Any-one have aust finches in outside aviaries in the usa

[wildbill]

just wondering if any members in the usa have aust finches in outside aviaries and if so are they breeding them successfully

[spsurfer]

Wildbill, I keep gouldians in two outdoor unheated aviaries. Up until recently I only had normals and a few yellowbacks. This season I accidentally ended up with 3 blues and 2 silvers, we'll see if they make it. Typically I breed around 30 juveniles from 5- 10 pairs. This year was my best ever with over 50 from 12 pairs. We have a mild climate here and the birds seem to do well.

[vienneparis]

wildbill
I'm in Arizona and I have an outdoor mixed aviary with gouldian, owl and star finches among other finches and canaries. They do well outdoors with a heater in the winter and a fan in the summer when the temperature exceeds 100 degree F.

As for breeding, the gouldians have bred well. I currently have 5 pairs of gouldians with 2 pairs raising total of 8 chicks and 1 pair sitting on eggs.

I've had 2 pairs of stars for about a year. They have not been as prolific. Although they like building nests, only 1 pair actually settled on a nest and laid a clutch of 5 eggs with 4 hatched. I've left the nest alone because the pair is very nervous so I don't know how the chicks are doing.

As for owl pair, they also like to build nests but no eggs yet. I've only had them for several months so don't know how they will fare in the winter. I read that owls are sensitive to cold weather so I might have to bring them indoors.

[wildbill]

vienneparis

read my reply to emberrhine in the thread below and follow it and you will have no trouble breeding star finches or double bars and the gouldian love it too. by the way never touch the breeding nests of a star finch as they will dessert very quick. by far they are the worst aust finch for a nest inspection next to the pictorella - in most cases you get one change...NIL!....lol you think you get away with it and two or three days later the young are dead and keep a few feathers about on the floor -keeps the cock bird keen.
only think I don't like about stars is waiting 12 months or close to it for them like the gouldian to colour up but apart from that they look nice


@spsurfer

gets pretty cold where I am too. I think windy draughty conditions are the worst and will lay them out pretty quick. appears you had a couple of split blues you were an aware of prior to the breeding season. next year you will be able to increase your stock and really get into the blue line

[vienneparis]

wildbill
I do harvest green grass seeds for my birds and they love them. They devour the seeds and use the stalk for nest building. I've tried growing millet spray in containers using the seeds from the dry sprays, but no success so far. I will try sowing the seeds on the ground and see if they'll grow better.

[wildbill]

I think the millet spray heads have been treated and dead- try the seed you buy from you local seed supplier. do a soak and sprout test first to check for seed germination and if all go you can go from there.
green milk millet is by far the best

[Rox]

vienneparis definitely try the seeds from your seed mix versus the millet sprays. I also tried planting from millet sprays and the same thing happened.

I just planted a patch of Jap millet and it started sprouting within 2 days of sowing. I researched quite a bit about growing the various millets we have in our bird seed and the Jap millet is the fastest growing of the lot - approx. 65 days to full maturation. Theoretically speaking, we can get easily get 2 crops in during spring/summer months.

But I will let you know if it actually happens

[vienneparis]

Rox
Thanks for the tip. I'll sow both the seed mix and the millet spray directly into the ground and see what happens. We can compare notes

[cindy]

Many people/breeders here in Florida keep their Australian finches outdoors... Rainy season (summer) and unpredictable cold fronts in the winter are an issue but can be worked around. The birds thrive, successfully breed and raise young and do well! I would love to have mine outdoors in a large aviary on our screened lania but HOA might object!!

We also have access to freshly harvested seeds... many big local growers here. You can buy 50lbs of all kinds of fresh seed for them. Mine love Brown Top millet, Japanese millet and the gouldians and owls down German Golden millet! I sprout/chit fresh white proso and brown top millet for them and they love it.

I planted a selection of millets this past season and they love the green seed heads.

I have Shaft tails, Gouldians, Chestnut Breasted Mannikins, Owls and Zebras and a good size collection of breeding Bourkes and Scarlet Chested/Splendids.

[Derk]

cindy

Oh Cindy, I am sooooo jealous. How I wish...

[cindy]

Being were we are there are several seed growers here... one is about 30 minutes from me and many of the feed stores and pet seed supplies carry bags of a single type of seed.

Ask your feed store if they can get bags of fresh seed for you.