Newsletter October, 2000
T - NOTES
I hope everyone has had a great breeding season. If you are like me then your birds are in the moult
and you are sweeping up feathers twice a day. Drop me a line and let me know how your breeding
season was. My year went well but there are some things I could have improved. I used Vitamin E
in the water and I feed toasted wheat germ and I would say my fertility was up.
I want to remind you that ANS will be giving away $300 to the best Norwich at the 2001 NCBS in
New Hampshire. We are giving away the $300 to encourage breeders to bring their Norwich. Our
goal is to have over 100 Norwich shown at the NCBS show in New Hampshire. I think we will also
auction off some Norwich at this show.
ANS will ask the NCBS board to consider a Norwich only Division at the next Spring meeting. Some
of the members of the board had asked us why we asked for a Norwich-Yorkshire division. I know
that our numbers alone are not over 100 Norwich at NCBS but I am confident that we can achieve
this in the coming years.
We finally got the British color to the inside of the Norwich Show cage. I bought my paint at Lowe's
and the brand name of the paint was Enterprise. If you can't get this paint at Lowe's then let me
know and I will send you a color sample that you can use to get the correct color. The paint is an
interior high gloss oil based paint. The following is the recipe that Lowe's gave me.
Lowe's
Gallon Colorant Amount
Base: B 1-1626 103 20
(Incand.) 105 20
114 1Y31
Lowes-Valspar
Int/Oil/H-Gloss
Enterprise 12 yr
If you are interested in giving an ANS certificate at your show please contact Stephanie Burk at
burkmr@pclv.com. She took over that job this year.
If you are wondering where you can get cages there are two places that I know of which produce the
Norwich show cage. Our own Henry Olszower, whose address is in our Bulletin, and Superior in
England, phone 011 44 1430 43 0804 or fax 011 44 1430 43 2368, make Norwich show cages.
The judge for the Type Division at the 2000 NCBS in Puerto Rico will be Sal Di Pasquale. You
should remember him since he judged in Houston in 1993 and Denver in 1997. This will be the third
time he has judged the Type Division in the last eight years.
There are now four shows at which you can earn points to compete in the ANS Derby. These shows
are the American Canary Fanciers Show in Los Angeles, California, the Florida Canary Fanciers in
Orlando, the National Cage Bird Show, and the newest show is the Cascade Canary Breeders
Association in Seattle, Washington.
The winners at the American Canary Fanciers show will receive 30 points for First place, 20 points
for Second place and 10 points for a Third place. The Florida Canary Fanciers and Cascade Canary
Breeders Association show will receive the same number of points. The National Cage Bird Show
will receive 50 points for first place, 35 points for second place, and 20 points for a third place. At
the end of the year all of the points are totaled up and the person with the most points wins a trophy
and $100.
Francis reminded me that I forgot to put in the treasurer's report last time. We have a little over
$2000 in the bank, I don't know the exact figure because I just paid for bands.
I am sad to say that I have decided that this will be my next to last newsletter. I will put one more
out next year but that will be it. My wife and I are getting ready to have another baby, a girl this time,
and I know that I will have even less time to get the newsletter out than I do now. As it is I can only
manage two newsletters a year when I should be doing three or four. So this is the time for someone
to step up and take charge of the newsletter. If no one does the newsletter then we won't have one
and I think that the club should have one. It has been a lot of fun, and work, to do these newsletters
and to put them on our website.
I will have to wait until the baby comes before I will know if I will stay on as treasurer. There are
a lot of demands on my time these days. I am sure that if I can not remain treasurer that someone will
come forward to help out.
I look forward to seeing as many of you in Puerto Rico as I can. If there is anyone who would like
to work at the ANS booth at Nationals please send me an email.
Don't forget to visit our website. It has some of our old newsletters and we are adding to it every
few months. You can reach us at
norwich@mindspring.com
or
http://www.angelfire.com/fl/norwichcanary
Will Burdett, Treasurer ANS
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Fellow ANS members,
I hope you had a good breeding season and have come through the molt safe and healthy.
If you are like me, every year we look at our new young birds and wonder, "What happened?"
I think to myself, "There's no Best Norwich trophy for me this year". Fortunately, as the birds
finish the molt they start to look increasingly better and better, they've colored in, and begin to
show type and size. It's at this point that our hopes for a competitive show team become realistic.
We now become thankful that all the hard work earlier in the year is paying off.
As the Holiday Season approaches and even into the first couple of months next year, our
Norwich will continue to improve. How many times have you experienced breeders been standing
in your bird rooms in January and February and see a bird that just pops out at you? You wonder
"where did that bird come from?" It happens to me most every year. If you're just getting into
Norwich, mark my words, it will happen to you as well. It's a pleasant surprise to go into the
breeding season with a bird or two better than what you thought you had. I think there's a lesson
to be learned here, don't sell a bird before you give it a chance to develop.
Will and I went to Texas this year to attend the spring meeting of the NCBS. As you
might know we spent a lot of time at the 1999 National Show in Buffalo trying to rally support
for a Norwich and Yorkshire division. We showed up in Texas with a comprehensive presentation
and high hopes. Unfortunately we were not successful, however we're not giving up. Norwich
breeders can look foreword to some exciting things coming up in the near future. The ANS will
be trying innovative things in order to bring out Norwich exhibitors to the National Show starting
with the 2001 show in Manchester New Hampshire. Please bring your birds out, we may all
benefit down the road by getting a Norwich Division.
I would like to wish you all good luck as we enter the show season and thanks to Will and
Lee for their work throughout the year.
Brian Allen,
President ANS
*****
Thoughts on Breeding Norwich
By Keith Ferry
In this article, reprinted from a 1987 ANS Bulletin, Keith Ferry explains his techniques for setting up Norwich, feeding, show preparation, color feeding and other aspects of bird keeping.
Keith Ferry is a Champion breeder from England who, in addition to winning the English National's Supreme award, has served as judge at our own National Cage Bird Show.
***
My interest in Norwich Canaries began, quite unintentionally, about 12 years ago, when, in conversation with an old friend, I suggested I would like to try my hand at muling. He turned to me and said "The type of Canary you want for that is a Norwich, but boy, find out all you can about them first." From that day my course in the bird world was set, and I have never wavered from the path since.
At present my stock consists of around 12 pairs of Norwich Canaries plus 6 pairs of feeders (mongrel type). The only reason I keep feeders is the fact that some Norwich hens can be very temperamental, feeding young one minute and the next just leaving them. I have also experienced hens that are very fit, but leave the nest after only a few days of sitting. When this happens it's very handy to have foster parents available.
My stock is housed in an aviary 6m x 2.4m x 2.1m with a sloping roof. Included in the roof are two sky lights which I find beneficial as they give extra light in the winter, and when open in the summer lets excess heat escape. I keep my side windows open all year round because I believe that the birds need plenty of fresh air. Situated in the sides of the room at the base and roof level are air vents which give plenty of air flow.
My cages are comprised of double breeders in blocks of four. This enables easy access for taking down and cleaning. I have a small flight at one end of the bird room where I house my hens through the winter months. In the summer it is used as an exercise area for the young chicks. I take them away from their parents and leave them in here for about 4-5 weeks. I find that this comparative freedom strengthens their wings, and also makes their feathers fit their bodies more neatly. When they are taken out of the flight, they are put into double breeders, usually two per unit.
My breeding calender starts off with January being a very quiet month. My feeding methods are very basic, just a mix of canary seed and fresh water daily. Occasionally bits of green (brussels, apple, and so on) are offered. February is a very similar month but I add extra greens, one of my favorites being watercress. March sees the feeding of egg food twice weekly, ideally the brand you intend to rear young on. To this I add conditioning seed and plenty of greens. The plant I find most beneficial to the birds is dandelion, which can be found in England growing in prolific quantities along the roadsides and in fields. Much to my wife's disgust I now cultivate them in our garden, as I then know that no chemical sprays, etc., have been near them. I wash them, the root as well, very carefully and just place the whole plant in the cages for the birds to nibble. The dandelion is quite rich in iron and vitamins, and therefore a very good food. At the beginning of April egg food is given one day and dandelions the next. By now the birds are really coming into condition with the hens (in the flight) on the move all the time, and the cocks on the same par singing vigorously.
When I see a hen flitting from perch to perch carrying nesting material at the back of her beak, I know she is ready for pairing up. I then take her from the flight and place her in the cage next to her intended partner, separated only by a plywood slide, with a 25mm diameter hole at the base from which the pair can see each other. A careful eye is kept on the pair and when the hen is seen "calling tread" (taking a mating position), the slide is removed.
Generally, the pair will mate at once but if this doesn't happen it is because either the birds are not ready or they are incompatible. Then one has the task of finding a new partner.
After mating has taken place, a nest pan is hung from the side of the cage, about 100mm off the floor of the cage. I have no preference where the nest pans are concerned. Plastic, clay or home-made wooden ones, I find they all give the same results. But I do believe that hanging them up with wire aids to the springiness of the nest, causing the young chicks to raise their heads for feeding every time the parent lands on the nest's rim.
The nesting material used is various: moss for starting the nest off, coconut hair, hemp rope that has been washed and cut into short strands, and for clay pans, animal hair, although NOT lamb's wool or cotton as this is inclined to get tangled around the feet, causing loss of limb.
Each day as the eggs are laid I take them away, replacing each with a dummy egg. When the full clutch has been laid (I usually determine this by the fact that the last egg laid seems a lighter shade in color), the real eggs are placed back in the nest for the hen, hopefully, to incubate. I like to replace them in the evening knowing they will hatch in the morning of the same day two weeks later. I do this whenever possible on a Saturday, so that should there be any problems when the birds hatch, I will be at home.
While the eggs are in the incubation period the hen is fed on a plain diet of canary mix and fresh water. The day previous to the eggs hatching I place a small amount of egg food in the cage, just in case any chick should arrive early.
As the chicks hatch I feed egg food in small amounts, very often until they are about 3 days old. I then add greenfood, preferably chickweed or dandelion heads. After 5 days, soaked seed, well chitted (sprouted) is offered. My soaked seed consists of black rape, teazle, niger, small amounts of hemp and a little groats. This is soaked in a container of water for 24 hours and then washed well. This process is repeated until the seeds have chitted. Make sure it is washed well every day because in very hot weather it can go sour.
The young chicks are rung (banded) when approximately 7-8 days old, or when the hen stops cleaning the nest and the chick's droppings are coming over the sides of the nest pan. The rings I use are supplied by specialist society clubs and the young must have these to be shown at major club shows. I also use them for record purposes.
At the age of 15-16 days old I place a second nest pan with nesting material in the cage. This prevents the hen from pulling feathers out of her yong chicks to line the new nest. A chick that has had its tail pulled out is not a lot of good for showing as its new tail will be 1/4" longer, and as we all know a good Norwich should have a SHORT, compact tail.
When the chicks eventually leave the nest and the hen is starting her second round, the cock bird will carry on feeding the chicks. I leave them with the cock bird for as long as possible. If the male should attack the young, I put a wire slide between them, allowing them to still be fed. When the chicks are seen to be eating on their own, they are put into the flight as stated earlier.
When the first round of youngsters are 8 weeks old, I start feeding color food in with their egg food. The color agent I use is SPANISH RED PEPPER RRR. I begin with a ratio of 8 of egg food to 1 of pepper, increasing gradually to full strength of 3 to 1. I moisten this to a crumble texture with CAROPHYLL - ½ teaspoon full to 1 pint of hot water to dissolve the grains.
As the start of the molt I will add CAROPHYLL to the water twice a week. This is done by taking one egg cup full of the already mixed CAROPHYLL, adding this to another pint of water. When the birds are nearly through the molt (when the head is the only part left to complete), cut the CAROPHYLL out. There is sufficient within the bird's system and to carry on will mean the head will be burnt (brown in color).
While the birds are in the process of molting, I put them on daily baths, as this makes them preen their feathers more often. Those birds that do not like baths are sprayed with a fine spray of rain water.
As the birds are finishing their molt, I begin to consider which ones are ideal for the show bench. (As I noted earlier, hens are housed in pairs, cocks individually.) NEVER show birds that have not quite completed the molt as they need 3-4 weeks after molting to harden off in order to withstand the strain of shows.
When showing my birds I continue to feed them on color food twice a week, just in case a bird has a loose feather or two. (A bird will be spoilt by having non-colored feathers.) The color feeding process is terminated as soon as the National Show is over, around the first or second week in December.
Preparation for a show begins a week before when I select my team. If I feel they need cleaning, I shampoo them - but never more than twice during the show season. I generally only shampoo them only before big shows. They are shampooed 5 days before the date of the show so as to give time for the feathers to replace their natural oils which make them shine.
When washing make sure that it is done in daylight and in the house to give them time to dry out before roosting. (If they roost whilst still wet, they tuck their heads under their wings causing a color or ring mark around their necks.)
The surplus water is removed from them with a towel. They are then wrapped in a paper towel and placed in a show cage which is then placed in front of a hot radiator (of in a hospital cage if you have one). The birds are left in the house (unwrapped, of course) overnight and put back into the bird room the next morning.
The show cages are cleaned and polished to a "high standard", as I believe if you have a good bird to show you must show it within a perfect show cage. I have seen many a good bird that has lost honors through bad and unclean staging. The drinkers should be clean and checked to make sure they don't leak. Perches should be clean and fixed securely ( a loose perch will put the bird off balance losing her correct stance of 45 degrees). I make my own perches and use the whitest wood I can find.
I train my young Norwich in the show cage by hanging a show cage on the front of the stock cages allowing them to enter at their own free will. I also handle the young birds as much as possible as this helps to steady them down. A week before my young birds go to their first show, I put them in a show cage and place this in a carrying case for a while just to get them used to being shut up in the dark.
I spent my first five years as a Novice gaining as much experience as I could. My fourth year as a Novice gave me my first taste of success, when I won Best Novice Norwich at the 1978 National at Alexandra Palace. I took this award with a clear unflighted buff cock, and the following year at the same show I took Best Novice Adult Norwich with a lightly variegated buff hen. In 1980 I progressed to Champion. Now I was up against the big boys - the Wright brothers, Harry Hughes, and many more whom I admire and respect immensely. I found it very hard but I was determined to persevere and try and emulate them.
In 1983 it paid off. I took a strong team to the Hinckley & Burbage Show (knowing this was the top show for Norwich) to beat the big names on their own doorstep. To win would be a great honor and achievement for me. On the Saturday evening after the judging I had a phone call from one of the judges to congratulate me on winning the show. I took this award for three years in succession. In 1983 I also won Top Champion in the Midlands Norwich Plainhead Club and in '84, '85 and '86 was runner up.
In 1984 I took Best Unflighted and 2nd Best Norwich at the All England National at the NEC Birmingham with a variegated buff hen. In 1985 I took Best Norwich at NPC Club Shows and over the years many local and big city Open Shows.
My dream came true in December 1986 at the National at the NEC Birmingham when to my utter and sheer delight a lightly variegated flighted buff hen not only gained Best Norwich, but went on to beat of 8,500 other types of birds and gained SUPREME EXHIBIT - the first time a Norwich Canary has taken this award. Not only was I over the moon for myself but also for all Norwich breeders, as I felt it could only do this section of aviculture tremendous good.
Reaching the top is always very hard work (and probably even harder to stay there), but the
love of a Norwich Canary is instilled within me and I intend to try and maintain the high standard
I have at present. Not only has the Norwich Canary given me a hobby but enabled my wife and I
to make friends with people from all regions of the world, all of us alike with one thing in
common - the impressive Norwich Canary.