New Shafttails...

newlinta · Post by **newlinta** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 11:00 am

These guys have been in quarantine for 8 weeks...
Just put them in my indoor aviary yesterday and thought I'd share some pics.

I love these guys!!! They are hysterical/comical birds...with their head bobbing and weaving. They are very active flyers and LOVE the swings to play on...

The one call they make sounds like a miniature hawk...lol

They are in there with 3 pairs of zebras,3 zeb babies(3= months old) and a nest of 5 more zeb babies(2weeks).

As you can see, there is SUPPOSED to be a fawn pair and a normal pair...any one with shafttail experience can(please) give an opinion about wether they are actually a male/female of each.(I know the visual clues are not always accurate)

Any other comments about keeping shafttails are welcome, too!

Enjoy the pics!!

Oh, before the comments come...

I'll be selling all my zeb youngsters and probably the normal pair(I'm keeping the florida fancy pair and fawn pair of zebras) back to the bird farm where I buy my finches...so overcrowding isn't an issue
(my aviary is 102"L x 36"D x 82"H)
AND I'm headed to my moms' today to get natural tree branches(walnut)
to replace the dowel perches!!

Take care!

Tim

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 11:06 am

I've never had Shaftails but they look marvelous! I love both the normals and the fawns. Very pretty pairs you have there!

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 11:16 am

I don't have any yet but yours are beautiful

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:29 pm

I have three shaftails. I keep on pair on my classroom at school for my students to enjoy. I keep the other hen in my aviary. I had some problems with my proven and bonded pair fighting all of a sudden. But yours should do well with zebras. They are adorable birds! Very comical and funny. They have loads of personality.

poohbear had lots of them so I am sure he can answer any questions you may have about them. The fledgings come out looking just like the parents except for the beaks which are black instead of orange.

Enjoy them!!! The pictures are great!!

jamezyboo21 · Post by **jamezyboo21** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:06 pm

I have a pair of shaft tails and there so cute. They have tried to breed and have had 4 clutches already. The eggs are always clear though so I toss them. I think the pair are related and that's why the eggs are clear. I am planning on getting another pair at the bird show next weekend.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 6:05 pm

It does look like you have a male /female of each. The bib on the male is larger and more round. It appears to be that way on both.

williep · Post by **williep** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:16 pm

Good looking birds. I love my shaftails, at this stage I have 14 adults and a couple of fledglings. I agree with dfcauley it does appear you have a pair of each.

As for breeding them, make sure the nests are high up and they have a nest in which they can duck down - that worked the best for me.

atarasi · Post by **atarasi** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 2:19 pm

Great pics to see their bibs. The fawn on the left looks to be the only male in the group. The normal (3rd from the left) might be a male, but it looks like it's still molting?

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:56 pm

After seeing those great pics..I would love to have some of them! MBS...is hitting me hard again...sigh!

newlinta · Post by **newlinta** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 8:30 pm

Jordan,
Those pics don't show it that well (because of how they are holding their heads) but the one normal does have a signifigantly bigger bib than the other...so I'm hoping its a pair(crossing my fingers).
I'll try and get a better pic, then let me know what you think.

Tim