Hi Everyone - And lots of questions ...

[QTornos]

Hi everyone,

Writting from across the ocean, in Portugal (Europe).

I've owned many finches over my lifetime, but I supose that I never cared enough to given them the correct care

I had many in a large aviary on my garden. They live for years but never bred. Mainly because I didnt have a male and a female and I had no one to change for (remember, I live in Portugal and years ago finch breeders where quite rare )

I've relocated now and want to get back to owning some finchs.

Portugal has a hot/moderate weather, with very hot days (86F) and mediun nights (64.4F) in the summer and mediun days (71F) and cold nights on the winter (45F - 50F). No snow, some precipitation, especially on the winter.

My main purpose in owning Finchs is for pleasure! Taking care of them and whatching them. I have no interest in shows but I would like to "ring" mines, if they ever hatch.

My main question:
According to my clima, what should I use? A open air aviary (with the back protected of course) or cages?
I would prefer a aviary, but do finchs breed in a aviary? Plus, mines had their nest year-round. Not for breeding (as they didnt!) but for sleeping, as they seemed much more confortable inside than in the poles.

My idea for species would be a couple or two of these three species: Grey-headed Silverbill or Afrian Silverbill, Bronze Mannikin and Spices.
Does anyone have had any good experience keeping these speciesi in open air and breeding them?

Last, how easy is to breed Bronze Mannikins?

Best regards and thanks in advance
And sorry for any spelling mistakes

[zebrafinch13]

for the main question I think that the choice between cage or aviary is really yours to make, most birds will breed in either and depending on the species and your local climate the aviary can be a great idea. you can buy aviary's that have an indoor 'room' and have a large finch house inside that opens to the outdoor enclosure with a small door to separate them so that the finches can get out of the rain or any other natural problems that might occur in an aviary. Another plus with the aviary is it can have a dirt floor and you can plant some finch safe plants inside for enrichment. but either would make your finches very happy.

And if you want to have numerous baby finches try zebra finches. They will breed anywhere and can have as many as six chicks at any given time and you don't even have to try in order to get the chicks. and also they only take fourteen days to incubate and in a month they should be fledged.

[lovezebs]

QTornos

Hello, and welcome to the Forum from Canada.

I would have to agree, that finches will breed in both cages and Aviary alike, depending on the diet and living conditions. In an Aviary, you can definitely offer a more natural environment than indoors in a cage.

Although I did briefly own a couple of Gray headed Silverbills, they never bred for me, and I was never sure if they were male or female.

As to the other two species, I have no experience with them.

Regarding the Aviary, I think that if it has a roof and some sides on it, it should do nicely for the Summer. In the Winter however you might have to supply some heat and a bit of shelter from the climate.

Are you planing on having some trees or shrubs in there?

Diet and length of day and temperatures of course are very important to get birds into breeding mode.

A good quality finch seed mix, hard boiled eggs, mealworms, a variety of vegetables and greens are a must.

Here are some articles about the species you are interested in...

http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... nnikin.php

http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... nnikin.php

http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... _finch.php

Good luck and hopefully someone else will chime in who has more experience with these species.