I recently posted about my Star Finch laying an egg while waiting to be transferred in its breeding flight cage. I wrote I would post updates if anything happened... and it did for some of my birds!
Some basic infos :
- First experience to breed finches.
- I try to breed 3 species.
- They are in my bird room, in one corner while the non-breeding birds (canaries, cutthroats, Javas) are in flight cages at the opposite place.
- They have daily access to water, finch seed mix, charcoal/oyster shell mix, cuttlefish bone, fresh vegetables and fruits, egg food, dried insects, millet.
- Gouldian setup (Red-faced, white breast male ; black-faced wild type female) : Flight cage 37L - 23W - 60H, fake silk plants to give them privacy, two nest boxes (one with a 'O' entrance ; one with a half-open entrance) and they are provided with coconut fiber, scraps of burlap, dry grasses (some nesting material was added into each nest box before releasing the birds).
- Star Finch (wild type) : Flight Cage 31L - 20 1/2W - 51H, the rest is the same then the Gouldian but more dry grasses as nesting material.
- Society Finch (brown ; brown and white pied ; no idea which is male or female
) : cage 20L - 20W - 30H, one nest box ("O" entrance) and one bamboo nesting cup, idem for the other infos. Some updates :
- Gouldians have started building a nest as soon as they were transferred in their setup. They use the "O" entrance nest box in which an impressive nest is in now. The pair has bred at least two times in the box and I believe the female has started laying this morning.
- The Star male displays to the female on a daily basis, dancing with a strand of grass in the beak. They have bred in open view a couple times. They showed no interest in the "O" entrance nest box, but regularly visit the half-open one with nesting material. However, they seem confuse by the fake plants over this particular nest box and seem to try to build a nest there too. So far, I checked the half-open nest box and, even though they have brought the nesting material in there, there was almost none too be found this morning.
- Societies have laid 4 eggs so far in the bamboo cup, no interest in the nest box. They are diligent nesting birds, sharing duties and are living up to their good reputation with eggs.
So far, everything seems to go well for the Gouldians and Societies, but what is wrong with my Stars? How can they bring nesting material in the nest box and yet almost none can be seen after a whole week? Is it their unsuccessful tentative to also build something in the silk plants on top of the box that causes troubles? What should I do?
Also I am afraid to do more nest check, I fear the Gouldians and Stars could take it badly. What do you think?
Also if you read this long message and have any comments/tips that could help me, they are more than welcome.
Well done to ur finches though for tryi
some chicks soon