January 2015

11 January - The first diary update for almost twelve months on the site. Much has changed since my last update, after 12 months or more of poor health it finally feels as if i'm on the road to recovery. I have had to make some difficult decisions in the birdroom and decided to part company with my small stud of Norwich canaries, it was done with a heavy heart as they were real quality birds.

I did manage to get to a couple of specialist shows last year, winning three colour specials and third and seventh best fife in show. I was pleased to take the colour special for best 10% to lightly variegated on two separate occasions, it was a special I hadn't won before so ive only best Cinnamon to go to complete the entire set of Champion colours on at least one occasion (I've had second best cinnamon but best has alluded me to now!) a couple of key purchases and the home breeding of a very nice buff carrier cock will hopefully mean I can compete this year.

The birds have had their annual treatment to clear the gut and are currently on a multivitamin. The lights are now on for 10hours 45 mins, there's an increase of 15 minutes each week so I should be up to 12 hours towards the end of February. The cocks are all singled off this year and the hens are enjoying stretching their wings in a 9 foot flight cage.

Preparation for the season is well underway, its starts with a wash down and the first spray of poultry shield for the cages, weekly baths for the birds and a weekly sprinkle of condition seed. I've learnt over the years to be very patient with bringing the birds into breeding condition, so everything is done in a considered and patient manner.

Over the Christmas break I took the opportunity to visit the Border stud of Stuart Mason. Stuart had very kindly collected some Belgium products for me on a trip over pre- Christmas, I have to say the quality of the birds in Stuarts shed was breath taking.

18 January Despite the fact its due to be the coldest night of the winter so far the birds enjoyed their weekly bath again today. The lighting has been increased by another 15 minutes and is now on for 11 hours, condition seed and oyster shell grit is offered each week as is a multivitamin in the water and this week I've started to offer some fresh spinach in small quantities.

Hens in the top flight cages (cocks singled off) A selection of the cock birds singled off

This year I plan to grow a selection of my own greens for the birds, partly to reduce the cost and partly to ensure that they are not subjected to pesticides on the greens (although I always thoroughly was the greens before giving them to the birds). I've purchased some organic chick weed seeds to start the ball rolling, i'll sew the first batch in the next week or so in individual seed pots inside the conservatory. As the weather improves i'll sew more in organic grow bags in the garden and see how it goes!.