Cockatiel Showing Part 2
Cockatiel Showing
Aquiring Initial Stock
Starting from scratch is easier for cockatiel exhibitors than working with your existing stock. Though its easier, its not often preferred. Sometimes you have a pair in which you really like a trait that they carry to their offspring. Then, you can take another cockatiel to improve on your established lines.
Aquiring stock should come from only a few sources. When I first got into cockatiels, I had a judge right here in my hometown, Raleigh. I learned everything about exhibiting from him and purchased my first pairs from him. Remember, you are NOT buying the best looking bird all the time. Sometimes you are buying the birds genetics. Who better knows the birds genetics than the breeder. Ask them what physical qualities this bird should produce. This will help you get a mate for this bird. You will want complimentary characteristics and those characteristics should be dominant. If you have a very big bird whose siblings are also large but lacks a crest, you will want to find a very long stylish bird who has a dominant crest. You can spend alot of money on birds, but you don't have to. A good quality cockatiel with a good pedigree can range from $125 up to $500. If you want to produce, sometimes getting the best bird is not the only option if you can get its sibling which carries the same genetics. I find this especially in males. Cocks often "hide" their attributes in their sex-linked chromosomes and will pass their parents good traits to their offspring. Thus, I would suggest getting a few good hens (good size, deportment, etc) and a cock who has good characteristics in himself but also in his pedigree.
Go through the show reports on the various cockatiel exhibition websites. See who is winning and with whose birds. Then, is the time to find who is breeding good stock. I have exhibited others birds but I have also exhibited my own band fairly consistantly. Another person though may have bought good stock and has done well on the show bench, yet has not had the opportunity or experience to breed from those birds. You will want, for your initial stock, to get from the folks who have experience breeding. Set your budget and find the best you can for the money. Try to start with a few complimentary lines and build from their babies. Build trust in a few trustworthy exhibitors. This may come from references from other novices or other advanced breeders. Advanced breeders, who do not have anything for sale, should be able to give you others who can. Its always nice to tell that exhibitor "I will buy from you but I would like some initial stock now, could I have a reference while I wait for you to produce". You shouldn't promise this if you are not going to buy in the future from this breeder. Getting a bad reputation for "window shopping" or not following through can haunt you for awhile.
Don't ask for the world:
The biggest fault I see with new exhibitors wanting the "best" that a person has. Obviously, the exhibitor will give you their best that they are willing to sell. Remember, you probably aren't going to get "pick of the clutch" but getting second pick isn't too bad either! You want that birds genetics so, in the future, you will be the breeder and be able to keep the best of the clutch. This is your ultimate goal, to produce good birds. I have heard exhibitors complain that they get a phone call from a novice exhibitor giving them a list of what they want that goes something like this: "I want a bird with a nice crest, good size, good deportment, good color, and good head". Well, wouldn't we all want that bird. Instead, explain to the exhibitor that you want some initial complimentary stock that will produce nice birds for you. You must be realistic but make sure you tell the exhibitor that you want to show and produce for showing. If we give you a bad bird, we surely know that it will come back to us. Most of us want you to succeed. Keep away from folks who only sell their birds to pet shops or non-exhibition folks. These are the folks who do not want to share their birds and oftentimes will not want you as competition. These guys and gals are fairly low in numbers. I can count them on a few fingers. There are so many people wanting to help, you will know who is being honest by calling around to a few exhibitors.
My last suggestion is that you CALL the exhibitor and always send them a letter or email thanking them for their time on the phone. Get to know the exhibitors and you will have a fun time at breeding and exhibiting. Take it slow, take a deep breath, and start exhibiting. Its FUN!
Related Articles
Cockatiel Showing Part 2
Top bench win X Top Bench win = Great Tiels? Maybe....
Aquiring Initial Stock
Starting from scratch is easier for cockatiel exhibitors than working with your existing stock. Though its easier, its not often preferred. Sometimes you have a pair in which you really like a trait that they carry to their offspring. Then, you can take another cockatiel to improve on your established lines.
Aquiring stock should come from only a few sources. When I first got into cockatiels, I had a judge right here in my hometown, Raleigh. I learned everything about exhibiting from him and purchased my first pairs from him. Remember, you are NOT buying the best looking bird all the time. Sometimes you are buying the birds genetics. Who better knows the birds genetics than the breeder. Ask them what physical qualities this bird should produce. This will help you get a mate for this bird. You will want complimentary characteristics and those characteristics should be dominant. If you have a very big bird whose siblings are also large but lacks a crest, you will want to find a very long stylish bird who has a dominant crest. You can spend alot of money on birds, but you don't have to. A good quality cockatiel with a good pedigree can range from $125 up to $500. If you want to produce, sometimes getting the best bird is not the only option if you can get its sibling which carries the same genetics. I find this especially in males. Cocks often "hide" their attributes in their sex-linked chromosomes and will pass their parents good traits to their offspring. Thus, I would suggest getting a few good hens (good size, deportment, etc) and a cock who has good characteristics in himself but also in his pedigree.
Go through the show reports on the various cockatiel exhibition websites. See who is winning and with whose birds. Then, is the time to find who is breeding good stock. I have exhibited others birds but I have also exhibited my own band fairly consistantly. Another person though may have bought good stock and has done well on the show bench, yet has not had the opportunity or experience to breed from those birds. You will want, for your initial stock, to get from the folks who have experience breeding. Set your budget and find the best you can for the money. Try to start with a few complimentary lines and build from their babies. Build trust in a few trustworthy exhibitors. This may come from references from other novices or other advanced breeders. Advanced breeders, who do not have anything for sale, should be able to give you others who can. Its always nice to tell that exhibitor "I will buy from you but I would like some initial stock now, could I have a reference while I wait for you to produce". You shouldn't promise this if you are not going to buy in the future from this breeder. Getting a bad reputation for "window shopping" or not following through can haunt you for awhile.
Don't ask for the world:
The biggest fault I see with new exhibitors wanting the "best" that a person has. Obviously, the exhibitor will give you their best that they are willing to sell. Remember, you probably aren't going to get "pick of the clutch" but getting second pick isn't too bad either! You want that birds genetics so, in the future, you will be the breeder and be able to keep the best of the clutch. This is your ultimate goal, to produce good birds. I have heard exhibitors complain that they get a phone call from a novice exhibitor giving them a list of what they want that goes something like this: "I want a bird with a nice crest, good size, good deportment, good color, and good head". Well, wouldn't we all want that bird. Instead, explain to the exhibitor that you want some initial complimentary stock that will produce nice birds for you. You must be realistic but make sure you tell the exhibitor that you want to show and produce for showing. If we give you a bad bird, we surely know that it will come back to us. Most of us want you to succeed. Keep away from folks who only sell their birds to pet shops or non-exhibition folks. These are the folks who do not want to share their birds and oftentimes will not want you as competition. These guys and gals are fairly low in numbers. I can count them on a few fingers. There are so many people wanting to help, you will know who is being honest by calling around to a few exhibitors.
My last suggestion is that you CALL the exhibitor and always send them a letter or email thanking them for their time on the phone. Get to know the exhibitors and you will have a fun time at breeding and exhibiting. Take it slow, take a deep breath, and start exhibiting. Its FUN!
Related Articles
Cockatiel Showing Part 2
Top bench win X Top Bench win = Great Tiels? Maybe....
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