My babies are here!

[Anfsurfer]

Thanks Kim and Deanna!

I know nothing about genetics, sorry about calling them all Pied because really I have no clue.

That's OK Deanna, there's so many mutations out there it's hard to make sense of them all!
"Pied" is a random color reduction mutation. The places on the bird the color is reduced is random, as well as how much color is reduced in those places. So parts of the bird can be diluted just a little and other parts can show completely clear, exposing the birds base color. Pied is a work of art, each one is different! That's why I love them so much!!!
If you scroll up and look at the photo of the Fischer parents, the Daddy is Pied. You can see he shows variations of blue and white on his wings. Below is King Elessar, another one of my Fischer Pieds. At a show, they judge Pied against the Regular Lovebird Standards, as well as the amount of Pied the bird shows and the symmetry in their markings. King Elessar won his Class and Section at one of the shows...he's a gorgeous example of the amount of Pied judges want to see, and pattern symmetry.

[Birdmanca]

The picture of the birds at 14 days old is a pleasure to watch.

[boomer girl]

Thanks for explaining what a pied is and now I understand why your baby and Dad are such special birds and they are so pretty I can see why you are excited about the baby being one.

I remember seeing King Elessar in a picture here and I admired him when you posted the picture. I can see why he would win his Class and Section at the bird show because he is a amazing looking lovie, his markings are perfect! I still am in love with your babies dad just because his blue is so stunning mixed in with his white colors. I keep saying it but your Lovebirds are some very special birds Tim and you should be very proud of all of them.

[Anfsurfer]

Here's a nice pic of 3 of the babies from this morning. I don't know if the Blue one is baby #2 or #3? They move around so much now I take whatever pictures I can get! :-)

[Albe]

AWE! They are SO cute!!

[kmbrlyv]

Your babies are growing up beautifully! That pied is sooooo pretty but I must admit I absolutely LOVE your DD baby

[boomer girl]

They are growing up so fast! I love them all.

[maxollie]

They are must precious! It is remarkable how fast they grow and change. Thanks so much for taking us on this journey! And also, thanks for explaining about "pied" mutations! I think "lovies" are very unique bird that have so many "glorious" colors incorporated into their feather patterns!

[Anfsurfer]

Thank you everyone!!!

Some new updates and Birdie Portraits!
First off, yesterday was a nice day. Mom and Dad Fischer came out of the cage for the first time since the babies hatched! I guess they figured the babies are old enough to be without them for a bit, and they could use the break! It was SOOOOOO nice being able to hold them again. I gave them each a REALLY huge kiss. lol They decided to spend their out of cage time harassing Arwen in her Nestbox. Mom looks so good! Nice and trim. :-)




Also, the oldest baby made his/her way out of the nestbox and into the cage with the parents. I just love seeing how they interact with their babies! They're so gentle and loving. The baby couldn't climb back up to the box and was squaking. Mom was obviously a bit panicked, but I let him keep trying for a while before I lifted him back up. It was so adorable! The parents trust me 100% with their babies.
Onto the baby portraits!

BABY #1 (I'm with you Kim, I love this baby!!!! Beautiful and sweet as can be! It'll be hard for me to let go of this one.)



BABY #2 (This one is very active , I bet it's a boy! In person this baby is like Royal Blue)



BABY #3 (Another calm sweetheart! This baby looks Navy Blue in person)



BABY #4 (Still has a good amount of feathering to do, but I will most likely be keeping this baby. He's just stunning in person! Periwinkle and white! He's just starting to walk around a bit.)




Onto the Blackmasked Pair! The last of the 5 babies hatched this morning. All are doing really well. Mom and Dad are taking GREAT care of them! I can't wait to see how they feather as I have BIG plans for some of them



Mom isn't looking her normal self after laying 5 eggs, incubating, and now feeding them. She's lost a good number of her feathers on the back of her head. It could be from the "mating" part alone, or it could just be due to the stress on her body. These poor girls go through a lot to have a clutch! Mom is being as sweet as ever to me even with her babies. Dad on the other hand does not like my hand in the cage anymore, or opening the nestbox hatch so I have to be cautious with him as this moves along.



Finally my other Fischer pair capped out at 5 eggs. Unfortunately the first 4 aren't fertile, and there's little hope for the last egg when I candle it tomorrow. Dad just seems to be more in love with the perch than with Mom. Oh well...

[maxollie]

I'm speechless with this last update and pics you have provided. You are one special and very "talented" breeder! You definitely have the right personality to be doing this, because when I read your posts I can just see the word "patience" written all over them. The pictures are sooooooooo precious. You have very unique and beautiful babies there. And ALL of the parents are stunning. Were these parents a pair you purchased to breed, or are they a result of flock members that you have? The colors are just breathtaking on those babies! Awwww! How sweet they all are! Thanks sooooo much for sharing! One day that Fischer male will figure it all out and "forget all about that perch" for sure!! (lol) You also are an awesome photographer! Lots of "talent" you have, for sure!

[Albe]

I am in love with your babies! What color is the momma masked? I haven't seen one that is blue and yellow before? I thought blue series generally have white instead of yellow.

[Birdmanca]

I enjoyn seeing baby bird pictures that show them growing from newly hatched. People on this site are pretty knowledgeable redarding their birds.

[boomer girl]

I think all four of the babies are stunning. It seems like they grow up so fast and change daily. I think once you start selling the babies I just may cry because we wont be seeing there pictures on her anymore. I think the parents are such gorgeous birds and each time I see them I fall in love with them again, Daddy especially.

I hope the Mom Blackmasked lovie gets some of her energy and beauty back soon, she does look a little bare headed like you said. I am happy all her eggs hatched and the babies are all doing good. Sorry about the fisher eggs and I do hope the one last eggs ends up fertile so you can it least have one fisher baby.

Thanks for this thread. I cant tell you how much I love coming to it each day to admire the babies. I even have my hubby checking out your babies and he too thinks they are pretty little lovies. If I had the time to settle down myself I would snatch one of your babies in a heartbeat because they are just such unique and beautiful birds and with a man like you at home looking over them no doubt they have some awesome good genes in them.

[Anfsurfer]

I'm speechless with this last update and pics you have provided. You are one special and very "talented" breeder! You definitely have the right personality to be doing this, because when I read your posts I can just see the word "patience" written all over them. The pictures are sooooooooo precious. You have very unique and beautiful babies there. And ALL of the parents are stunning. Were these parents a pair you purchased to breed, or are they a result of flock members that you have? The colors are just breathtaking on those babies! Awwww! How sweet they all are! Thanks sooooo much for sharing! One day that Fischer male will figure it all out and "forget all about that perch" for sure!! (lol) You also are an awesome photographer! Lots of "talent" you have, for sure!

Thank you Ellen for your extremely nice comments! My eyerings were all bred by a man I believe to be one of the best breeders in the country. This is my first time breeding, which is why I'm so excited about having babies. :-)

I enjoyn seeing baby bird pictures that show them growing from newly hatched. People on this site are pretty knowledgeable redarding their birds.

I'm glad you're enjoying the pictures Bill! I wanted to share the whole experience because you never see the "in between" pictures. Peope always take pictures when they first hatch, then when they're weaned.

I am in love with your babies! What color is the momma masked? I haven't seen one that is blue and yellow before? I thought blue series generally have white instead of yellow.

Yes, the base color of a "Blue" bird is White. They also have a pink beak. Anduin is SF Violet "Parblue", aka Yellowface. Their base color is yellow and have the bright red beak. I'm hoping to get a DF Violet Parblue baby from this clutch. It would be Navy colored with the Yellow Neck and Red Beak.

[Anfsurfer]

Sorry about the fisher eggs and I do hope the one last eggs ends up fertile so you can it least have one fisher baby.

Thanks for all your kind sentiments Deanna! Unfortunately, the last of the Fischer eggs was also infertile. :-(

But I guess I can't complain, I do have some beautiful babies already that keep me busy! :-) Here's some new pics:

BABY 1
He's a big boy now and hangs out in the cage with Mommy and Daddy. Nestboxs are for babies he says. lol



BABY 2
If I had a friend come to me for a bird and ask which should he take? I'd say this guy. He has the best personality, and there's so much depth to his color.



BABY 3
This baby gets the sweetheart award! Super calm and just loves his scritches! Hard to find a sweeter face. :-)



BABY 4
This guy gets more stunning by the day. To be honest, he's quite the little terror! lol And to boot...he walks now!!! He loves biting my fingers! That's ok though...I'm sure he'll calm down. Besides, I'm keeping him...so there's plenty of time for him t get used to me. :-)






Here's the Blackmasked babies! I believe the oldest baby is 10 days old now. The two eldest are showing feather shafts under the skin (or black noodles as I call them! lol). Won't be long before we can tell what color the oldest baby is going to be. C'mon DF Violet D Parblue!!!



Here's a pic of Daddy (The Warden) making sure I only photograph them, and not touch them. He had just finished hissing at me when I took the pic. lol I'm going to have to block the nestbox entrance when I pull the first baby for banding tomorrow or Tuesday.

[boomer girl]

Good for Daddy protecting his babies, he is only doing his duties and he is a good Dad for hissing at you. He sure looks cute but looks can be deceiving... I cant wait to see how the black masked babies look once they start to get there colors in.

I love the little baby your keeping. In my un-professional eyes he looks just like his Daddy, is he going to end up like him?

It is cute how all the babies have there own personality and I couldnt even begin to say which one I like the best because they all are too cute.

[Albe]

Always seems to happen that the one you are keeping is the one who is a brat lol! Makes me want an eyering so bad! Just wondering, why do some blue fischers have the half grey heads? I notice that only the dad and baby #4 are without it- does it have to do with the bird being pied or not?

[Anfsurfer]

Good for Daddy protecting his babies, he is only doing his duties and he is a good Dad for hissing at you. He sure looks cute but looks can be deceiving... I cant wait to see how the black masked babies look once they start to get there colors in.

I love the little baby your keeping. In my un-professional eyes he looks just like his Daddy, is he going to end up like him?

It's amazing how fast he gets up to the nestbox and hisses at me when I open the hatch. :-)
My baby is Pied like Daddy, but hard to say if his markings will resemble Daddy or not. The baby is also a different color than Daddy. Daddy is a Cobalt Pied, The baby is Cobalt Pied with a Violet Factor...so is more of a Lavender/Periwinkle color.

Always seems to happen that the one you are keeping is the one who is a brat lol! Makes me want an eyering so bad! Just wondering, why do some blue fischers have the half grey heads? I notice that only the dad and baby #4 are without it- does it have to do with the bird being pied or not?

The dark cap on the head is standard to a Wild Colour Fisher. If you look at a Green Fischer, you'll also see the Dark Cap on the back of the head. Pied is a Random Color Reducing mutation as explained before, so Pied is the reason the cap isn't as prevelant on Daddy and Baby #4. You're very observant! :-)
There are breeders breeding what's referred to as "Sables", where the Dark Cap is relatively removed. They do it because they think it looks better, but they're removing a natural trait of the Fischer Lovebird. The mass breeding of Sables has been the subject of many argumemts in breeding forums.

Just had to share this pic from tonight! Sorry for the poopy perch, but everyone seems to be sticking their fluff butts out and pooping and I can't keep it clean! lol

[boomer girl]

What a great picture to start my day with, I just love it. The baby has the biggest fat head ever and it almost looks all grown up already.

[Anfsurfer]

You're right Deanna! Mom has the cutest chubby cheeks ever, and this baby's face looks exactly like Mom!

[maxollie]

I LOVE the new pics you posted. I would never make a good professional bird breeder because when it came right down to sending one of my babies to a new home, I literally wouldn't be able to do it. They are all so precious, with different personalities, and all have such "bright Spirits". Whatever research you did before beginning your breeding venture sure paid off for you. I love this thread! Thanks for keeping us updated!

[ktbaum]

Quadruple Congratulations on those 4 new cuties! I stumbled across this site by accident and found the pics of the new babies--also by accident. I was absolutely floored by how beautiful they are! I have never seen pied fischers like yours before. And what knowledge you have about the mutations! This first bunch of cuties is truly a testament to your dedication and love for the species.

I have been parenting lovebirds for almost 10 years and every time one of my pairs starts egg-laying I get as excited as an expecting parent would. I've got 5 eggs in a nest as I type...oldest about a week old. This is the not the first nesting this pair. Mom is a blue cobalt and dad is a mutation of a violet-grey whiteface and a blue cobalt--he's a yellowface with a grayish purple and yellow neck and a green body like a peach face. I'm wondering what the babies might look like. They've laid 3 clutches of 5 or less eggs but none have hatched. But, boy, are they persistent! I will try to figure out how to post pics and get them on.

Once again, congratulations on the beautiful babies!

[Anfsurfer]

Thanks for the sweet comments Deanna, Ellen and Katy!

Here's todays baby portraits!

BABY #1
Couldn't get a good shot of this one today as she's starting to fly. She's become a rebellious teenager. lol But my goodness, she is the absolute spitting image of her Mom, except in Black and White.



BABY #2
Once again, this baby is a PRIZE!!! He is such a charmer!!! The cutest face of the lot and SO SWEET. He steps up like a champ as well. This baby's feathers shimmer like a coral reef. Whoever adopts this baby is getting a one of a kind.



BABY #3
All I can say about this baby is sweet as pie! Super calm, adorable face, and beautiful Navy Blue to boot!



BABY #4
Thankfully this guy has calmed down a lot and is really loving his time with me now. He loves to just hang out in my palm and get scritches. His face looks just like his Daddy.




Here's a new picture of the Blackmasked babies! As you can see, Baby #1 is banded. She should start showing a feather by end of day Sunday, so I can see what mutation she is. I say "She" because she's HUGE! Look at the fat at the back of the neck. Linebacker = Hen. lol

[maxollie]

Thanks for the beautiful pics! I don't know how I'd ever pick just one of them to adopt! I'd have to have them ALL!! And the new babies . . . . wow. you are right . . . that big hen must play "professional" ball! (lol) It is sooooo neat to come here and take the journey of them from hatching up until now!

[boomer girl]

I hope the babies dont get adopted soon because the longer you get to keep them the longer we get to admire them here on this post. I still love them all but Baby #4 is by far the cutest of them all, just so unique and gorgeous that I would have to stare at it all day long. Baby #1 seems like it is going to be one of the lovies that you will chasing after all its life but then all lovies are like that in a way. If I were to adopt one I think I would take Baby #2 because you say its such a lovable one and I can even see its feathers on its back would shimmer like you say. I just love them all Tim and your so lucky to have bred such unique and adorable babies.

I cant wait for the Black Masked ones to get some feathers, at the stage they are now they are not that attractive really. My hubby was shocked looking at your masked ones because as he says... those grow into a lovebird? Not at all cute like the lovebirds he has met up with but once they get the feathers they are by far the cutest birds of all.