Jamie & Lexi raise all their cockatiels at home and hand feed them. They guarantee that all the birds they sell will be well mannered, gentle and great birds for first time owners. Please take a look at their website
"Colorful Cockatiels" for contact details.

Male: The breast and belly colours are usually used to determine sex. Males will have a brighter and darker colour of purple on the chest and the yellow of the belly will be darker and more intense than the female. The green back colour and the light blue around the face mask is also darker.
Often the face mask in males are larger and clearer than the females, but is not always the case as their are some strains of birds that have equal colour in both sex's face mask. The males will also sing a nearly inaudible song while stretching and hopping on the perch. They will usually begin this song long before they have completed their moult into adult colours.

Female: The female has more subdued colours on her chest, belly and back. The female's beak will turn from a pearly white to black when she is in breeding condition.

The following information is from Alan Birkbeck. Alan's book "Wildfowl at Home" has been published by Gold Cockerel Books.

Most species of Swans can be quite aggressive, particularly during the breeding season, so in captivity theyare usually found on large ponds and lakes where other resident wildfowl areable "to keep their distance".  However, the Black-necked Swan (Cygnus melanocoryphus), a native of South America is relatively docile and generally mixes quite well with other species of wildfowl.  A pair is depicted on the photo, along with Ringed Teal, Carolinas and Mandarin drakes. The swans are much more interested in each other than in the other species and they are in fact about to commence a courtship display. Black-necked Swans are somewhat awkward on land because of their very short legs and long bodies but they fly rapidly, producing a loud rustling sound with their short wings.

It is always nice to hear from others with an interest in birds.

We shall look forward to hearing from you. Please e-mail us at:  zoeah@btconnect.com

Jonathan Barton has sent us this amazing close up of his Green Peafowl and written the following passage. To find out more click on the link to his website.

In the wild Green Peafowl live in varied habitats across South Asia however their range is fragmented and they are now assessed as endangered.

In captivity green peafowl require large aviaries, and spacious indoor accommodation for the worst of the winter weather. I provide my peafowl with a small heater during low winter temperatures. My birds are fed a diet based on wheat, pheasant pellets and greens. Fruit (banana, grapes etc.) is given as a regular treat.

Planting in the aviary is difficult to establish as anything edible is quickly stripped. The birds tend to squash small to medium sized plants and trees by jumping onto them. Green peafowl spend a considerable amount of time perching. Adequate perches/platforms should be provided in both indoor and outdoor enclosures.  

Peacocks can be extremely aggressive towards other males and they should be kept separated. Adjacent aviaries should be screened from each other up to a height of approx. 1m to prevent fighting and pacing. 

Although well adjusted aviary birds are calm, even the most settled green peafowl remain easily spooked and capable of panic in the face of even minor unfamiliar situations. This flighty tendency combined with a wandering nature means that green peafowl must remain within the aviary and should never be considered for free ranging.

This species has less strident calls than Indian peafowl however both sexes are capable of moderately loud vocalisations during the breeding season. Outside the breeding season they remain quiet unless alarmed.

Green peafowl are slow to mature and long lived. Unlike Indian peafowl birds are not capable of breeding until their third year and males will not attain a full sized adult train until year four at the earliest. Peahens lay approximately five to six eggs per clutch. Incubation time is approx. 28 days.

http://www.galliform.es

Is Your Bird Cage-Ready?

Deciding whether or not the bird in your care is able to be housed safely and comfortably in a cage is not as black-and-white as it may initially seem.  Still, there are some methods you can use as guidelines to help you ensure that you select an appropriately sized and designed enclosure for your bird, if an artificial enclosure is even workable at all.  While some birds are easily and safely kept in captivity for many years, others struggle in the confined space, and the forced enclosure can end up taking a significant toll on their health.  Below, we’ll cover several different considerations you should make before making a bird enclosure decision, so you can avoid trouble as frequently as possible while caring for your bird.
Start by identifying the type of bird in your care.  Your typical pet birds, such as parrots, parakeets, and others of the sort are often the types of birds best suited to thriving in a small environment.  Larger birds, such as pheasants, ducks, large chickens, etc. are not going to be well suited to cage life, particularly if the cage is designed in the conventional fashion that emphasizes aesthetics over spatial concerns.  These types of birds, particularly pheasants, struggle in small cages and are more likely to panic and injure themselves than become docile in the tiny setting.  Pheasants, chickens, and ducks should be kept outdoors in more open enclosures that allow them to travel around and move about extensively, making them best suited to life on farms or other large tracts of fresh land.  If these larger birds ever need to be transported for any reason, they should still avoid traveling in a cage.  A covered box that’s kept dark and serene will encourage the most docile behavior in these birds when traveling.
Just because parrots and other smaller birds are better suited to thrive inside bird cages doesn’t mean they all will.  There are plenty of other factors to consider.  The most important is the bird’s origins.  A wild bird should never be forced to live in a standard bird cage, as the stress would be too great to make such an adjustment.  Wild animals, birds included, should be left in the wild.  If smaller birds were bred in captivity and spent their whole lives as such, or are otherwise incapable of fending for themselves in the wild, they make the best pets for loving human caretakers.  Still, consideration should be given to ensure the cage is large enough for the bird to move about freely and avoid prohibiting much of his instinctual nature.  If you’re unsure whether a cage is too small or not, always ere on the side of providing the bird with a greater amount of space.  That way, you can avoid many potential inflictions on the bird’s well-being while in your care.

sent to us by Brett & Rob @ BIRDCAGES.net

Celia Lewis has kindly given her permission to show some of her work on our website. She has e-mailed the following pictures and information to include:

I have kept chickens for most of my life and find them an absolute joy.  On the few occasions when foxes have got the better of me I always find that after a few days of a dismal empty run I have to erect ever higher and more expensive fencing until I am sure our eggs are probably similar in price to caviar – but to me its worth it!

I am an artist and having co-written Keeping Chickens which had a breed section with 40 or so different breeds and very poor photos, felt there was an opening for a more comprehensive book on chicken breeds, and what could be nicer or more cohesive than to paint them myself.  This turned out to be quite an undertaking but The Illustrated Guide to Chickens was born and contains over 250 watercolour illustrations of not only the chickens themselves, but chicks, eggs and feathers.  Many of these paintings are now for sale and can be seen on my website.  In order to do the paintings I keep as many different varieties of hen as I possibly can, so many of the hens illustrated belong to me – others have come from all over the world and are painted from photographs - the wonder of the web.   Welsummers and Silver Laced Wyandottes are my favourites and those are the only two that I now keep cocks of.  I have a small incubator but the joy of pure breds is that you never lack a broody…….

In 2010 I have completed The Illustrated Guide to Pigs which is with the publishers and comes out in July 2011 and I am now casting around for the next Illustrated Guide which may well be Ducks, Geese and other Fowl but this is as yet undecided.

Celia has more information and examples of her work on her website: http://www.celialewis.co.uk/
or she can be contacted by e-mail at: celiavlewis@talk21.com

Should you enjoy my website and other pigeon sites I have recently built I am happy to design, build, host and more importantly maintain quality sites at a reasonable price.  This offer  is open to livestock breeders only.   

LADY GOULDIAN FACT SHEET  sent in by GORDON LLOYD

1. WHEN MOVING BIRDS, SUCH AS PURCHASING A PAIR AND TAKING THEM TO A NEW LOCATION, I RECOMMEND ADDING AN ANTI-STRESS ADDITIVE TO THE WATER. ORNALYTE IS A PRODUCT I’VE FOUND TO BE USEFUL. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ON THE LABEL. WATCH FOR SIGNS OF STRESS IN YOUR BIRDS (EYES CLOSED AND FLUFFED FEATHERS).
2. CAGE REQUIREMENTS: GOULDIANS REQUIRE ROOM. TWO BIRDS REQUIRE 3’ X 2’ X 2’.
3. WHEN BREEDING GOULDIANS MAKE SURE YOU PROVIDE A CALCIUM SUPPLEMENT TO AID IN EGG SHELL PRODUCTION. I’VE USED NEKTON MSA AND AM CURRENTLY USING CALCIVET IN THE BIRDS WATER, (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT).
4. WATER: UNCLEAN WATER TUBES AND DISHES ARE ONE CAUSE OF SICKNESS PROBLEMS WITH GOULDS. IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO CHANGE THE WATER AND CLEAN THE DISHES EVERY DAY.
5. SEED AND FEED: BUY A GOOD QUALITY FINCH MIX. DO NOT BUY SEEDS COATED WITH OIL OR VITAMINIZED, ETC. TO THE FINCH MIX ADD ¼ TO 1/3 MORE, PLAIN CANARY SEED. (VERY HIGH IN PROTEIN). PETAMINE IS A GOOD SUPPLEMENT AND CONTAINS GRIT. CUTTLEFISH BONE IS NECESSARY. ALSO HANG A TRACE MINERALIZED NORTON SALT SPOOL IN THE CAGE. SPRAY MILLET IS A TREAT. FEED EGG SHELLS TO BREEDING PAIRS. SHELLS HAVE TO BE FROM EGGS HARD BOILED (20 MINUTES) OR OVEN BAKED AT 250 DEGREES; SMALL PIECES OR CRUSHED, ARE BEST. GREENS AND RAW CORN, FRESH AND CLEAN, ARE GOOD ADDITIONS.
6. HEAT: GOULDIANS CANNOT TAKE EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES. DURING WINTER, IT IS NECESSARY TO KEEP THEM AT APPROXIMATELY 68-70 DEGREES, IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BREEDING. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE KEEPING BIRDS IN OUTSIDE AVIARIES, BUT BREEDING SUCCESS IS MINIMAL.
7. GENERAL: FULL SPECTRUM LIGHTS ARE BETTER FOR THE BIRDS THAN OTHER TYPES OF LIGHTS. RUN THE LIGHTS A MAXIMUM OF FOURTEEN HOURS A DAY, WHEN BREEDING. DO NOT HAVE THE LIGHTS GO OUT AND PLUNGE THE BIRDS INTO DARKNESS. THEY WILL PANIC. RUN A NIGHT LIGHT AND LET THE BIRDS SLEEP PEACEFULLY. DO NOT DISTURB THEM DURING THE NIGHT. DO NOT SUBJECT THEM TO DRAFTS, SMOKE, FUMES, OR EXCESSIVE HEAT.