The Highs/lows of 2014 and goals for 2015. Whats yours?

[elferoz777]

Hi all,

I was reflecting on all the things I have attempted in the last 12 months of bird keeping and it made me realise why I love the hobby so much.

Its not about the monetary value of the bird or how rare and exciting it is, I found the best feeling I got was when I worked hard to achieve what I wanted to achieve whether that was getting my linnies to go down on eggs or breeding a single pied ruddy.

I like hearing the stories of other breeders and keepers and the specific little projects or goals people set always interests me.

I thought I would post this general theme and ask AFFers what there top three accomplishments were for the 2014 calendar year?

Also what were the top three challenges or things that didnt go to plan?

Finally what are your top three goals for 2015?

Mine were/are

Accomplishments;
1) getting my first lot of red siskins to fledge
2) Getting my goldfinches to settle and nest in my small aviary
3)Getting my lineolated parrots to nest

Challenges;
1) Sticking to my bird breeding project goals. With so much out there its easy to divert your attention and interest. Remaining committed is tough sometimes but well worth it.
2)Getting my princess parrots to breed. They kept trashing their eggs or leaving their young....very annoying when they were given a spacious aviary and every kind of green food they demanded
3) Keeping my young blue goulds strong. This may attract some flack but I lost most of the blues I bred. I gave them all the extra attention as I was advised and I cant put my finger on it. The parents were good strong birds and have not given me any problems so that will be an issue for the drawing board.

Goals for 2015;

1) Out cross my blues to some of the strong normals I bred in 2014 to establish a large colony of strong split bits
2) Breed aviary bred goldfinches
3) Start a decent line of red zebs, I already have good base stock and young on the perch but the real work will start early next year after the first cull.

Thanks all for another great year, have a great xmas and new year and I look forward to seeing what unfolds next year.


Steve

[Painted4]

Accomplishments;
1) Having my Painteds fledge 3 nests of 5, and have them raise them all.
2) Breeding my first African Silverbills.
3) Finally being able to buy a pair of Plumhead parrots.

Challenges/frustrations;
1) Having my Plumhead parrots throw 2 nests of eggs.
2) Getting my Cinnamon Stars to not abandon their nests.
3) Having rats get into one of my aviaries.

Goals for 2015;
1) Stock my new lot of aviaries.
2) Get my Basic Licence.
3) Iron out the kinks in my feeding schedule, streamline everything as best I can so I don't have to rush around so much doing the morning feed before work.


Merry Christmas to everyone, and good questions Steve

[Davo2]

Accomplishment
1) setting up my first aviary since I was a kid.
2) breeding my first ever gouldian and painted finches.
3) got the bug so set up another aviary where I could better manage my birds.

Challenges / Frustrations
1) biggest challenge was trying to learn so much in such a short time in order to keep happy, healthy birds.
2) noisy miners pestering the hell out of my aviary.
3) loosing a full clutch of young, all thrown out one by one and no matter how many times I put them back they were thrown again.

2015
1) spending another season on gouldians to learn more on keeping birds then work towards some more difficult finches in 2016.

Cheers
Ron

[COUNTRY CAPITAL]

wins:
completed my aviary project(still no sign of a rodent!)
got a new species(crimsons).
bred many more than were lost....
much reduced butcherbird harassment.
enjoyed the AFF and it's contributors.

challenges for 2015.
better management- regular roundup of young.
observe more.
enjoy what I have more!
find some pictorellas!
still trying to crack the redbrows

losses.
lost my 2 crimson cocks.
drought! hope 2015 is better.
can't think of many others so it was a good year overall.

[Tiaris]

GOOD: - I'm still keen
- I've cut my bird numbers back in the past few months so have room to try a couple of new species/ones I haven't had for a while
BAD: - As a result of cutting back I've had to forgo a few species (for now)
- Worst Gouldian season for ages numbers wise
- Haven't reared a single young Wren this Spring/Summer - & don't know why
2015: - Coming into the new year with 2 new species (Napolean Weaver & Pin-tailed Whydah) with both showing promising signs currently of breeding prospects
- Have a new mutation to work on to try to get established (will take much more than just this year to do it properly though)

All the very best for xmas to all.
Regards,
Graham.

[TomDeGraaff]

Hi's: building aviaries,
Low's: not building enough!
Challenges: bulbuls.

Merry Christmas to everyone - an interesting and really great year for bird talk. Thank you all.

Tom

[Nova]

Achievements
Building my first avairy.
Successfully breeding my first Gouldian, African and BFPF.

Challenges
Maintaining supply of green seed.
Overcoming the loss of tossed babies.
Convincing the wife I can safely breed termites.

Goals
Build my second avairy.
Ensure a supply of green seed.
Continue to convince the wife that termites can be safely breed.

[matcho]

The highs:

Thinking that 2014 would be as good as 2013.(80 odd fledged and brought to maturity, goulds, painteds and stars.)

Changed nothing in feed or medication.

The lows:

2014 result, lucky with 4 or 5 gould, 2 painteds, 4 stars. Sick and tired of seeing eggs on the floor and chicks booted.

My resolution for 2015...start from scratch and maybe new species.

Ken.

[gomer]

Accomplishments 2014 : Having a great breeding season. Pictorellas,lessors,We mask,crimsons.
Breeding my first W/B crimsons.
photographing both plumheads and Beautiful firetails in the wild.

Challenges 2014 : Having time to build look after the birds and fit in everything else normal people have to deal with.
Challenges 2015 : letting some breeds go or down size to take up new challenges.


Goals 2015 : finish my new bank in 2015.(hopefully mid year.)
purchase some new aussies I haven't kept.Then give it my best to breed them.
Observe and get better photos of painteds in the wild.
Maintain great and gain new friendships amongst my fellow bird comrades.

[Jayburd]

Haven't had a great many achievements this year, but I guess the main one would be getting the Diamond Firetails settled in and getting them to nest - even if the eggs were clear this time
Challenges, on the other hand, have been many and varied! Biggest one was just managing to keep up with the birds during the school year.

Goals for 2015 - continue keeping finches for the duration of year 12, and get the diamonds to produce some fledgelings