Short video

Some more show cage training and if I can can, some videos too

A fun day training the youngsters to the show cages. These two are father and child.

I bred 27 youngsters this year - 13 clear or ticked and 4 green and 10 piebald. Here's a selection.

This youngster is the result of a pairing of a large buff yellow cock bird who has a fatally frilly chest and one of my best hens from 2012. I was recommended to pair these and thought I knew better but I was so wrong. This little bird may yet be a winner.

First show of 2014 - Loanhead CBS young bird show. We did well being the only Scots Fancies on show but it's a good exercise for two reasons.
1 it gives this year's youngsters experience of being exhibited
2 you get a judge's eye to look over your birds and rank them.

I think he got it right, the judge, but I think one of my greens is better and we still have some chicks in the nest - 3 - and three weaning one of which looks excellent.

The white chick who took second place, is the half sibling of Elizabeth by her late mother and the white cock bird I bought from Sandy Innes. It has its' mother's style.

This chick is Elizabeth's nephew by her brother and a young green hen, the offspring of my original pair. I like her.

And pride of place goes to No 31/14 - the offspring of my little white hen from 2013 who did well enough at shows last year and No 24/13, a half-brother of Elizabeth. That Windsor Street strain is doing me proud.

And the two clips. My voice didn't come over very loudly.

Some photos of the start of show cage training and a couple of short clips of the same.

To get the youngsters used to going into and out of the show cages, I attach the show cages to the side of the main flight cage. This way the birds get used to being in a smaller space. They eventually sleep in the show cages and once used to them, will pop into them at command when you present a show cage at their door. This minimises stress in moving them round the room. That's my stress as well as theirs!  

This long yellow chick is Elizabeth's half brother. He has good length.

This white is also a half sibling of Elizabeth - her late mother's chick which hatched after their mother died this year. He was fostered out to Elizabeth's father and mate.

I like this little green bird.

A nice piebald, not showing herself off yet!

Elizabeth's "lone parent family" of three yellow chicks. Her mate died while she was incubating.

Elizabeth viewed from her chicks' nest.

This little chap is Elizabeth's nephew or niece. 

I have had less time to blog this year largely due to having all ten hens in breeding condition and letting them go for it. It's been a challenging season. I have lost three adult birds for no apparent reason; lost two chicks to mite; lost another chick to unknown causes but have 21 chicks in the weaning cages and 2 still in the nest. I've three hens left breeding - one on 4 eggs, another waiting to hatch her four eggs and one just laying. I will stop after that. Here are some pictures of the youngsters in their weaning cages.

This little bird and its sibling were badly attacked by their father. I had to move him out and let the hen rear them herself. I'd had three aggressive males this year - all young birds.

I like these two though there are better curves on some of the others but it's early yet to tell how they wil moult out.