December 2008 Photo Of The Month | Link |
  1st 2008
 

Well what an exiting week it has been on the 27th I got my first egg and yesterday I got three more so my breeding season has officially started. I will right back to you to let you know the latest information on the breeding season.
But the whether has been getting extremely cold so I will be looking for a heater shortly but the shed is well insulated so it’s still quite warm for the birds.  

 

Tom is right it has been very cold over the last few days. I have now sent off my order for 2009 rings. The rings I will be using in the future are the JSSUK rings I have now got my official ring number (JSS-S002)  for the society, using these rings is only voluntary and will not stop any one from showing their Java's with other types of rings on, But it is one step forward for the JSSUK to have members with their own identity, the rings are on a pre order so they will not be here until Christmas eve just in time to ring the first 2009 chicks. Talking of rings this is what I have been doing this week ringing my young Java's. I have also spilt up a breeding pair of agates which gave two rounds but only three young for the two rounds all normal split agate, I have now put a normal split silver cock with a silver hen, hopefully these will give some chicks to use my new rings on in the new year.
  7th 2008
  On Tuesday 2nd this week we went to see Mr Brian Sweeting in Somerset, the weather was a horrendous on the motorways that morning, Tom has been waiting for this day to go and see Brian, he was not disappointed as Brian welcomed Tom and showed him around his bird room giving Tom some good tips on bird care, Brian very kindly helped Tom out with a few birds from his own stud at a very reasonable cost, just as we were about to go Brian surprised Tom with an early Christmas present by giving him an extra bird to take home, Tom is over the moon with his S555 birds in his birdroom. We had a lovely few hours with Brian and would like to say a big thank you to him for making us feel very welcome, plus Brian can make a lovely cup of tea. Thank You!
Panic stations!! When I went into the bird room last night I seen one of my agate split normal baby's was all puffed up and eyes closing, this is why I have a hospital cage hung on the wall at all times, it dose nothing all year BUT! when it is needed like last night it is ready to switch on ready for a sick patient. The biggest improvement I made on this hospital cage was to use a reptile temperature control unit to switch on and off so it maintains the correct temperature at all times, it meant I could put this Java in last night before I went out knowing everything was under control, I have been in to check on the bird this morning and it is looking fit again, what I do now is start to lower the temp down slowly over the next few hours until there is no heating on, if the bird is looking O. K I will give it one more day in this hospital cage, then transfer it to a normal cage for a few days before putting it back with the main stud. I am so thankful I took the time to build this hospital cage, plus make a web page on how to make one see my (hospital cage project on the website).
Here is a photo showing how the white and cream pairing chicks are coming along, as you can see there is two fawns and one fostered silver in the nest, they are all doing very well. I will let this pair go for another round.
Well it's December and it's party time for our bird club, a year of shows and meetings has past and we all went to the Grovenor Hotel in Torquay for a meal and disco, the evening went very well with laughter and dancing, and of course bird talk, see more on the torbay B&FBS website soon. (www.torbaybfbs.com)
  14th 2008

The birds have eventually started laying eggs. My youngest hen has laid 8 eggs, however there not looking full at the moment but time will tell. Unfortunately one of my hens past away this week I do not no the reason for why she past away, I have found a new hen to put with the cock bird; I will be pairing them together on Wednesday fingers crossed.

Here is another split agate chick hatched today and you can just see the second egg with cracks around the shell, I should imagine this egg will hatch in an hour or two. The parents to these chicks both the cock and hen sit in the nest box, I hope they don't sit and let the chick die as it is not looking to good, there is no evidence of any milk in the crop. If the chicks make it these will be the first Javas to be rung with my new JSSUK rings, I am hoping to have here by the 24th.
I have also this week changed two pairs of breeding javas by taking out two pairs that has gone for two rounds with two new pairings.

The Java in the hospital cage above has now made a full recovery and is now back in with the main stud.

  22nd 2008

Well it has bean a strange week because I have had to brothers die in one week the last brother died today, 23/12/08 he was the first best bird I had breed seen in the photo of the month on this page at the top. Unfortunately the first bird that passed away was breeding and had eggs; however the other bird had just been paired three days ago. Some good news! I have had three chicks hatch this week. As you can see in the picture the mother is eager to get back into the nest to feed her young.    

The cream and white pairing chicks are now out of the nest along with the fostered silver chick. On to a sad note the young split agate chick above along with the hatching egg, both birds did not survive, this chick in the egg never got out and died in the shell, the hatched chick was never feed by it's parents.
Merry Christmas to you all! Tom and I will probably not be updating this page much over Christmas, unless there is something big to report, so please look in from time to time.
  24th2008
Here they are my new! JSSUK rings for 2009 arrived today, but sadly no chicks to put them on yet! however I have two new pairs of Javas showing interest in breeding soon, fingers crossed.
  More News To Follow Soon!!