My friend is going out of exhibition budgies again

[kerryandgoofy]

A friend of mine is getting out of exhibition budgies (at the Terrell house) again. I hate getting that e-mail at 4:00 pm and have to fight the traffic over there to get some good birds - sigh. I did it anyway. An hour over there, an hour netting and looking through birds and an hour home. I came home with 7 new ones. I originally said I was looking for hens. I had picked out 8 birds a few I knew were cocks. She didn't have a show box sitting around so I could really look at everyone so I had to grab the hens, all 3 in 2 hands and look at heads front on and sideways. I tossed one back into the flight - she had a pin head. Ugh the other 4 were cocks. They all looked like they would fill out nicely. It took a while to sort the flight pen. "D" had converted her horse barn again. She had cut the dividers out of 2 stalls to make a massive flight pen. She also lowered the ceiling to help cut back on cooling and heating of the barn. It was/is a dream barn if anyone could every have a dream barn! Anyway after looking at the birds most were all gold banded birds (2004) too old, at least for hens to really put my money on. I searched out all the 2006 birds and found them.

Yesterday I worked out in the aviary. I ended up tossing 10 cocks that were infertile (at this time) into a flight by themselves. I tossed a hen in there that has been sitting in the nest box since December. She's all plumped around the vent, but hasn't produced an egg. She's an older bird so she might be out. I tossed her with those guys in hopes of bringing them back into condition. After it was all said and done with I has hen heavy. It was all my rare hens, TX Clear-bodies, Spangles, Recessive pies and Dominant pies. Those ladies need to be put to normal cocks or same mutation cocks.

I sorted out a few birds that were in need of a little doctoring as well. They are in 2 different holding cages.

I was a nice gal and let the Crimson-wings outdoors Saturday. It went down into upper 40's last night and those silly birds STILL did not come indoors! I had to go out and bang on the fight pen to get them to fly indoors. I wanted to keep it warmer indoors without turning the heater back on. I had to yell at the cock, he just sat there and looked at me as if to say "no way I'm going indoors" as I banged on the side where he was perched.

I let them out this morning.

[Sheila]

WOW! Kerry.... I thought 5 birds was overwhelming! I was furious when Bill bought a 6th bird! I don't know how you do it? Do you have any other pets? I feel like I don't have enough time for all of my pets, husband, and for me....

[henryswife]

;D I just love your choice of words. LOL

I just netted them, looked at them front and sides.

Just tossed them back into cages or flight pens ect.

Banging on the side of the flight cage to get inside before you freeze your butts off. ;D

We raised rabbits and understand what your saying.
We had pedigree ones of differtent kinds. Even went to Pa. to get some golden Palimalo [sp] ones. Was going to have kids join 4H to show them. The ears, head, back, fur, etc. would have to be judged along with being handled. Some sold for breeding, some for pets, and some went. chickens, ducks, venison, etc. and fresh garden veg. & fruit was all shared. Milk was delivered to the door step from up the Mt. the kind that had the cream on top to make ice cream. The other side of the Mt. had a pig farm, good, but hated that truck [smelled] that came by every other day to pick up waste that you put your garbage in a pail that was dug in the ground with a cover on it and handle. They also were fed grain etc. & fields to graise. But, thinking back, those were the good old days and everyone looked out for each other. Sounds like I lived in the horse & buggy time with indoor plumbing. Oh, neighbors had horse's across the St. ;D Alice

[kerryandgoofy]

sheila said:

I don't know how you do it? Do you have any other pets? I feel like I don't have enough time for all of my pets, husband, and for me....

Well the only pets I have/had were Suzie and Goofy. Now it's only Goofy, my house bird. All the other birds are live stock. I care for them and I do have some favorites, but I'm not closely attached to many of them. I have a water color painting of Miss Arizona who died last year. She won 1st place on the Novice bench and took Best Young at the 2002 Grand National. I will be having a water color painting done of Bubba who took 1st place on the Intermediate Bench at the 2006 Grand National.

All of these birds do keep me busy and out of trouble. It's really a fun hobby and being around all the people in the hobby is great as well!

[kerryandgoofy]

henryswife said:

;D I just love your choice of words. LOL

We raised rabbits and understand what your saying.
We had pedigree ones of differtent kinds. Even went to Pa. to get some golden Palimalo [sp] ones. Was going to have kids join 4H to show them. The ears, head, back, fur, etc. would have to be judged along with being handled. Some sold for breeding, some for pets, and some went. chickens, ducks, venison, etc. and fresh garden veg. & fruit was all shared. Milk was delivered to the door step from up the Mt. the kind that had the cream on top to make ice cream. The other side of the Mt. had a pig farm, good, but hated that truck [smelled] that came by every other day to pick up waste that you put your garbage in a pail that was dug in the ground with a cover on it and handle. They also were fed grain etc. & fields to graise. But, thinking back, those were the good old days and everyone looked out for each other. Sounds like I lived in the horse & buggy time with indoor plumbing. Oh, neighbors had horse's across the St. ;D Alice

I wish 4H would let kids raise budgies for show, but their rules are for food consumption animals. They refused to answer why horses were allowed in their programs.

I LOVE fresh rabbit meat. That is soooooo good. The grocery store here use to sell it for a bit, but quite. I really did NOT like how they cut it up. They always shattered the bone, not fun if you fried the meat and a good way to break a tooth!

I faintly remember when mike was derived to our house in PA. That and CHARLES POTATO CHIPS!!! We only lived in PA for a year then moved back down to Texas. It was a fun year and the only year PA really didn't get much snow.

I'm writing an article for the BAA Journal. I had my friend Julie proof it for me. She won't let me be a Texan and use the word "bucked" I have to change it to "struggled." I really think I will be MUCH happier with this article than the ones before. I have taken time to write it and gone over it myself refining it several times before sending it off to a friend to proof it for me. That is before it goes to the content committee next.

Next I need to dust off and finish the other 4 articles I have started. I put them off to the side then became uninspired. They are good subjects so I need to get to work on them again.

[henryswife]

Yea, I remember the 'Charles Potatoe Chips' they delivered in big cans like we buy 'pop corn' in those tins mostly sold at Christmas today.

The 'White New Zeland' rabbits would grow up to 18lbs before a yr. old. They were fed the best pellets & grains & fresh veg. from the garden.We use to tease the kids 'we're having 4 leg chicken tonight. They grew up learning the food chain, and even the grandkids ask 'Is that cow or pig' we're having today? Buffalo burgers are good too.

The gro. stores probably get them that way already & are only 2mo. old, small & cost too much.

The 6th grader is doing a project on mummies & Egypt making a video with a friend on how they prepared them. I won't go into details! I had to say 'shhh- we're eating now.

The 8th grader's class is making body parts. She's making the heart out of a soft clay stuff that won't harden.

Well, it sounds like you have a lot of work and writing to do. Good Luck! Alice

[Michael B]

kerryandgoofy said:

I ended up tossing 10 cocks that were infertile (at this time)

"At this time..." Maybe you get the same e-mail I seem to?

Did you guys read about the giant rabbits that a fellow in Germany was raising. The North Koreans were interested, so he's now been going to North Korea where he brought some of his best stock and expertise to solve the hunger problems there. But, he says he really needed to feed them well, so it doesn't really sound like a miracle solution.