7/16/2005
From Luis on the Bigger Picture
Hi friends:
The best way to suceed in song canaryculture ( and I mean suceeding as breeding good birds to satisfy us) is to work in a team, this is how our best birds are bred in Spain. There are several of these “teams” in Spain, are nor official but groups of friends with similar tastes and compatible blood lines. Serious breeders here don´t sell their worse birds to other breeders, they go to pet shops. If the bird is good enough it´ll be sold (quite cheap, a 88 points male can be around 50$) but if the bird is a great champion (93 or 94 points), brothers, sisters, parents and other relatives will be just distributed (often for free) between the members of the team. In this way we can be sure that the best birds will go to breeders that know how to work with them and, at the same time, when you need to outbreed you know who has birds compatible with your own line. Some of these teams keep amazing pedigrees of their birds, I´! ve seen birds which track could be followed to 1962 and ,lately, also recordings of their song.
I had, Tom, 4 or 5 mails about the web site, very praising all of them. I had one from a Canadian American Singer breeder who was very thankful to the “song course”, she´s starting and it was very helpful for her. But sorry, I didn´t keep those mails if I have a new one I´ll send it to you though I think you should put your mail adress in the web page too.
Regards
The best way to suceed in song canaryculture ( and I mean suceeding as breeding good birds to satisfy us) is to work in a team, this is how our best birds are bred in Spain. There are several of these “teams” in Spain, are nor official but groups of friends with similar tastes and compatible blood lines. Serious breeders here don´t sell their worse birds to other breeders, they go to pet shops. If the bird is good enough it´ll be sold (quite cheap, a 88 points male can be around 50$) but if the bird is a great champion (93 or 94 points), brothers, sisters, parents and other relatives will be just distributed (often for free) between the members of the team. In this way we can be sure that the best birds will go to breeders that know how to work with them and, at the same time, when you need to outbreed you know who has birds compatible with your own line. Some of these teams keep amazing pedigrees of their birds, I´! ve seen birds which track could be followed to 1962 and ,lately, also recordings of their song.
I had, Tom, 4 or 5 mails about the web site, very praising all of them. I had one from a Canadian American Singer breeder who was very thankful to the “song course”, she´s starting and it was very helpful for her. But sorry, I didn´t keep those mails if I have a new one I´ll send it to you though I think you should put your mail adress in the web page too.
Regards
7/15/2005
Plans for 2007, Beyond
This is a message I wrote which might well be posted here.
I think I just got a whiff of what 2007 could be like. If next year is as successful I should have waaaay too many birds, as I thought I'd have this year. The wait will not be one bit hard on me, as this year is a great excitement, having plenty of birds to learn properly, and I'm sure to be most happy by Nov. already.
Now, next year, 60 or more babies in addition to already having full house? Hmm.. That's sounding like next year will be a problem already with too mny birds. 1
I'm supposing one problem will be selecting the best singers, but I'm not sure, because if I keep these 5 males, I'll maximize my genes. Maybe these 5, plus one or two of my best singers. That would be the most I can imagine.
I'm thinking, beginning right now, anyone locally wanting to breed canaries I can give them, under the condition that I get half the babies. Still giving me way too many birds for my little self to handle. I sure hope I can find some. Another option would be to give anyone birds that's willing to pay the air fare. Then I don't know how I would get babies, though. Maybe I won't need them, but the more babies I can watch each year, the better my odds will be for getting that exceptional bird, which I have a feeling I'll be able to identify, maybe even by myself, but for sure with Luis' blessing and passing grade. (Will you stil have that many patience in future years, Luis? Sebastian? Patricia? These sound files will be the basis for working with my special Tom Kufahl Strain. The best of the best that I raise, I think including some line breeding, but I think I'll just linebreed for 2 generations… that's what my pigeon friend thinks is max.
Then, we are into 2008 and later. By that time we should be importing at least another batch of birds, if we aren't a third world country yet, smile, I sure hope. When the batch gets imported, I think I'll include the best I can, hoping I can afford it.
Doesn't it look like I shall be the happiest person in the world in the forseeable future?
Now, some of the problems, of course guessing, would be to find anybody in Wisconsin who will take free birds under the condition that I get half the babies, and that they don't do any crossing. I won't have to worry if they spoil the song, as I will take only babies from them. I think the general Wisconsing attitude is that birds are a pretty stupid idea. But I think I have some ideas already, so I can already start talking to people to line them up for next fall. I already know of a few possibilities.
Of course there is always the possiblility of selling them for 400$ a piece, Laughing at Barb and the AASTB, but hey, how about 150$ I fear that's even too much. I bet give away again, but requiring the others to pay air fare. For Sure to Patty and Sebastian, free of charge, for putting up with my weird humor!
I think the future looks most exciting for me!
Oh… something not to talk about would be if I ever loose control of my Still's or worse, die, I bet I should have your phone numbers in my will! Let's keep looking for more breeders to spread the good word to!
Oh, Luis, does anyone ever write from the website? Probably not. Sometime, maybe in a year, I'll put my addy on the site. Until then, maybe could you forward any messages to me also? Please? I get occasional mail from my other sites. Believe it or not, almost weekly or more for the goldfinch article. I've never re read it. I have no memory of what I said, but it must have been pretty good!
Oh, a last thing, I made a recording of precious red and the other two birds, I really think they are singing better than they did last spring. I'm really beginning to enjoy even them, when they lay off the trills/timbres.
Good night all, tk
.G
I think I just got a whiff of what 2007 could be like. If next year is as successful I should have waaaay too many birds, as I thought I'd have this year. The wait will not be one bit hard on me, as this year is a great excitement, having plenty of birds to learn properly, and I'm sure to be most happy by Nov. already.
Now, next year, 60 or more babies in addition to already having full house? Hmm.. That's sounding like next year will be a problem already with too mny birds. 1
I'm supposing one problem will be selecting the best singers, but I'm not sure, because if I keep these 5 males, I'll maximize my genes. Maybe these 5, plus one or two of my best singers. That would be the most I can imagine.
I'm thinking, beginning right now, anyone locally wanting to breed canaries I can give them, under the condition that I get half the babies. Still giving me way too many birds for my little self to handle. I sure hope I can find some. Another option would be to give anyone birds that's willing to pay the air fare. Then I don't know how I would get babies, though. Maybe I won't need them, but the more babies I can watch each year, the better my odds will be for getting that exceptional bird, which I have a feeling I'll be able to identify, maybe even by myself, but for sure with Luis' blessing and passing grade. (Will you stil have that many patience in future years, Luis? Sebastian? Patricia? These sound files will be the basis for working with my special Tom Kufahl Strain. The best of the best that I raise, I think including some line breeding, but I think I'll just linebreed for 2 generations… that's what my pigeon friend thinks is max.
Then, we are into 2008 and later. By that time we should be importing at least another batch of birds, if we aren't a third world country yet, smile, I sure hope. When the batch gets imported, I think I'll include the best I can, hoping I can afford it.
Doesn't it look like I shall be the happiest person in the world in the forseeable future?
Now, some of the problems, of course guessing, would be to find anybody in Wisconsin who will take free birds under the condition that I get half the babies, and that they don't do any crossing. I won't have to worry if they spoil the song, as I will take only babies from them. I think the general Wisconsing attitude is that birds are a pretty stupid idea. But I think I have some ideas already, so I can already start talking to people to line them up for next fall. I already know of a few possibilities.
Of course there is always the possiblility of selling them for 400$ a piece, Laughing at Barb and the AASTB, but hey, how about 150$ I fear that's even too much. I bet give away again, but requiring the others to pay air fare. For Sure to Patty and Sebastian, free of charge, for putting up with my weird humor!
I think the future looks most exciting for me!
Oh… something not to talk about would be if I ever loose control of my Still's or worse, die, I bet I should have your phone numbers in my will! Let's keep looking for more breeders to spread the good word to!
Oh, Luis, does anyone ever write from the website? Probably not. Sometime, maybe in a year, I'll put my addy on the site. Until then, maybe could you forward any messages to me also? Please? I get occasional mail from my other sites. Believe it or not, almost weekly or more for the goldfinch article. I've never re read it. I have no memory of what I said, but it must have been pretty good!
Oh, a last thing, I made a recording of precious red and the other two birds, I really think they are singing better than they did last spring. I'm really beginning to enjoy even them, when they lay off the trills/timbres.
Good night all, tk
.G
7/07/2005
Read Before you Purchase
I highly recommend that before you make an expensive purchase that you get a snail mail copy of your agreement before you make your payment. A purchase can run easily over $1000, and you want to get what you pay for. As arrangements for flight, etc. Can be expensive and hard work, the seller may very well want to back out of or deny the agreement. This happened to me and I have heard from others, also. Be forewarned, and get that snail mail, signed agreement. You don't want to be caught paying that amount and loosing!
7/06/2005
Pulse of the Floreado in America
At this moment, as far as I know, there has been a single import in America of about 75 birds. All birds in America are related to this original importation. They came originally from 3 breeders and are considered to be of high quality, as far as I can tell. One breeder out crossed with a certain number of wild birds. I believe effort was made to have these 75 birds as unrelated as possible.
Eventually, I know not when, it will be necessary to import more birds. Sooner rather than later should be just fine, but the process is very difficult and expensive. As there are no specific plans yet, I'm hoping that the USTF http://www.spanishtimbrado.us/ will sponsor the project. If you have any interests in this project, I hope you will acquaint yourself with the USTF and make yourself known to them. As I said, this project will be very expensive, and the more people that can participate, the more the expenses can be spread out. It may be that many birds cost the same amount for the process as few birds, so the more, the better, I believe. This might actually take place in the farther future, not the more immediate, but please, even if your interest is only a thought for now, make yourselves known!
Eventually, I know not when, it will be necessary to import more birds. Sooner rather than later should be just fine, but the process is very difficult and expensive. As there are no specific plans yet, I'm hoping that the USTF http://www.spanishtimbrado.us/ will sponsor the project. If you have any interests in this project, I hope you will acquaint yourself with the USTF and make yourself known to them. As I said, this project will be very expensive, and the more people that can participate, the more the expenses can be spread out. It may be that many birds cost the same amount for the process as few birds, so the more, the better, I believe. This might actually take place in the farther future, not the more immediate, but please, even if your interest is only a thought for now, make yourselves known!
7/05/2005
Check for awile now.
I have several ideas developing which I think will be more blog like, and I expect that the blog will be more blog like in the future. I had been recommending that you start at the beginning, and if you are new, you still should, but the web page is still "course like", and from now on I expect to just be working aloud on ideas, which is what a blog is. Remember to write me if you want to participate. I can give you posting privileges. Everyone can still take part without posting, just by writing comments. I would be well worth your time to register.
