There are a number of factors that contribute to this situation. The first is probably greed because we openly accept that as the quality of stock improves, so does the willingness to reproduce diminish. Quality improvements that are measured purely in aesthetic scales are bound to have detrimental trade offs and fertility is one of those. Some of you will disagree with me but books and articles were being written not so long ago that recommended that we restrict our clutch size to 4 or 5 chicks, as any more would over tire the parent - wouldn't it be nice to have to make that decision on a majority basis today. The greed element comes in because although we "sort of" accept a lower reproduction rate, we try to compensate by extending the breeding season. This results in over-stressed adult stock that suffer on the show bench and then subsequently in the breeding cage in the next season. As breeders of birds we are forever optimistic because we always believe that the next round will be better - but it very rarely is.
Around 10 years ago the number of Budgerigar Specialist Clubs in the UK appeared to snowball and although the trend seems to have dropped off now, during the immediate past many new societies were formed. The sponsorship of a show of budgerigars is perceived to be the main vehicle for establishing a unique identity for a club and so with this in mind the majority of new organisations have run an Open Show. With all due credit to them, many have also achieved Championship Patronage from the Budgerigar Society. One of the difficulties that now exists is that the core of the show season extends from early July until late November and we are spoilt for choice.
With all fanciers being offered this selection, this situation must severely affect the overall entry at all of the shows that are being currently organised. Each organising committee strives to find "that something" that will attract more entrants and more exhibitors but it is also interesting to note that many of the organising clubs actually lose money and consider this to be acceptable. Personally, I cannot offer any new suggestions which will improve the position other than Societies combining their efforts and staging more super shows, such as the Southern Classic. Hopefully I may have stimulated a few readers to write in with their views.
As for the birds being in a continual moult, as mentioned earlier, many have blamed the apparent changing weather conditions which have given us an unseasonable climate in recent years. Others may blame our management techniques for this situation. In reality, the birds are not individually in a continual moult but within any period there are always some birds that are moulting. The overlap of our own seasons must surely have influenced this as we have attempted to minimise outside seasonal change by introducing artificial heat and light for instance.
We try to pair our birds when they are fit for breeding, which excludes those that are moulting. Once breeding successfully I would suggest that the birds own mechanism resists the moult, as to expend energy in feeding young and growing new feather is incompatible. Our pairings can be staggered over several months as birds become fit and others are split up. The birds that are re-flighted will often begin their moult. Also taking perhaps 3 or 4 rounds of 2 or 3 youngsters means that youngsters are there and are growing their adult plumage over a longer period. Hence more loose feathers. It is, therefore, my view that it is our own techniques that have had the greatest influence over our birds rather than external climatic conditions.
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