FINCHforum

What do you guys prefer and why?

I am extremely conflicted on what to do. I'm about to move in this large space above a garage and will have plenty of room to dedicate to my pair of societies and future finches. I can easily build the panel-flight aviary as well as 6' by 3' breeding cage setup that I have all drawn out and ready to go. I might end up just building both.... or at least two smaller flight cages for each sex. I just don't know what to even start with.

tons of room + a lot of options = a very overwhelmed me


my other option is to purchase this for $100
http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/for/2596107237.html
I really shouldn't pass this up should I?.....

I breed in cages.
This is because I want to control the color scheme of the offspring. To do that I have to select the birds to mate. If the birds select their own mates, I could get color combos that I do not want.

If I was just breeding to sell, then I would let them select their own mates, as then the breeding would "theoretically" be better.

To do my method, when not breeding, I keep the males and females separated and out of sight of each other.

I began colony breeding because I liked the look of many finches living together. I very quickly realized that nests were being raided, nesting material stolen, chicks were on the floor and the birds were stressed. I still like aviaries but now use them for resting birds or young. I only cage breed with better results and happier birds. Other people have had better luck, this is just what works for me.

Thank you so much for your input! I did some more research and it definitely seems that cage breeding is the best way to go with the flights reserved for resting birds.
Again, thank you!

Trouble with the single aviary is lack of control....you don't spot the thrown chicks or problems until it's too late...and then you disrupt other breeding pairs every time you enter.
I shall retain my aviary as it is though because I get pleasure from seeing the birds in flight with the space...I just keep 4 cages on one side for any particular breeding pairs I want to succeed.

Amen to everything everyone advised you! Especially with the species of finches you are looking at breeding -- cage breeding is the way to go.

So I went ahead and purchased a 6 foot tall cage that has eight compartments which will fit a pair in each one. I'm extremely excited for it, the only issue is the wire itself.

It's actually a cage for breeding pigeons in. Would this be okay?

Only for LARGER finches.
The smaller ones (like wax bills) might sneak out between the bars.

And Gouldians are considered to be larger finches I believe?....... I hope

The space seems quite large between bars. Most finches could get their heads through and fledglings may slip out.
Maybe javas, canaries or diamond doves?