both Almin and I had a great time even
though we drove a total of 2228 miles there and back.

Those German birds are the way to go."

Congratulations Guys!! Paul, your persistence is an inspiration
to us all!!


Monday, December 13, 2010

Eating Out in the Show Cage Diner

Mustard Greens are a popular item in my aviary now.


My favorite way to serve greens is to hang them in the border show cage. With the show cage attached to their regular cage, borders love to play going in and out and putting the greens in the show cage gives them the opportunity to enjoy Eating Out!

Regularly at least two enter the cage at one time only to take turns nibbling on the mustard greens.







So instead of putting those Border or Fife wire cages away till next show season, hang them on your regular cages, regardless of the canary variety, they all love Eating Out in the Show Cage Diner!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Christmas Carolers In My Kitchen

While my husband is cooking and watching TV, I moved a couple of stacks of three German Rollers from the noisy aviary to the kitchen. All are from my pure German DKB stock and they are sounding terrific!

The middle guy in this team is becoming a favorite!

Another stack of three is on the counter!


Pat is cooking a pot of black bean soup. Hope no one finds any rape seed in their bowl!

Bella knows really good rollers, the sound is so mellow and relaxing it puts you to sleep!

Amazingly, my family even though they are not fond of my birds, are enjoying the brief encounter with the serenading birds! Too soon it was time for me to go to work and move the rollers back to the aviary.

Note: hot non-stick cookware can give off toxic fumes, especially at high temperature, that can kill birds.

Bob Buckles sent me this link for the Great Chinese State Circus performing the New Swan Lake. Fantastic! Thanks Bob!!
http://www.nzwide.com/swanlake.htm