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Bella's blog

Budgies...I'm starting to get it

12/31/2016

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It has been 4 years as a Beginner budgie breeder and I think I’m starting to get it…

  • It’s about the bird that you breed, not the one you buy
  • It’s about your actions, not auctions
  • It’s about keep asking questions until the “Ah-Ha” moment when you understand, not believing everything you are told
  • It’s about looking at your birds with a glass of wine, not whining about others
  • It’s about what you see in the nest making dust, not what’s on the shelf collecting dust
  • It’s about the joy of fellowship not political bullshit
  • It’s about dealing with setbacks, not dummy spits
  • It’s about selling a bird that can help a beginner do better, not something your glad to be rid of sooner
  • It’s about working out what their behaviour is telling you, not thinking you are always right.

Above all, is about a bird that has the potential to reach an un-reachable ideal, so we try to get there learning all the way, happily knowing we never will. This is what keeps us interested and excited... that is the joy of having a hobby.

For me, it’s about breeding a bird on a perch that expresses my love for my daughter, connects me to my childhood memories, surrounded by genuine people who care for me as I care for them… I think I’m starting to “get it!”

Dedicated to those who have generously mentored Bella and I who know who they are.
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2016 year in review

12/29/2016

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Picture
At the end of each year, Bella and I reflect on what we have experienced, learnt and enjoy about our passion for budgies. This is “where we are at” at the end of 2016:
 
- Interests us most: observing feather direction on chicks in the nest and the joy of fellowship with a few close cherished mentors and friends.

- Key insight: Only breed with your best cock birds over multiple hens. Whilst there is luck in breeding, you get luckier if you breed with your best.

- Best experience: Nationals in Hobart meeting new people (such as Mark Hawke) and just having fun as father/daughter.

- Progress: we have just been progressed to Intermediate Status and have got some directional feather in a number of birds now that is exciting.

- Best Win: Reserve Beginner Young bird at the Victorian Shield with a Spangle AOSV Hen…we were very proud.

- Best Breeder: a little double factor spangle from Barry McVilly with Gearing blood that produced most of our best hens for next season…4 rounds with 16 fantastic chicks.

- Biggest Setback: Butcher birds killing many hens just before pairing up, closely followed by dashed high hopes for bought birds. Breed your own hens still the best advice!

- One bird we love to look at right now:  Dom pied cobalt UBC bred from our winning sky blue pied….he oozes confidence.

- Big Dreams for 2017; to breed an almost white Opaline grey or buttercup yellow Clearbody that places in the top 5 of a Shield show…why not dream big!  
 
I have just commenced a new job responsible for 180,000 head of beef cattle, requiring frequent travel to NT and QLD. This has forced me to make decisions. Reluctantly, we decided to sell most of the lacewings to focus on Clearbody given the plan to breed only 12-14 pairs next year. In many ways, my travel has created a space for Bella to step up and play her role in our Partnership. I am confident we will continue to progress with fewer birds.
 
We reiterate our last year’s message… we want to define our involvement in this wonderful hobby by what we give, not just what we win or have in the aviary. Thank you to all those that have been a part of our exciting journey.
 
Best, Bella and Stephen
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WHERE WE ARE AT WITH BUDGIES

11/2/2015

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Below is a reflection in time "where we are at" with our budgies. We intend to do this at the end of each year to reflect on what we have learnt and to ensure we a focused on what we enjoy...
- Key insight; Through our actions, not just auctions, our goal is breed a better bird
- Feather direction interests us the most. We study this carefully now in nest.
- Launching our website and leading our clubs New Members night are
proud moments in our journey. We want to define our involvement by what we give, not just what we win or have in the aviary.
- We enjoy naming our best, like "Greyzilla line". You only really know your birds after 2 seasons! 
- Budgies are part of living a passionate and interesting life (reminder for lots of setbacks)
- Plan to buy only 5 birds next year with head quality, upright stance and small wings.


Winning is too fleeting to sustain interest for Bella - for us it is about enjoying the hobby with good people and breeding birds that we love to look at.

 Birds we love to look at right now...
- Deep yellow base light green Dominant Pieds and brilliant sky Pieds
- Opaline g
rey clearbody with almost white body
- I
nos out of clearbody (they just seem to have fantastic feather)

We end 2015, excited about next breeding season (especially with the clearbodies and chicks from our Gearing white lacewing).

Bella & Stephen
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Melton auction

7/12/2015

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Dad bought this Mick Gearing lacewing today at the Melton Auction to help us improve on our Henry George hens. Usually we buy lots of cheaper birds but are learning it is better to buy a few better quality ones. He is 2014 bred so let hope we get lots of nice chicks...

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    Bella's blog

    We have learned that breeding budgies is about putting together the pieces of a jigsaw to create the ideal bird. This blog shares a few pieces of the puzzle through the wonderful eyes of a young women in a birds world...

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