FINCHforum

On the advice of everyone here, I gave my birds, including my fledges a free fly... and boy did they LOVE it!!!! Obviously Charlotte & Melvin were ecstatic, as they have had it all along, and then all the sudden they just can't go out anymore... So they flew out while I was still lifting the door!!! And the babies all flew out, I had one kind of stuck in the cage for a few minutes.... Baby. He also had a hard time flying... he landed kind of low on some things breathing hard, but boy he was determined!!! Cute as anything.. They All went back into the cage on their own!!! YAYAYAAAAY!!!! Baby, had a little bit of a hard time, he landed on the top of the cage looking down into it and hopped and sqeaked... like "hey guys, how do i get in there with you? I'm hungry too?!!" So i took advantage of his tired-ness, and helped him a bit... i scooped him up (which he wasn't too happy about)...but I wish he could just KNOW that i'm only trying to help.... :frustrated: anyway I scooped him and put him in the cage. Then they proceeded to nap for about an hour!!! They were very tired after all that flying!!! Just wanted everyone to know that they did great!!!! I was very proud of not only my babies, but my parents too for going back into the cage!!! So now, free fly time won't be as scary as I thought (I've been dredding this since the last time, they kind of just escaped!!!) and I know they will go back to their cage!!! Now my birds will be MUCH happier, and I can start working with them again to get them to calm down... (Charlotte had made some REAL progress, but ever since I had to catch her a couple times to get her into the cage, and the time i separated her... she has lost ALL trust in me, so I want to start working to gain some of that back) Anyway, just want to let you all know that free fly was great, and separation of fledge from parent will be coming soon, as they are no longer begging or taking food from their parents, they are doing fantastic... eating great. Now I'm just waiting for their molt to start!!! Last hurdle but I think after everything else that I've been through with these kids, we will make it through the molt in one piece!! Thanks everyone for your support and advice!!! Much obliged!!!

Wow!
That's great news!

Wow, those babies sure are light on the underside! So cute! You've got to post updated close-ups of them!

I love the pic with all six on the perch!

It takes a while for them to get good strength in terms of flying. Within a week or two, you'll have some very experienced little pilots!
Just be SUPER careful over the next couple weeks because the little ones are more prone to land on the floor (and some will want to explore). So try to get into the habit of shuffling/dragging your feet.

It's common for them to land on the cage walls when they're just learning about free fly. Some seem to struggle with the idea that you need to use the door to get in and out! LOL
But within 3-4 sessions, they usually figure it out.

I'm sure Charlotte will re-form her trust. For birds, trust is all about knowing that you won't do anything unexpected or frightening. So when you're forced to do something unexpected or frightening (like catching them) it makes them a bit wary. But they get over it pretty quickly in most cases.

Congrats on your family free fly! It will make them so much happier and healthier. I always love watching newcomers or babies explore. It's fun seeing them take in the world!

lnlovesorange awesome! I hope to have a room one day where my finches could come out.

MiaCarter I sure will!!! They are coming along so quickly.... yes, I noticed they fly lower, and they do get a little more curious than the parents ever were, they are also more skiddish... but i plan on working with them once they are away from the parents. I will get some close up photos (sometimes its hard because there is a windo right behind their cage so they come out very dark because the background is so light!!! But I will take some tonight so you can get a real good look at them, as they are beautiful babies!!! Thanks MiaCarter!!! And Thanks delray!!! I'm sure you will, and when you do...it's very rewarding, not just for the birds but for you as well, when you see a bird come out of a cage...it gives you this warm fuzzy feeling inside.... like it's hard to explain....but it just FEELS right... I actually am getting to the point with mine, that I wish my room was bigger, so they could fly even more!!! lol

Yes, I know what you mean. If I have to wait until I am on my own to get a bird room, then I will wait. Then I can get more birds.

lnlovesorange & delray

I'm sure both of you will have a bird room one day

Congratulations Ellen, on babies' first flight. Sounds like all of you had a blast.

Cute pictures. It' s hard to believe how they've grown.

~Elana~

lovezebs if I continue this hobby, then i will deffinetely be getting a bird room. ;)

Ellen, can I share some of these pictures on the account?

delray Of course you can!! I love my babies, I want EVERYONE to see them!! I took some close ups last night to see their coloring better which I'm going to try to post today. Did another free flight last night, which went well, but again, baby needed a little help back in, and the little B$%&rd tricked me, I picked him up and he was so tired and breathing with his mouth open so i just let him sit in the palm of my hand...and off he went AGAIN!!! Crazy, this is why I wish they would just KNOW that I'm trying to help!!! Anyways, I caught him again, and this time cupped him a little better and put my hand over him until I got him IN the cage, and believe it or not, he was so tired, he stayed in my hand for a few seconds!!! Once he realized he was back in the cage with his family he hopped onto a perch and fell FAST asleep.... poor little guy! (girl actually, Baby is one of the Fawns) But free fly time is going well, i was a little scared last night...but it went very well. So I'm going to keep it going!!! Start working on getting them to calm down with me around.... It's times like these, I wish I had a tame bird to show them how I WON'T hurt them...but I don't mind putting a little work into it. Anyway, thanks everyone. And I will post some more pics once they are off my phone!!!