Three Poducts That Help Finish Off The Molt

 It's nearly September and only a month from show season! So what can we do to tighten the birds up and bring them into prime condition?

Boost 250 made by doghealth in the UK is the best vitamin product for this time of year when we are preparing our birds for show.  I use it daily and immediately you will notice a tightening of feathers! It is a superb formula of the basic vitamins without extra amino acids. If you are unable to obtain this product you could try vionate dog vitamins.

 Daily, the birds also get liquid B in their water with the Boost 250.  It too tightens the feathers. It is also very good to give birds during the show season as with a high carb diet it will stop soft molt.

If you want those borders to have better confirmation, you need to increase the nutrients in the diet without increased proteins. For Borders mix six cups dry nestling food (use a low protein one with 15% protein) and add 1/2 cup dry CeDe Handrearing food (18%). Feed dry. This really brings out the confirmation, first the backs then the breast and finally the rounded heads and along with the confirmation it brings out a show winning attitude!

Fantastic Leg Band Cutter

Over the years I have purchase a number of less expensive leg band cutters only to be disappointed with them because it was difficult to use them without damaging the leg. Recently, I bought this excellent 4 inch leg band cutter from www.shopmedvet.com web site of Med-Vet International.

Note the smooth rounded tip which makes the cutter easy to use even when the leg is quite swollen.

 

Aluminum and plastic leg rings occasionally prevent venous blood return from the distal limb of small birds. Edema (swelling) and necrosis (to the extent of losing the foot) quickly follows unless the ring is removed. Removal of the ring or band without fracturing is not easy without this special cutting tool.

Gotta Question or Tip For Big Bird?

Post your questions or tips to this post.
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Questions: Going light, Preparing white birds for show, Rapeseed oil, ivermectin, feather picking

Unbelievable Overgrown Beak

 Sorry for the delay in posts, I worked the last six of seven days! I can't hardly believe that I saw this overgrown beak for the first time this morning!

 View from the other side shows lower beak is also overgrown.

With fingernail clippers I trimmed both the upper and lower beak.

Beaks normally constantly grow similar to a hoof with sheets of protein overlying a substantial vascular supply and bone. Beak defects my occur secondary to nutritional deficiencies, high-protein diet, congenital abnormalities and bacterial or fungal infection secondary to trauma. 

The texture of the top of the beak looks wrinkled and abnormal so I am going to put some Biodecken fungicide liquid and salve on it.

 Even with my busy schedule, I am enjoying the hummingbirds in my back yard. This is a $1 hummingbird feeder from Lowe's that they prefer over the $15 Audubon recommended round ones.

Can you relate to this? Like a hummingbird I am off and running headed to Kansas City for my nephew Lucas's wedding this afternoon!

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Ugliest Border Award Winner 2014 - Tubular Body Challenge

Without a doubt, the Border in the swing is the ugliest I raised this year!

Rough loose feathering and almost no confirmation!

 Originally, I separated out four ugly Borders and put them in a flight. The one on the floor developed good confirmation as well as the other two but not the ugly one. In his defense, I would credit him for having a little back finally starting to show but he has such long ways to go!

Most flattering picture I could get of the Ugliest Border Award Winner!

So what's his problem:

1. Firstly, the winner is in a very heavy molt where the other three have nearly finished the molt. The faster the molt the worse confirmation overall.

But why is it lagging behind the other three? The reason is he was a late hatch and I imagine it is a male. Seems the females have better confirmation even during the molt. Late hatches molt heavier in attempt to catch up but does that ever make them ugly.

2.  Observing him carefully, he is not stressed by the other rather he is first to nibble the millet swing and often seen in the swing and playing on the Canary Ferris Wheel.  Normally I initially house birds of the same age together, but he was a lone chick in a late nest.

3, If he were tubular and not molting heavy, I would make sure the vitamin E level had been dropped as  males especially loose their confirmation and look tubular when they are coming into full breeding condition,

4. So I need to relax and not panic and just be patient and continue him on Boost 250 and liquid B vitamins in the water, sunflower chips added to his seed mix, some Blattner's finch seed mix at least once a week and unlimited millet sprays and greens.

Another couple Borders in the same cage as the winner.

Bird Alert: Watch Out For Wide Tails

Feather length is genetic and a result of our feather pairing but a bird carrying its tail wide is a warning sign that the birds health is not up to par and we need to tweak its diet and nutrition. A wide tail is not just a little wide but really fanned out. Ignoring wide tails eventually leads to breeding failure and ultimately neurological problems and death.

First, I like to check its weight and make sure it is not too thin.  Either get some weight on it or trouble stands ahead.

Second, if it can stand some weight add sunflower chips (pieces) to its seed mix. They are great for weight gain and a good natural source of B vitamins. I also add extra B vitamins to their water. I use the World Organic Liquid B brand.

Third, drop the protein level of the food as too much protein contributes to weight loss and seems to upset Borders system and continued feeding of high protein diets leads to neurological problems. Offer dry nestling food and oats.

During pre-show season, use Boost 250 (dog vitamins from UK) in the water in addition to extra B vitamins. This is the best vitamin product during the pre-show season to tighten feathers, pip tails and bring excellent head and body confirmation.

If wide tails are seen during breeding season, I use either BioDecken or Orlux vitamins and conditioning products with extra B vitamins.

Broccoli Munchies

 When broccoli gets to the "seedy" head stage, it is a popular munchies for all my birds. Luckily when I attended the Colwich Kansas Wednesday Market, Mary Parker had three large bags of seedy broccoli for sale for only a dollar a bag! People were not buying it because in their opinion it was over the hill but when I saw it I was so excited and knew it was just perfect for the birds and they would love it. The more loose the florets the better.

A Columbus Fancy crested enjoying a snack!

Some young Border Fancy are taking turns perching and munching!

Easy Way To Feed Carrot

An easy way to feed carrot is to place dry nestling food in the food processor and process fine. The moisture from the carrot makes a nice texture and great treat for my canaries!

Oops The Very Last Chick 2014 - This time I mean it!

What a surprise today! The same Stafford pair that produced the last chicks of 2014, actually three in the clutch have done it again! One lone chick and it looks like with that bare head that he is going to be crested! It also has a hint of dark on the top, perhaps dark crest?

Just checked this evening and it is being fed!

UPDATE TEN DAYS LATER: