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making individual pedigree cards for each of them is very important, so you can identify family members.

In essence, what you are doing is compiling a family tree for your bird. You can make this as complicated or
simple as you choose. You may choose to have just a simple family tree, or you may decide to add in space for
future breeding information, show information, etc.

As a breeder of cockatiels, you should keep track of your clutches. There are as many different ways to maintain
clutch records as there are people breeding. One lesson I recently learned is that it is most useful to keep your
breeding card near your cages so that it is convenient to write the information down immediately and not wait to find
spare time to record updates in your home office, or wherever you keep your record book. Waiting to record
important information is a good way to not do it at all (this is from the voice of experience from trying to figure out
what my chicken scratch means two months later).

At minimum, record the hen’s band number, the cock’s band number, the date the eggs are laid, the date eggs
hatch, the babies’ band numbers, the color mutations, and sex. In addition, keep track of the date the birds were
first set up together, the date the nest box was provided, the date you first noticed them breeding, dates babies are
pulled for handfeeding, records of babies’ weights and the amount of formula fed, and any other comments or
observations.

Some more experienced breeders find that weighing babies every time they are fed does not provide that much
useful information. Others may argue that it is invaluable to them. Choose what works best for you and what
provides you with the information you need. You may start out tracking everything and then eliminate various items
as you become more skilled at raising babies. The important point is to keep some type of record that best suits
your needs. It is interesting to make note of the time between providing a nest box and the time to egg laying. I
know some of my male birds with get so excited with a nest box they start doing their courtship dance immediately
where other male birds will turn their backs to it and ignore it for a day or two.

In addition, you may find it useful to keep a record of each individual bird's pairing record, writing down the
information on the bird’s mate, the results the breeding yielded, as well as the disposition of the offspring. It gives
you something to look at next year when selecting pairs. Was the pair successful last year? What do the babies
look like now? Do you want to re-pair them or select different partners for them? Some people have their birds
recorded as set pairs. For example, Pair 1 is Bird A and Bird B, which always go together. Pair 2 is Bird C and Bird
D, which always go together. This system works if you know your birds well and know what they produce and it
gives you a foundation to build on. After several years worth of breeding you will have a good understanding of this
pairs offspring and you will know what to expect from each breeding.

Another good idea is to keep a record of band numbers by year. This can be a very simple list kept in a spiral
bound book. The list should contain the band number, information on the parents, hatch date, mutation, and
comments and/or disposition. For future reference, record the name, address and phone number of people who
have purchased or adopted your babies. You may wish to keep track of the amount of the purchasing price of your
cockatiel. Again, this can be as detailed as you wish it to be.

As an exhibitor, you will need to keep a set of exhibition records and devise a method of keeping track of the points
your bird has won, the judges the bird placed under, the number of birds it was up against and where your cockatiel
stands on its trek to Championship. You can look in the CF show standard and find all the requirements.

This year, I held my own bird show, judged and pointed my own birds against each other. This means that I placed
my birds in show cages and then lined them up and graded their crest 1 – 10, then I did eyes 1 – 10, then length 1
– 10, etc. through each of the characteristics judges use to judge cockatiels. I then recorded the information on
each bird's show card. It was a rewarding experience, which I would suggest to everyone interested in exhibiting. I
don't think that I have ever actually looked at my birds for each individual trait before and then weighed that trait
against the other birds in the flock. It was a real eye-opener for me. Then I judged them much as a judge would,
weighing the various characteristics against each other. Following this procedure puts a new perspective on your
flock and provides you with a better idea of what the judges are looking for.

Some people keep track of their entire aviary, listing every bird and its location (which cage it resides in) updating it
when the bird is pulled to go into a breeding cage or to a show. It is a good idea to have a complete list of your
aviary with the most important information in one location. The larger your aviary, the more valuable this type of
information will become. Especially if you have 50 Normal Grey cocks and you are looking for a

"Providing Resources
to the
Cockatiel Community"

The Cockatiel Foundation,
founded in June 2007,
began out of a growing
need in the avicultural
community to offer its
members programs for pet
owners, breeders and
exhibitors, in addition to
services never before
addressed in the cockatiel
community.

CF is establishing a
Cockatiel Adoption &
Placement Program to hrlp
in the placement and
rehoming of cockatiels to
new, permanent
"forever" homes.

CF offers a wealth of
information on color
genetics, mutations, and
breeding research.

CF is addressing the
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Members in the CF Youth
& Education Program
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cockatiel afficionados.

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C. 2007 Mike & Betty Petty

My
Flock's
Records...

Continued ....