The preparation to the bred starts at me already during the moult period. I find it, as it happens, important that the birds get sufficient alternation in feeding during moult.

My birds get beside a good seed mixture (Beyers nr.55) many other things to eat such as: nettle, wall, apple, orange, leek, cucumber, etc. Further they get every day apple vinegar by the drinking water (3ml/litres). In the month of December thereby also still a vitamin b comes complex in tablet form (1tablet by litre). This does I already some years, and me has been notable, which I have better results as from that time with the breed. Also the young birds are stronger if they come from the egg.

My Norwich’s are brought with red dye on colour, none I by the egg food mix it. For this reason it is necessary that they get every day this egg food. The birds which difficult by moult come, are excluded for the breed, because my experience is, which these correct then problems give with for example fecundation and raising the young ones.

In the months of September till December, I keep my birds on 10 light hours. This is at me the rest period, this is necessary for the breed. By the end of October the first selection is done. Then the male and female, he who I grow for, become want use selected, and the males are separated of the females. During the first week of January I give the males 15 light hours and two weeks later the females. I am doing this, because the males needs more time to become broody than the females.
After approximately 1 ½ week the first females are ready to place them in a brood cage, so they can start making a nest. But before all of this happens, they visit the ‘hairdresser’, feathers around the cloacae and the eyes become largely close-cropped.

Pay attention that you don’t cut the feathers on the cloacae, these will open as the birds are going to pair. If a female made the nest almost ready, then the male is placed, and is necessary to pay attention they don’t start a fight. When they fight, then wait one day till you try it once more. It happens sometimes, that a female doesn’t accept the for her selected partner directly. In such case the man becomes to the female just before the lights go out. The first three eggs are picked up, and are replaced art eggs. The evening before the fourth egg is laid, the remaining three eggs in the nest are placed, so that they end up simultaneously.

It is obvious to have a good breeding administration, so you can check how many eggs are laid from which couple, how many births there are and which males and females conducts the young birds well. Females which doesn’t raise very well and her births are soled by a trader. If the eggs end up, my young birds gets already the first day egg food. As egg food I use cèdè and orlux. I am mixing this, and joins also still a seed mixture for bullfinch. Also is breaking there/peeled oats, pollen grains (of "the Imme"), a vitamin complex of Forto-perfect (2 spoonful/kilos egg food), germinated seeds, broccoli or sprouts and carrot to added. The broccoli, sprouts and carrot become fine crush. The young birds with this egg food are well conducted, and shows the second day already a layer of fat. As long as I use apple vinegar, I have no more charge of the so-called sweat sickness, and if the young birds deposits their excrements on the edge of the nest, this stools is nicely dry and firm.

Generally I let the female only brood, but when a female doesn’t breed, then the male will be placed in the same cage. These can help with conducting the young birds. If a female has brooded alone, I place the male just before the young birds comes out of the nest. If the young birds leaves the nest, then they are placed in a baby cage, so that the female cannot pick them. If  I have a couple where I want apply change breed, then the man is done with the young birds in a separate flight. The male can conduct the young birds by day, and goes at the evening to another female. This way I raise every year a big number of young birds, without use of foster-parents.