Green Cheek Conures - Our two new additions! 3 more to come!

[bmsweb]

I'm curious, have you started marketing yet? Lined up any perspective buyers? What's gonna be your retail strategy?

Marketing isn't really a big issue since I've been in the game of marketing myself for a number of year. We started marketing the chicks before they had even laid eggs. There are many ways, ie Website, Bird Sales sites, Pet Directories, Facebook etc and the list just goes on.

We only need the one more buyer and all are sold (we are keeping one our self). Time is on ours side so I see no problem with finding another buyer. One of the birds is going interstate, so we are going through a Pet Freight company (1 hour flight). The biggest issue is finding out who you're selling them to and if you're happy with them. I really want these birds to go to good home. Two people have already gone out and purchased their cages, toys and all.

Its also worth mentioning that there is no money in this game unless you're a big time breeder. Its also a lot of work, but the experience has been positive so far.

[Michael]

Certainly it's not about the money but not having buyers lined up by the time the chicks are weened could in itself be a major problem. So it's good to hear that you managed to find them buyers and I'm sure you can find another in the amount of time remaining. Just out of curiosity, how much are they selling for and how much do you expect to spend raising them if you don't mind me asking?

PS Be sure to suggest this forum to your buyers for continued support and information

[bmsweb]

I wont go into how much we are selling them, but I can tell you conures are not popular here in Australia. Most Pet Shops don't stock them and don't even know a conure is a bird. We found this out when we decided we wanted one.I've seen non tame GCC in a pet store for $225AUD and the price goes up from there. Sun Conures start around $400.

Our priority with these babies is getting them into good homes with people who have time to spend on them. All the people who are buying them are planning on training the birds which is perfect. Before they leave us they will be use to wearing a flight harness, which should save the owners some work.

As far as Raising costs go, I've stopped counting because I don't really want to know anymore. Once you start factoring in Brooder, Incubator, Baby Formula, Syringes, Breeding Books etc, plus a million and one other things that we didn't think we needed, it gets very costly. I'm sure we wont get our outlay back and if you factor in time, then forget it! I think we could have saved a lot of money by not having a Brooder or Egg Incubator etc but that's something we weren't prepared to do and it was never a money making venture in the first place. If the hen laid the first few eggs and died I would have felt like crap that I hadn't done anything to save her eggs. We have every thing we need to start at the egg stage if need be. We've just done what's right for us.

We are supplying the buyers with an Info Pack on Raising the Conures along with 2 weeks worth of food that we feed for the birds. I think this should minimize the stress of going to a new home for the birds. And Yes the Info pack has this sites web address with the link to the basic taming/training thread

Hope I've covered everything

[bmsweb]

Hi Guys,

Just a quick update on the babies. This one is 11 days old and he fell asleep in my wife's hand.

[bmsweb]

Picture of the same bird at Day 12

[MandyG]

Day 12?!? I can't believe how much they grow in so short of time!

[bmsweb]

Day 12?!? I can't believe how much they grow in so short of time!

I left the house at 6am Sunday morning for an Australia Taekwondo Comp and I got home around 4pm. In that short time you could see the change. Nature is pretty amazing, You know at this age he actually tries to preen himself, lifting one wing and working underneath it . . why am I calling it a he?? LOL

[Mr.Darcy]

It really is amazing how quickly the feathers grow, you could practically put time lap camera in and watch them grow!! Your GCC are getting out of "the professor" look and into the cute zone now!! keep the updates coming I love to see them!
Marlies

I am waiting for my baby to wean, he is only 5 weeks old now.....I wish the breeder would update with more photos!

[a.susz]

they are so precious!!! it is so much fun to watch the babies grow, i know how rewarding it is to be able to watch them grow. Congrats!!! and WOW 5 babies?! thats great!

[bmsweb]

Thanks guys, glad to hear you find this as interesting as we do.

These pictures are of the same bird at day 14 (This Morning). They all still have their egg tooth which I thought would have fallen off by now. You can't really see it in the picture but his tail is begining to grow now. This guy weighs 38grams with an empty crop.