Advice breeding & keeping cuthroat finch

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manley
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Advice breeding & keeping cuthroat finch

Post by manley » Sun Mar 24, 2019 2:33 pm

Can anyone give me advice breeding & keeping cuthroat finches?
i have a pair in a double breeding cage at the moment they seem to keep making a nest laying eggs sit them for a week but then abandon the eggs they don't get any further

Im feeding calcivet also how can i discourage them from egg laying im worried the hen is constantly laying me be bad for her

Hyansith
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Re: Advice breeding & keeping cuthroat finch

Post by Hyansith » Sun Mar 24, 2019 2:58 pm

This was happening with my Silverbills. The eggs were not fertile, so this could be the same in the case of your cutthroats. I changed the pairing by swapping the females over and now (fingers crossed), I have fertile eggs in the nest.

The only suggestion I've got for discouraging laying, is to keep some of the infertile eggs and put them into the nest. She will think she already has a clutch. Not tried this myself, but have heard from others that it works.

I also have a cutthroat and need to find him a partner as he isn't compatible with my other finches.

Hope this helps, good luck!!

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manley
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Re: Advice breeding & keeping cuthroat finch

Post by manley » Sun Mar 24, 2019 3:34 pm

Hi thanks for the advice

they are a good pair & i think the eggs are fertile but they just don't seem to sit for long before they rip the nest apart then a couple of weeks later they do it all again,i have very little experience with cuthroates so im looking for some expert advice to help me understand them more

ive tried leaving the last eggs in place but that still hasn't discouraged them they baffle me :)

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Re: Advice breeding & keeping cuthroat finch

Post by Hyansith » Sun Mar 24, 2019 6:18 pm

If you are wanting to breed them, perhaps think about providing an area that is properly set up for that, so they don't have to make their own nest and there is plenty of supplies nearby. Make sure it is secure and secluded so that they won't get any sense of threat.

My cutthroat is incredibly flighty. I would imagine for them to breed is a little intense in comparison with zebra's and other softer breeds. I'm no expert by any means, but I would love to know how you get on. They are beautiful birds.

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Re: Advice breeding & keeping cuthroat finch

Post by Dave » Mon Mar 25, 2019 8:53 am

manley, how big is your cage? My first impression is that the cage is too small. Does the male keep pestering the hen until she goes ahead and starts a new nest?

The Finch Information Center has a write-up on Cut Throat Finches, and they say this:
...some pairs are prone to abandoning their eggs or nestlings in captivity. In an effort to avoid this problem, provide a wide variety of nesting options, materials, and rearing foods (including egg food, green food, and soaked seed) to breeding pairs and avoid nest checks.

http://www.finchinfo.com/general/index.php
Dave

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manley
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Re: Advice breeding & keeping cuthroat finch

Post by manley » Tue Mar 26, 2019 2:58 pm

Dave wrote: manley, how big is your cage? My first impression is that the cage is too small. Does the male keep pestering the hen until she goes ahead and starts a new nest?
i have them in a double breeding cage but perhaps it could be bigger the male does seem pretty active always singing im wondering if i should split them up for a while to give the hen a rest from egg laying,they are on some more eggs at the moment ive placed plastic ivy over some of the cage to give them some privacy but im also thinking should i build them a bigger enclosure & perhaps a small flight instead it's just a matter of having space to do that,perhaps i haven't been giving them enough eggs food i do have dried insect food plus perle morbide but i can't say ive been feeding them that too much as i was trying to discourage them from breeding right now they have mainly mixed seeds & plenty of oyster grit & calcilux in the water lovely birds but they baffle me

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Re: Advice breeding & keeping cuthroat finch

Post by manley » Tue Mar 26, 2019 3:49 pm

Hyansith wrote: If you are wanting to breed them, perhaps think about providing an area that is properly set up for that, so they don't have to make their own nest and there is plenty of supplies nearby. Make sure it is secure and secluded so that they won't get any sense of threat.

My cutthroat is incredibly flighty. I would imagine for them to breed is a little intense in comparison with zebra's and other softer breeds. I'm no expert by any means, but I would love to know how you get on. They are beautiful birds.
yes perhaps the double breeding cage is a little too small for them to feel comfortable breeding in plus not sure if it's the cock or hen pulling the nests apart though but have a feeling it's the hen i was trying to stop them from breeding at the moment because im wanting to move them but the hen keeps laying eggs & making nests but after a few days they abandon them

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