The Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus)
I have been breeding budgerigars on and off for about 10 years, I first started back in 1982 with some pretty birds. We then moved house and I went into a business with my husband so the birds were sold and my hobby on hold until another time.
Years later approximately 2001 I bought 1 exhibition budgie (a Dominant Pied light Green cockbird I named Sonny he was a great breeder and produced better than himself) in Toowoomba in as a pet, then I bought a partner for him, then a pair of pretty Recessive Pieds (or Harlequins as some people know then as) no luck with the Recessives as a neighbours young dogs broke in and knocked the cages down and the birds flew away. I have learned a lot since then about security and safety for your birds.
I was very fortunate to meet people from the Toowoomba club and they showed me their beautiful birds. I was so taken with them I joined the club and commenced to learn everything I could about them. Bought or borrowed books, downloaded information on the internet and read and read. Bought several more pairs with good bloodlines such as Henry George, Blair and Poole, Dave Ganzer, Jim Burke, Eric Davis, Mort Faddy, McCauley & O'Reagan, G. O'Connell. etc.
Once again in 2004 we made another move and now live in South East Qld. My husband has helped me in building the indoor flights, painting my breeding cages & making a stand for them. This is a nice permanent position and I have rebuilt my stock from 37 (out of 180 in Toowomba) original birds brought down from Toowoomba together with a few carefully chosen outcrosses such as B & P Sedgwick( C. Ault, M. Chidel, B. Hollingsworth, John Scoble, Church & O'Reilly etc., to strengthen the bloodlines. I joined the ABS Club (still remaining a member of the Toowoomba club). I moved from Novice Status to Intermediate Status in January 2008. Recently I have also become a member for the Brisbane and Northern Suburbs club as well. I really enjoy the different views and lectures on the hobby and always looking for more information.
You meet so many great like minded people who love their birds and enjoy the challenge of improving and showing their stock.
My goal is to have a bird chosen for the Nationals to represent South Qld. I have had 2 very close to going a Lovely Yellowface in 2006 and his daughter in 2007, they where placed 4th and needed to be 1st , 2nd or 3rd to be selected to go. So I'm still trying to attain that quality to achieve this challenge.
I would like to quote Gerald Binks from his wonderful Book "The Challenge", "If you don't lose your mind over something, you don't have a mind to lose." so apt when it comes to us budgie breeders.
May 2009 Update as you will see from the home page I now have had a bird in the Nationals to represent Sth Qld, what a thrill. |
