Update Waiting For A Green Card

Problems Are Motivational Challenges!

My German imported rollers are waiting in Canada for passage to the US. Probably next week, David Bopp from Ohio and his wife Judy will make the drive to Canada and with all the paperwork in hand and a heads-up notification to the border folks to have the vet at the station at a particular time, will bring the birds legally across the border and then to Ohio and from there they will ship my birds to me in Kansas. Just the process is challenging but an even bigger challenges await me when the birds arrive.

So that was the good news, what is the problem? Well most of the birds are dropping long feathers. Of my five males, only one from breeder 3501, my top choice, is not molting and still singing enthusiastically!! Another 3501 molting male seems to be going light and is eating everything in sight. And the five hens are all molting.

Normally, hens lose small breast feathers to develop a brood patch in preparation for incubating their eggs. This is natural and of no concern. But when you see long feathers, it is a signal that the normal molt is coming soon in about one month. So the birds losing long feathers are molting!!!

A normal molt is precipitated by a drop in day length. Whenever birds are moved, it is important to keep the lighting pattern the same or move it in the direction the birds are headed for the particular season. For breeding, that means keeping it the same or lengthening the number of daylight hours. Understanding this, inquiry was made about day length and appropriate action was taken based on that inquiry..

The sickly cock, is unlikely to be well enough to make the trip. I would not want to transport a bird of questionable health from one aviary to the next. If you do that, the vet would rightfully question the whole shipment. All birds were first quarantined appropriately in Canada initially upon arrival there. This bird has been isolated an additional three weeks from the others and I do not want to take the slightest risk with exposing the other birds. On the positive side, he is molting and birds that are seriously ill do not molt so maybe he is OK and just thin. My opinion is that he will stay in Canada...

The others, most are molting, I would rather not move birds in the molt. It is a stressful time and if you are going to lose a bird traveling and adjusting to a new aviary, it can be a risk.. Since staying in Canada till after the molt is not an option, I have elected to move them and ship them to me in Kansas.

Upon arrival, I will be challenged to bring the molt to a quick finish and try to bring them into breeding condition if they are healthy enough... The fact that they have signs of molting on the wing butts in only three weeks is a good sign that they are going through the molt faster than normal and is a sign of good health.

Sounds like an Olympic Level Challenge to me, but hay I am up for it and my mind is turning many wheels preparing and training for the upcoming breeding competition!! I am going for the Gold!!!

First step, a bit of inspiration and relaxation before the breeding game: Tomorrow I will attend the University of Kansas Jayhawk Basketball Game in Lawrence! Go Hawks! Will I be wearing my Vancover Canary Vest pictured above over my KU Game Shirt, You Betcha!! Wonder if I would be a Jayhawk fan if they were called the Wildcats or Buffaloes???