This Interview was Emailed to me without any introduction to Daniel. The only result I got from enquiries was "He is near the top on the World scene and may even be the next Mannes". I tought that made the article worth printing and I have copied his advertisement from the Budgerigar World as an appropriate introduction.

1. DANIEL, YOU HAVE CERTAINLY SET THE WORLD ABUZZ WITH THE QUALITY OF BUDGERIGAR YOU ARE BREEDING, WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO COMMENCE IN THE HOBBY?

A. AS A CHILD I WAS FASCINATED WITH ANYTHING TO DO WITH FLIGHT, I WANTED TO BE A PILOT.
FIRST I LOOKED AT LARGER TYPE BIRDS, THEN AROUND THE TIME I WAS 12 YEARS OLD I GOT A PAIR OF CAGE BIRDS FROM MY RELATIVES. FROM THESE BIRDS I SOON GOT YOUNGSTERS. THIS WAS DUE IN PART TO BUYING A NEW PAIR OF SHOES. WHEN I RETURNED HOME WITH MY NEW SHOES, I TOOK THEM FROM THE BOX AND PLACED THE BOX IN THE BIRD CAGE. THE HEN LAID EGGS, HATCHED AND REARED THE YOUNG IN THE SHOE BOX. I ALSO BOUGHT SOME MORE BIRDS, MAINLY IN NICE COLOURS LIKE VIOLET AND LUTINO.

Q2. WHERE DID YOUR FIRST BIRDS COME FROM AND OVER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME DID YOU CONTINUE WITH THESE LINES?

A. WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD I MET HEINRICH OTT FOR THE FIRST TIME. I GOT MY FIRST REAL SHOW BIRDS FROM HIM. AFTER SOME YEARS WE BECAME GOOD FRIENDS, WE ARE STILL GOOD FRIENDS TODAY.
BIRDS FROM THE STUDS OF EMIL SCHWEIZER AND JANOS PECE FOLLOWED. JANOS WON THE PRIZE FOR THE BEST BIRD OF SWITZERLAND TWO TIMES. I HAD THE LUCKY CHANCE TO GET TWO BROTHERS OF THIS BIRD. JANOS PECE GOT HIS BIRDS FROM HANS RUOSCH. HANS RUOSCH BOUGHT HIS BIRDS FROM JOSEPH SPECK, VERY WELL KNOWN IN THOSE TIMES. THE BIRDS FROM JOSEPH SPECK WERE BASED ON THE FAMOUS OLD STUDS OF SADLER, ORMEROD, FINNEY, MOFFAT, LANE & SON AND MRS MOSS.
THE COMBINATION OF OTT BIRDS, WHICH HAD VERY LARGE FEATHERS AND THE VERY FINE AND ELEGANT PECE BIRDS TOOK ME A BIG STEP FORWARD.

Q3. ARE YOUR PRESENT BIRDS FROM THESE SAME BLOODLINES, IF NOT WHAT BLOODLINES HAVE IMPACTED MOST WITHIN YOUR STUD?

A. YES, I STILL HAVE THESE BLOODLINES. UNTIL 1996 I ONLY HAD BIRDS FROM SWITZERLAND. AFTER 1996 I GOT BIRDS FROM RALPH JENNE, RICHARD KUHR, JOSEPH MANNES, KURT VOGT, BERND STEGEMANN AND IN THE LAST SOME YEARS REIHHARD MOLKETIN.

Q4. HOW DO YOU PREPARE YOUR BIRDS FOR THE BREEDING SEASON?

A. ALL OF MY BIRDS FLY IN THE MAIN FLIGHTS TOGETHER. BARHEADS, YOUNG BIRDS, ADULT COCKS AND HENS. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT THE YOUNG BIRDS SEE THE WHOLE BEHAVIOUR OF THE ADULTS, LIKE MATING AND SOON LEARN WHAT TO DO. IF THE SEXES ARE KEPT SEPARATE THEN WHEN THE YOUNG BIRDS GO INTO THE BREEDING CAGES THEY NEED TO LEARN WHAT TO DO. THIS WASTES TIME AND IS THE CAUSE OF MANY INFERTILE EGGS. I FEED THE SAME DIET ALL YEAR ROUND SO THERE ARE NO CHANGES IN THE DIET. I CUT THE VENT FEATHERS; I DO NOT PULL THEM OUT. I JUST CUT THEM SHORT, NOT BACK TO THE SKIN LEVEL.

Q5. WHEN PAIRING UP DO YOU GO BY PEDIGREE OR VISUAL APPEARANCES OR BOTH?

A WHEN PAIRING UP I LIKE TO LET THE BIRDS SELECT THEIR OWN PARTNERS WHERE
POSSIBLE IN THE AVIARY. WHEN I SEE TWO BIRDS PAIRED UP IN THE AVIARY, I PLACE THEM IN SHOW CAGES TO ASSESS THEM FOR COMPATIBILITY, IF ALL LOOKS FINE I HAVE A LOOK AT THEIR PEDIGREES AND IF THEY ARE NOT TOO CLOSELY RELATED I PUT THEM DOWN TO BREED. WHERE POSSIBLE I DON’T!!! PUT BEST TO BEST. OTHERWISE THE RESULTS MIGHT BE FEATHER DUSTERS.

Q6. HOW CLOSELY DO YOU MATE YOUR BIRDS AND WHAT RELATED MATINGS HAVE BEEN
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL?

A. THE CLOSEST I MATE MY BIRDS IS COUSINS, (YOU ALSO DON’T MARRY YOUR SISTER!!!), IT IS THE SAME WITH BUDGERIGARS. I DON’T USE LINE BREEDING AS I FEEL THIS BRINGS TOO MANY PROBLEMS IN PARTICULAR FEATHER PROBLEMS. IT MAY WORK FOR A FEW YEARS, BUT EVENTUALLY YOU WILL HAVE PROBLEMS. I LIKE BREEDING WITH OLDER BIRDS AT THE AGE OF 3 TO 4 YEARS OLD OR EVEN 5 YEARS OLD. I PREFER TO PAIR AN OLD PARTNER WITH A YOUNG ONE.

Q7. WHAT VARIETY MIXES DO YOU USE FOR IMPROVEMENT IF ANY OR IS IT BEST TO BEST?

A. I BREED NORMALS, OPALINES, SPANGLES, PIED, RECESSIVE PIED, DILUTES, CLEARBODY, CINNAMON AND THIS YEAR I HAVE STARTED WITH CLEARWING. AT DIFFERENT TIMES I HAVE PUT SPANGLE TO EVERYTHING, I STILL DO. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT THE COLOURS ARE AS LONG AS THE BIRDS ARE SUPER BIRDS. THE HEN DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A SUPER BIRD, THESE HENS BREED FAR BETTER NORMALLY AND YOU CAN MAKE A SELECTION AT THE END OF THE BREEDING SEASON WHEN GETTING 10 OR 15 CHICKS FROM ONE COUPLE. THE SELECTION IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE HOBBY. I SEE MANY BREEDERS THAT SELL THEIR WRONG BIRDS. THEY ALL JUST LOOK AT THE PHENOTYPE (visual quality) AND NOT THE GENOTYPE (pedigree). SO THEY LOSE EXACTLY WHAT THEY WOULD NEED. I ALWAYS BRING IN NEW BLOOD SO AS NOT TO GET TOO CLOSELY RELATED BIRDS. IF I CAN BUY A SUPER BIRD I DO, BUT THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE BECAUSE I OUTCROSS AND THEN CROSS BACK AGAIN. IF THEN, THERE IS NO QUALITY, THEY GO, UNLESS THEY ARE FROM A SUPER PAIR.

Q8. HOW MANY CHICKS AND ROUNDS DO YOU ALLOW YOUR BIRDS TO HAVE?

A. SHOW HENS HAVE TWO ROUNDS OF EGGS AND RAISE 3 TO 4 CHICKS. IF THEY LAY AGAIN, THE EGGS ARE TRANSFERRED. THE COCKS BREED FROM OCTOBER TILL MAY OR JUNE, IF THEY STAY IN CONDITION.

Q9. WHAT FEATURES ARE THE HARDEST TO PUT ON A BIRD AND HOW DOES ONE GO ABOUT ESTABLISHING THAT FEATURE AND RETAINING IT, THE DIRECTIONAL FEATHER, STRAIGHT BACKLINE, SHOULDER & LENGTH?

A. I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS THE NORMAL THING TO HAVE SMALL BIRDS WITH GOOD HEAD QUALITIES OR BIG ONES WITH SMALL HEADS. MOST TIMES IF BIRDS HAVE GOOD LENGTH THEY DON’T HAVE THE HEAD QUALITIES. THE BEST WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO PUT THESE TWO TYPES TOGETHER AND SLOWLY IMPROVE BOTH LENGTH AND HEAD. I THINK IN THE FUTURE THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE IS DIRECTIONAL FEATHER.

Q10. YOU HAVE GOT AN EXCEPTIONAL DEPTH IN YOUR STUD, QUALITY OF DIRECTIONAL FEATHER ABOUNDS. PLEASE GIVE A SUMMARY OF HOW YOU HAVE GOT THE BIRDS TO WHERE THEY ARE TODAY AND CAN FANCIERS GO TOO FAR?

A. THIS QUESTION I FEEL HAS BEEN MOSTLY ANSWERED IN THE PREVIOUS QUESTIONS BUT 5 YEARS AGO I USED MOSTLY CINNAMONS AND DILUTES WITH GOOD RESULTS, THEN IT ALL CHANGED WHEN I BROUGHT IN THIS BIRD, AN OPALINE GREY GREEN HEN. SHE WAS A GRAND DAUGHTER FROM THE OLD OPALINE GREY GREEN COCK BORN AUGUST 1997. HE WAS MY VERY BEST BIRD I EVER BRED, BUT HE WAS A FRENCH MOULTER AND SO I COULD NEVER SHOW HIM. FROM THIS BIRD I HAD 47 CHICKS IN 3 YEARS WITH
DIFFERENT HENS. GENERALLY I BRED SOME OUTSTANDING BIRDS IN THE NINETIES AND GOT THESE BIRDS TO BREED AS WELL. BREEDERS GO DEFINITELY TOO FAR IF THEIR BIRDS GET FEATHER PROBLEMS AND CYSTS OR CAN’T FLY ANYMORE. ALWAYS REMEMBER WE ARE BREEDING BUDGIES, NOT CHICKENS!!!!!!

Q11. WHAT IS YOUR FEEDING PROGRAMME DURING THE BREEDING SEASON AND DOES THIS DIFFER DURING THE NON BREEDING SEASON?

A. I HAVE MY OWN SEED MIX. EVERY SECOND DAY, SOFT FOOD AND SOAKED OATS.
SOFT FOOD CONTAINS 8 EGGS BOILED (SHELLS INCLUDED IN MIX) AS MANY ORGANICALLY GROWN VEGETABLES AS ARE AVAILABLE (CUT UP SMALL) OLIVE OIL WEIZEN OIL (WHEAT) HONEY (FOR POLLEN CONTENT) ALGAN (SEAWEED) THIS IS FED TO ALL BIRDS BREEDING AND NON BREEDING.

Q12. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR AVIARY DESIGN, SIZE, FLIGHTS, BREEDING CAGE DESIGN AND NUMBER OF CAGES ETC?

A. I HAVE 60 BREEDING CAGES. 2 FLIGHTS, ONE UPSTAIRS AND ONE DOWNSTAIRS. MY AVIARY IS TWO STOREY.

Q13. DO YOU USE PREVENTATIVE MEDICATION DURING AND PRE BREEDING SEASON AND IF SO WHAT AND WHY.

A. YES, TETRACYCLINE PASTA AND BAYTRIL

Q14. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE GREATEST ASSET OF BEING IN THE HOBBY AND WHERE DO YOU SEE THE HOBBY HEADING WITH SO MANY BREEDERS LEAVING TODAY?

A. I FEEL THIS GENERATION OF BREEDERS IS TOO OLD. WE NEED YOUNG BREEDERS AND WE NEED TO GIVE THEM AS MUCH ASSISTANCE AS THEY REQUIRE, WE ALSO MUST ENSURE THAT THEY GET IT.

Q15. WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A NATIONAL SHOW?

A. THESE ARE THE BEST SHOWS FOR ME. WE GET INTERNATIONAL JUDGES AT THESE SHOWS. IT GIVES YOU A BETTER IDEA OF HOW YOU ARE GOING. ALSO I LIKE THE COMPETITION. I TAKE PART IN THE THREE BIGGEST SHOWS IN SWITZERLAND AND THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP IN KARLSRUHE.

Q16. HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT POINTING A NOVICE BREEDER IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO ENABLE THEM TO REACH THE TOP BENCH IN AROUND FIVE YEARS?

A. I SUGGEST IT WOULD TAKE A LOT LONGER THAN 5 YEARS TO REACH THE TOP BENCH. NEW BREEDERS SHOULD BUY CHEAP BIRDS FIRST AND WORK WITH THEM, HANDLE THEM AND LEARN FIRST. READ EVERYTHING AVAILABLE AND ASK QUESTIONS OF THE EXPERIENCED BREEDERS. EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE ARE THE KEYS. THEN BUY EXPENSIVE BIRDS, IF THEY BUY EXPENSIVE BIRDS FIRST AND THINGS GO WRONG, THEY GET FRUSTRATED AND LEAVE THE HOBBY. ALWAYS REMEMBER IT IS A HOBBY, NOT A BUSINESS.

Q17. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH BIRDS WITH FEATHER DISORDERS?

A. FRENCH MOULTERS CAN BE USED, ONE OF MY BEST BIRDS EVER WAS AN OPALINE GREEN COCK (FRENCH MOULTER) BUT A MAGNIFICENT BIRD OTHERWISE. HE BRED A LOT OF EXCELLENT CHICKS WITH NO FEATHER FAULTS. IF YOU DO USE THEM, THEY MUST BE OF THE BEST QUALITY. AND IF YOU GET CHICKS FROM THEM WITH FRENCH MOULT, STOP BREEDING WITH THE PARENTS, CLEAN OUT THE NESTING QUARTERS THOROUGHLY, WAIT FOUR MONTHS AND START AGAIN. IF FEATHER PROBLEMS CONTINUE, DON`T USE THEM AGAIN!

Q18. WHO HAS INSPIRED YOU THE MOST IN THE FANCY?

A. DEFINITELY HEINRICH OTT .

Q19. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, GIVEN ALL OF THE ABOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER TIPS OR HINTS ON HOW TO IMPROVE AND SUSTAIN AN EXHIBITION BUDGERIGAR STUD?

A. KEEP THE BEST CHICKS, ESPECIALLY MANY HENS, SELL THE REST. MIX THE COLOURS, MIX THE FACTORS. EXAMPLE OPALINE GREY GREEN/BLUE AND CINNAMON COCK WITH A COBALT CINNAMON SPANGLE HEN, DARK GREEN OR GREY GREEN OR OLIVE X LUTINO. VIOLET X ALBINO (NO SHEEN).
ALL BIRDS SHOULD FLY WELL AND HAVE ALL FEATHERS FOR SHOWING. SHOW BIRDS MUST BE IN PROPORTION. IT IS BETTER TO HAVE A SMALL BIRD IN PROPORTION THAN A LARGE ONE THAT IS NOT.
KEEP ALL THE BABIES FROM YOUR BEST BIRDS, ALSO IF THEY LOOK LIKE RUBBISH. LET THE BIRDS CHOOSE THEIR PARTNERS; YOU‘LL GET MUCH MORE FERTILE EGGS TRY TO CREATE YOUR OWN STYLE OF BIRD THAT EVERYBODY WILL RECOGNIZE IMMEDIATELY. KEEP THE BIRDS CLEAN, CHANGE THE WATER AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. BUY BIRDS WITH GOOD BACKGROUND. IT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL TO SELL YOUR BEST BIRDS.

DANIEL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ON THE TELEPHONE, IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO TALK TO YOU.
DANIEL TOLD ME HE FELT HONOURED TO BE THOUGHT OF FOR AN INTERVIEW, I AM SURE THE HONOUR IS ALL OURS.