SCOTTISH BUDGERIGAR SOCIETY

Top Tips

On this page, we hope to pass on tips and information from other breeders around the country.

Supplement Tip

This tip regards supplements and came originally I think from Eric Knight who when talking to a friend who is a chemist ,the topic was additives or supplements the chemist commented that vitamins such as cytacon and abidec when diluted with tap water lost a great deal of benefit due to the presence of chlorine added to drinking water he suggested we would be better adding instead to our daily softfood programme, I myself, have made this change during the current season and I am sure the results are better, also my flomatics are now free from the unpleasant slime always present before.

Willie Peacock.

Calcium

Egg shells, each time you crack an egg when cooking, instead of dumping it in the waste, rinse and dry on the radiator, when a dozen or so are stored. Grind down in a processer and offer to breeding pairs I usually add a pinch of sea salt.

An added benefit for keen gardeners,in the Spring and Summer collect and dry as before instead of grinding as before simply crush then spread around the base of the likes of Hosta plants this keeps at bay snails and slugs.

Willie Peacock

Stuck For A Syllabus?

Always aware of the need to entice members to meeting nights,

Novelty Night.

Props. A team cage, six birds, The concept is six budgerigars of various sex and variety are staged with the members being allowed a very limited time to view them.

Then complete a questionnaire with points awarded for the answers.

I suggest the cage is positioned just above eye level two - three members viewing for just fifteen seconds and being timed, till all members have had a turn.

It's vital there's no conferring or notes taken then members are presented with the test.

The birds can be of any variety.

The questions could be -

1 Name colour and variety of six.

2. state how many cocks-hens.

3. How many sex link birds.

4. State covering of cage floor (grit sawdust newspaper etc, this is the idea of the cage in the higher position) one year I used granite chips only one fancier spotted them. Another good question is name a bird with a physical defect, I used a hen which had only one eye of course it always sat with the missing eye to the back of the cage, one time I borrowed from a member, a cock with only one leg. Again, few spotted it!

It's important the questionnaire isn't issued prior to the viewing of birds, another query could be state colour of the young bird or birds in the cage, the most difficut task is the marking up of test papers, but, I do think it advisable that the questionmaster takes this on as answers must be concise.

For instance when in question 1. It's not on to state a blue or opaline etc it must say a skyblue or cobalt pied or whatever. With 1. point allocated for each correct answer , the club could charge 10 pence a go, with the highest score lifting the kitty.

Second of three suggestions for club meeting interests.

This I found proved instructive and entertaining.

Blind man's bird!

Props.

A selection of budgerigars of different colours and variety one to a show cage out of view of members. A volunteer sits just behind a table or stand facing the club members, a selected bird is placed on the table allowing members to view it whilst the contestant cannot. The idea is to try and identify the correct colour, variety, sex of the bird with as few questions as possible, the questionmaster keeping score.

Questions must be of the nature of: Is it a cock or hen ? Is it green series or blue series? Is it sex linked? Is it a normal? Is it rare variety? Is it a composite bird?

These questions can be in any order. Each time the contestant makes a negative selection they are awarded a penalty point against them. the idea being to give a full description with as few queries as possible again a small entry fee with the winner taking the pool can add interest.

Final suggestion for Y.B shows!

This is the final suggestion that clubs may wish to perform when running their young bird show's although it works equally well with adult birds.I always feel young birds shows start off the season with a bang, everyone is naturally keen to see what's new what improvements have been made etc, but with some clubs putting on four or five shows a year, by the third or fourth things become a bit predictable and stale.

This format, I've found adds a little more interest, it also involves all the members instead of the birds being judged at the back of the hall with birds being quickly viewed in the last 20 minutes.

Again the procedure, members are asked to bring along four or six birds of any colour or variety.

The judge for the event should be be someone happy to discuss freely his reasons for grading his classes answering the odd question (within limits)! Birds are labelled with a difference.

Say for instance it were the Edinburgh club: Honor Dickie could enter as A1 to A6. Donald Bruton could be B7 to B12, Bill Miller, C13 to C18. and so on. Each member keeping their birds together in a group. Club members sit close to judging stand.

The first contestant from the A group places a bird on the stand, the next member from group B then studies that bird and picks one from their team in an attempt to better it with C, D. and so on doing the same. The skill comes of course if when you eye up the line of birds and you sense some are better than you have you then place one of your lesser ones saving the best till later, much as one does playing whist.

When the first class is benched the judge places in order of merit with his comments.

Best bird kept aside as usual. Next class entrant B will bench first with A benching last, and each repeats this process till completion. then of course all first placed are judged for best bird. All this sounds complex but in practise it's quite simple.

Willie Peacock.

Order of Priority

If you are having difficulty remembering the order of priority, recite this little rhyme.

CAN'T, STROLL, DOWN, RAILWAY, YARD with RARE VARIETIES and ANY OTHER COLOURS.

i.e. Can't - Crest, Stroll - Spangle etc

I got the first part of this from the late judge R Mcreadie [Dick] when I was stewarding to him at a show in the north of England many years ago.

Willie Orr

Simply,But,Effective Tip

Someone at a meeting last week was remarking they experienced a very painful time
cutting the ring off the swollen leg of of a lutino hen.A simple but effective way
of carrying out this task used by some of the *old school of fanciers* is to slip
the bird head first into the cardboard tube comprising the centre of a toilet roll
then with with just the bird's legs showing the ring can more conveniently cut off,
I also find a pair of miniature side cutting pliers purchased in the model shop
ideal for the job the ring being cut at the flat section where the year is
embossed,the ring then prised off with your fingers,swab the foot with vanodine and
the bird will recover in a couple of days. Incidently I also ring most of my
budgerigars with coloured split plastic rings reason being my birds are mainly of
the same colour, I use rings intended for lovebirds a size bigger than that for
budgerigars.

Willie Peacock.

Vanodine

Being rather sceptical regards the merits of many of the wonder cures and supplements available to the fancy nowadays, there is one for which I have great respect, it is vanodine, It is available from most seed stockists, costing just under £10, a litre.I have added it to my bird's drinking water for many years, just a few drops to a gallon,it is said to be a sure deterrent for enteritis,it is also an ideal way to administer iodine, to the budgerigars system thereby aiding the bird's thyroid glands,

It can be utilised in the same way as iodine to treat cuts and minor injuries, another use,which I have found very effective is when after cutting off a tight ring from a badly swollen leg, simply immerse the leg in undiluted vanodine, it stops the blood flow and helps heal the foot in a couple of days.

The final use of this valuable liquid is lesser known but I have found it most effective on many occasions,it sounds illogical but be assured it works like magic. If prior to showing a bird you find it's head soiled with blood,firmly hold the bird soak the head using a cotton swab, and cold water ( you must really wet the head! now again using a cotton swab coat the head with undiluted vanodine, still holding the bird in your hand,after less than say a minute thoroughly rinse the head with cotton swab and cold water when dry you will find the head will be perfectly clean.

Try it with a soiled stock bird the results will surprise you.

Willie Peacock

RINGING A CHICK

Your closed coded ring should be placed on your birds leg at between 5 and 10 days of age (I would rather try nearer to 5 or 6 days and risk it falling of rather than wait until later and not be able to get it on ) Make sure your hands are warm as cold hand could shock the chick.

As far as I’m aware it makes no difference which leg of your bird is banded ,you will find which is easier for you

Finally after you have rung your chicks constant checks to make sure no muck has got stuck under the ring as the chick grows

STEP1

PLACE RING OVER 3 LARGEST TOES AND SLIDE TOWARDS REMAINING TOE

STEP 2

GENTLY SLIDE RING BACK OVER REMAINING TOE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE

STEP 3

MAKE SURE REMAINING TOE IS BACK IN POSITION OUTSIDE OF RING (YOU MAY NEED A COCKTAIL STICK OR SIMILAR TO GET TOE OUT OF THE RING )