FINCHforum

So our two finches had their first clutch and it resulted in two babies, at first we were going to donate them but we didn't have a lot of trust in the pet store and didn't know anyone that wanted some finches so we decided to keep them.

The mother was pecking at them and stressing out so we waited for them to eat, drink, and clean on their own. Last night we attempted to join their two cages and wait for them to go into the other cage. Once they did we separated the cages, but the kids were chirping a lot and clearly wanted back into the other cage. A few hours later we joined their cages again and just left them like that.

So basically I guess I'm asking should we just rip off the bandaid and separate them for good (especially since the mother was becoming aggressive)? Or should we separate them for increasingly longer periods of time until they are find with a full separation

Thanks

what kind of finch?
how old?
are they eating on their own?

Once you are sure they are fully independent they can be separated.

paul-inAZ wrote: what kind of finch?
how old?
are they eating on their own?

Once you are sure they are fully independent they can be separated.

Sorry I should have added that info.

Zebra Finches
The babies are about 3 weeks
We've seen them eat and drink by themselves, and independently clean themselves. They seem to be fully independent.

So the best way to separate them is to just do it completely? Will that stress them out too much?

Yup although 3 weeks may be a bit early. Maybe give them little longer if you see signs of parents feeding the chicks.
Separation may stress them for a half hour. Throw in a millet spray and they will quickly forget their parents.

paul-inAZ wrote: Yup although 3 weeks may be a bit early. Maybe give them little longer if you see signs of parents feeding the chicks.
Separation may stress them for a half hour. Throw in a millet spray and they will quickly forget their parents.

Thank you for the tips! We're actually not entirely sure how old they are. We didn't realize the parents had eggs until we noticed they were staying in the nest for long periods of time haha. We did not intend for them to actually breed! We didn't realize that the nest actually coerced them to breed, we just thought they needed a stable surface to sleep. We've replaced the nest with a flat log so that they wont try for more.

But they might be older than three weeks, they first left the nest 1.5 weeks ago and we aren't sure how long they've been hatched as the parents built a large cotton wall at the front of the nest!

If you see the chicks eating on their own it is probably safe to separate. They may continue to beg for food [they're kids after all] and parents may feed them once in a while but the key is to see the chicks chowing down without help.

paul-inAZ wrote: If you see the chicks eating on their own it is probably safe to separate. They may continue to beg for food [they're kids after all] and parents may feed them once in a while but the key is to see the chicks chowing down without help.

Thank you for the help!

Take out the Mum and leave them with the Dad see if he carries on feeding them if not u will have to put the Mum back in and hope for the best, once about 6 weeks old and are eating and drinking therself then they can be separated, or try the other way take out the Dad she might be pecking then because she’s in the mood for a new clutch with the Dad and he won’t breed because of the chicks

I had this problem with my zebra pair I had this one horrible mother and she did it to her chicks I tried all these but it didn’t work luckily I had my society’s with there chicks and they took her in.
don’t know why they act like this

3 to 4 weeks after fledging is when they usually wean.
Then you can separate them.

I have repeatedly seen the situation where the fledgling is either white or pied and the mother aggressively picks on them. In this situation, I separate the family; dad with the white and pied chicks and mom with the others.

ac12

Gary, where have you been?

lovezebs wrote: ac12

Gary, where have you been?

Mentoring the local high school yearbook staff with their photography.
So a shift in hobbies ... again.

ac12

Well, welcome back.

Thank you Elana

I think the key is from Paul in AZ above. He says:
"Throw in a millet spray and they will quickly forget their parents"

I do this a lot with my fledglings. My babies also have plenty of egg food available to pick at while they wait for their parents to come by with their next meal.