The Club wishes to thank Linda for her article. She has a new version of her book, Canary Tales that can be purchased from her. To contact Linda email her at [email protected] or visit her Web site: http://www.canarytales.com
In time you will find the best stock. Those who have the greatest natural instincts for breeding will become your favorites. Experience is a great teacher, so try to get as many females as you can handle. In one season you will be able to tell the most maternal females. You will select your males for Song and your females for production, as without production there will not be any song. In most cases, the strong healthy females will be your choice. If the occasion arises try to retain a green or variegated roller. They are a pleasure to work with in the breeding cage or on the show bench. The green male roller was always selected for song and the female for her ability to perform in the breeding cages.
In recent years there has been much published on the roller canary. It is advisable to have as many of these articles and books as possible. Untold bits of priceless information are written to help the breeder. Penny-wise and pound-foolish fits the thinking of a person that purchases an expensive trio of rollers and doesn't care to band their offspring. The same economy holds true when a novice breeder purchases rollers before they have learned their basic care. We must all learn the fundamentals and from time to time review them. The saying goes that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but sometimes-old dogs forget their old tricks.
There is a very energetic new group of roller breeders in Oklahoma City staging annual roller contests. It is a great opportunity to visit and participate in these annual events. The show dates and addresses are in your favorite magazine. These annual events are very interesting to the hobbyist, and give added exposure to roller canaries as pets. What is fascinating about the roller is how trained they are so that at a Judge�s command they will sing for 30 minutes. A well breed roller is easy to train to sing and has a far superior tone quality. Musical training can be helpful in breeding rollers, but a person with a love for fine music can do just as well. A good roller will teach you the roller song. Tone and variations are very important in a roller's song.
Your rollers are always in some degree of confinement, so it's your obligation to care for their needs. During the summer and early fall months your rollers will be molting. At that time flaxseed, cucumber and protein foods should be added to their daily ration.
NOTE: This article, written by the late author, was originally printed in 1987 in American Cage Bird Magazine
To: Justin Agrella, OIRCC President
From: Steve Billmire, OIRCC Secretary [email protected]
Date: 1/17/99
Re: OIRCC problem areas and recommended solutions
Welcome new members, and to all members who renewed their membership. Good luck breeding in 99'.
OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL ROLLER CANARY CLUB meets at 1 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of the months of February through November at HEMENES Kempo Kung-Fu School, 1572 150th Street, San Leandro CA. Club dues are $1 0 per year and may be paid to the OIRCC Secretary Steve Billmire, 38341 Anita Court Fremont CA 94536 (51 0) 794-6719. Closed aluminum club bands may be ordered for $.30 each with a minimum of 25 for $7.50 to members. Order bands from: Joyce Agrella 1670 142nd Ave San Leandro, CA 94578 (510) 357-2399
ROLLER CANARY HIGHNOTES is Published by the Oakland International Roller Canary Club to improve the advancement, breeding, and exhibition of German Roller Canaries. Hopefully it will encourage the promotion of the fancy and help instruct our members who are not able to attend our regular monthly meetings in San Leandro CA. The opinions of the writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Club nor it's officers. We encourage all members and readers to feel free to send in comments, questions, and any articles they would like to see printed. Judges, Master Breeders, Champion, Amateur, and Novice breeders of Roller Canaries are cordially asked to contribute articles for publication. Subscription price of HIGHNOTES is $8 per year for Non-OIRCC Members. Back issues are $2.00 per copy. Steve Billmire - High Notes Editor.
NEXT MEETING: 28 March 99
Answer:
Question:
It is the middle of the breeding season for me, unfortunately I'm having great difficulty in getting fertile eggs from my canaries. This is the second round that the females have laid eggs and they were all infertile.
Answer:
Most infertile eggs are a result of the hen laying before she is in full breeding condition. If the hen begs the male to breed with her, fertility is not generally a problem. An occasional male is infertile, especially when breeding closely related birds, but these can be culled from the stock. It is a common practice to increase the frequency of extras such as egg food and greens in a well-meaning attempt to manipulate the birds into breeding. However, successful breeding will come naturally for the birds if we avoid the temptation to rush them. To be successful in breeding, take your clues from the birds. When we study the birds and pick up on their signals, we will produce optimal results. I will give you some general guidelines. Foods are either high in carbohydrates, proteins, or both. Foods that are high in carbohydrates push breeding behavior:(egg laying, loss of body confirmation, and loud frequent singing), greens, canary seed, egg food without egg added are all high in carbohydrates. Be careful not to rush the hens with these foods. Infertile eggs will result. The more rushing you do the lower your fertility rate. Higher protein foods include: hard-boiled egg, wheat germ, petamine and oily seeds (hemp, rape, and niger). Higher protein foods, in general, encourage breeding but not egg laying.
Getting Ready For Breeding:
Get the males ready first:
If the males are lagging behind (not dropping wings and displaying breeding behavior about one month before breeding), coat their seed with a little wheat germ oil and powdered vitamin containing amino acids. One may also increase toasted wheat germ for the males. It is slower than raw wheat germ but doesn't have the problem of making the males too aggressive like wheat germ oil can do when it is overdone. With this feeding method you should see the hens feeding each other for several weeks before pairing and inviting mating when paired.
Roller Digest
By Haig Sarkisian
The theory of breeding roller canaries properly has many principles. Preparations should be made a year prior to commencing to breed. This will provide ample time to plan the breeding area; find feed sources, including garden green feeds; gather books and magazines; become familiar with clubs, associations and local breeders, locate breeding equipment, such as cages, nests, nestling materials and setup cages and flights. The individual must create a system that will duplicate the bird's life cycle.
Roller Clubs On The Rise
The Northwest Club in Washington State is growing and may have a show in December this year. This is very good news considering they almost folded a few years back. An alliance between their club, our club and the Southern Cal club should be formed and a sanctioned Pacific Roller show established. Consider the competition and learning that could be attained. Perhaps rotating the show to each location every 3rd year should be considered. Oakland will volunteer to hold the Show first. Lobby with your local club officers: Northwest - President Bill Laucirica 360- 273-9711 or Secretary Jean Johnson 425-481-1487; OIRCC President - Justin Agrella 510-352-1190 or Secretary Steve Billmire [email protected] 510-794-6719; Southern Cal - President Paul Scandlyn 619-259-3786 - [email protected] or Show Manager Joe Johnson 909-685-5748.
Judging Seminar Proposed to be Held in Oakland
A seminar, sponsored by the OIRCC, has been proposed. This judge's clinic seminar would allow active Judges to come to our club for the express purpose of instruction in roller judging. This proposed Judging Clinic would be open to serious breeders and exhibitors and other judges in training. Members from other clubs are welcome. The format of the clinic is not yet agreed upon, however a possible format would be as follows: Set a time period 2-3 days, set a period of instruction of 2 to 4 hours, break up the instruction sessions into instruction time and practice time. This is planned for the Fall when young birds are in full song. Depending on timing and Judges availability, it may be possible to hold the Clinic near the OIRCC Song Contest Dec 7-10. Contact Steve Billmire for more information.
RESOURCE LIST
President: Justin Agrella 510-352-1190
Secretary: Steve Billmire 510-794-6719
President: Bill Laucirica 360-273-9711
Secretary: Jean Johnson 425-481-1487
President: Paul Scandlyn 619-259-3786
Secretary: Winnie Dostal 909-780-9169
Contact: Earl Nice, email: [email protected]
1709 Smitzer Mill Road, Fenton, MI 63026
Contact: Mrs. Wilma Richardson 708-687-4484
6240 Victoria Drive, Oak Forest, IL 60452
Contact: Mr. John Klausmeyer 410-465-2675
Contact: William Tietze 612-461-2195
24901 Newport Avenue, Prior Lake, MN 55372
Contact: Janice Klein 316-522-2152 email: dkein58.aol.com
4959 South West Street, Wichita, KS 67217
Contact: Dinko Baeic 618-798-7011
2336 Coldian Avenue, Apt 2, Bronx, NY 10469
Contact: Raul Thomas 718-328-9343
533 Beach Ave, Bronx, NY 10473
Contact: Debbie Maneke 314-831-3843
3285 Brocton-Common, Florissant, MI 63031
Contact: Enrique Hardouin
3240 SW 95th Ct., Miami, FL 33165
Contact: Fred Walcot 604-832-7023
#1, 5581 Hwy 97B, Salmon ARM B.C. V1E 4M3
Contact: J.R. Prince 306-699-2364
Box 449, Qu^ Appelle, Sask, SoG-4Ao
Contact: R. Rowden 905-697-2331
Landerville Lane, Bowmanville, Ontario LIC, 4Y1
Contact: J. Pierrobon 604-435-7063
4468 Wildwood Crescent, Burnaby, BC V5G-2M4
MAIL ORDER
Fax: 847-296-7897
7088 Lyndon Street, Rosemont, IL 60018
P.O Box 948 West Plains, MO 65775
GQF Manufacturing Company 912-236-0651
Fax: 912-234-9978
P.O. Box 1552, Savannah, GA 31498
One Glamore Court, Smithtown, NY 11787
2786 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento, CA 95820
305-681-4444
8535 N.W. 56 Street, Miami, FL 33166
1004 Elizabeth Avenue, Elizabeth, NJ 07201
OIRCC COMMUNICATIONS at this years January regular meeting:
I delivered the following Memorandum to our President and Club. The letter was read aloud to the members in attendance. I am publishing this memo since I believe all members of the Oakland club, members of all the other clubs in the US should be made aware of the situation in Oakland, and with the Fancy. The intent of the memo is not to be just a critic of the Roller clubs, and their shows, but to identify problems. With identification we can move forward with resolutions and improve the situation. It's basically starting point to improve our club, our relationships with other clubs, and to promote the idea of an organized West and East Show, and possibly a National Show. This may unite the clubs, breeders, and exhibitors across the country. I believe it starts with the people of each club. Without the support of you this memo means nothing. Comments, responses and suggestions are encouraged.
No Publicity of Oakland Roller Show or the existence of an established club.
If the club meeting and shows were a fun place to go and talk and enjoy fellowship with other breeders, the club would grow and prosper. Currently the existing club meeting is unnecessarily run with Roberts Rules of Order. This is and old mindset from the 50 and 60's and is not necessary today. Clearly most local government meetings are not run with such stringent protocol and guidelines. Thus, the atmospheres of the meeting promote anything but a comfortable and friendly atmosphere. Therefore most new members attend to one or two meetings, then lose interest, and never return.
Membership is declining and people don't want to go to a meeting and come away turned off and depressed by infighting, personal motives, and unnecessary tension in the air. Looking at the past year its clear we have lost breeders and exhibitors that are capable of raising good birds. Look to past examples of breeders who have given up on the club. Perhaps they were getting little or nothing in return.
Currently the Santa Clara club is growing and has a good following of Canary, Budgie, Finch and Hookbill breeders with their club. With respect to the Canaries, they have the Red Factor and Type breeders, as well as the American Singers. Waterslaggers are becoming popular and in time, a club will be formed. It makes sense to eliminate the old mindset and tear down the barriers.
Consider the Southern Cal Roller show this year. (With 46 teams, this may have been the largest show in the CONUS). Four OIRCC members each independently traveled their birds down to the show. Other club members may have prepared and entered birds in the show if there would have been an organized club effort to travel birds together and participate in the show, as a club. This idea can be applied to any show in the country.
Not to exclude the National Cage Bird Show. Currently the Nationals have all Type Canaries, Red Factors, WaterSlaggers and American Singers, and NO Rollers. This problem could be corrected with a National Roller show, concurrent and affiliated with the National Show. This show could be held in a separate facility and would appeal to US clubs. This would improve the relationships of breeders across the country and between clubs, instead of the way it is now - many small independent shows that are currently held across the country, staggered by a week or so.
After being a member for 9 years and going to other shows and talking and listening to why other breeders and Judges don't want to ship birds in to our show its clear this major problem has existed for many years. Although when current members are queried a variety of responses are provided. Central to the those responses are the high risk of shipping birds to the west coast and calendar year timing of the show. This is not the problem. The problem is the unfriendly atmosphere and poor attitudes that some out of town exhibitors breeders have received from club members.
Currently the club does not recognize new members and officially assign a mentor. This leads to new members washing out every after a year or so.
1999 New Member List:
OIRCC CLASSIFIEDS
- $5.00 for two lines. $10.00 for four lines. $ 20.00 1/4 page. (Per year)
Stefan Mandjik, 4165 Krolop Road, Castro Valley, CA 94546 (510) 538-6672
Lawrence W. Harding, 3190 Corey Road, Malabar FL 32950 or Call (407) 984-1371
Subject: Breeding Season
Comments? Please e-mail to: [email protected]