THE EARLY YEARS

It all began mid 98 with a few pet type birds, then I read in Cage and Aviary about the budgerigar society and joined up, they sent me on their bi-monthly magazine and if I looked at the photos with one eye closed they looked a little bit like mine !! Then out of the blue I received a show schedule from the Herts and Essex B.S, so thought I would go and have a look. I paid my pound to get in and that was it, I was in shock, these birds were nothing like mine at all, they all had big heads,deep masks, big spots and they were huge, that was it, that was where I was going and the long journey had began.

I have now assembled one of the fastest improving and best novice studs in the country, but it wasn't all winning, for the first two years work I had very little to show for my efforts, it was now 2001 and my last year as a beginner,the first show of that year was the Essex premier so I benched my team as usual (but had it in the back of my mind that these youngsters were better than anything I had benched before) and returned later. I was dumbstruck when I returned, I had won both sections beginner any age, beginner young bird and two C.C.S. the light green and opaline green series. I had my first big win and it didn't stop there, I took another two C.C.S. that year the sky blue C.C. at Bedfordshire B.S. and the opaline green breeder C.C.at the South midlands B.S. area show,and numerous section wins as well. The icing on the cake, was to win the Budgerigar Society beginner breeder of the year competition at the club show Doncaster with three of my youngsters in the top ten, a year to remember that one !! .

I have sadly shown for only one year as a novice due to the virus, but did quite well with plenty of section wins (7 certificates of merit 6 of them young birds from 6 shows) and a couple of C.C.S. to my credit. I also finished third in the breeder of the year competition,not a bad result in my first year as a novice.

My stud is mainstream varieties (normals,cinnamons and opalines), based only on top bloodlines from winning champion breeders. I am also in the process of forming a family based on the great stud of Joe mannes from Germany.

I breed in a 20 foot by 20 foot converted stable that is all tiled and lined, with the obvious extraction systems and air cleaning devices. I have 50 breeding units and also outside flights as I believe the positives far outweigh the negatives.

My daily management changes very little even out of the breeding season, I have tried to follow the management teqniques of club show winner and chelski fan Dougie ball who does everything perfectly. I also change the water EVERYDAY, this is something I picked up from my good friend Geoff tuplin who is a self confessed clean water freak ! !.

I really enjoy all aspects of this fine hobby, and getting out and about to the shows. I would probably show at about six or seven championship shows in a normal year and enjoy having a bit of banter in the hall with other breeders.

yours sincerely
KEN FAGAN K.F.1.

Little Foxes, Goose Green, Hoddesdon, Herts

Tel: 01992 440699

Email k.fagan@btinternet.com