Shama pair's 4th clutch of the 2009 season hatched

Three eggs hatched on June 16th, and the fourth one hatched the next day. I'll try to document the growing process of these babies from the time they hatch until they fled their nest 12 days later. I will only post some of the hightlight of the day and will try as much as I can to document their growing process so we can learn and understand more on the bird's behavior.

First day of hatching:


Second day of hatching part 1:


Second day of hatching part 2:


Third day of hatching: Too lazy to do it! :D

Fourth day of hatching part 1:


Fourth day of hatching part 2:

Pair of Hwamei

Few pics of recent pair up of the two Hwamei. So far they seem happy together :) Both this male and female Hwamei is only average quality, but since I want to try my hand on this favorite bird, I don't need high quality bird to enjoy their company.


The female Hwamei is on the right hand side




Male Hwamei is on the left hand side


The male Hwamei

22 days old baby white rumped shama (chich choe lua)

Two out of the three babies. Pictures were taken by camera phone so the quality is not so good.

The Hwamei is one of my favorite bird ever since I was a child, but never have a chance to keep it until recently. Here is the pair that I want to try my hand on breeding them.

Shama pair's 4th clutch of the 2009 season

Like clock work, 3rd day of the month is the day the female shama laid egg for the last 4 times in this 2009 season. Early morning of June 3rd, one egg appears in the nest. Hopefully this clutch doesn't have the issue like the last two clutch of early incubation on the 2nd day by the femal; thus resulting two out of five babies died in the first 3 days due to too much different in size.

Daily feeding schedule include one big feeding of crickets and small roaches early in the morning before I go to work. In the afternoon, another big feeding same as in the morning but also add some mealworms and/or giant mealworms. Liquid multivitamin and liquid vitamin B complex is mixed with crickets one feeding per every other day. During the first twelve days period before the chicks leave the nest, I usually also feed guppies 3 times, small earthworms 2-3 times (dig from my backyard) with the hope that those food can bring enough level of calcium and protein for the chicks need to grow without any issue of weak or deform leg/wing. After the chicks left the nest, I only feed guppies and small earthworms once a week or so until they can eat for themself then I feed like once every two weeks or once per month depend on whenever I like to go out to buy some guppies.

Water is provided new daily. Calcium powder is mixed with water every other day and using the concentration from manufacturing instruction. On the other day, I only provide regular drinking water. Calcium is provided during the period of egg laying and about 2-3 days before and after the event.

Clip of the female inspect the nest to prepare for laying egg:





Clip of the female lays her first egg of this 4th clutch: