FINCHforum

Well Paul sparked my love for Rosey bourkes...a friend of mine that raises them let me know he pulled babies and will be handfeeding them out. They are 2 weeks old right now. There is a show next weekend and I am going up to find two unrelated mates for them from another breeder that he recommends highly.

I have a flight already set up, so excited to get a little pink in my life again!!!! Last pair I had was 15 yrs ago. I handfeed my chicks out and they were the sweetest things!

Finally got Gold Breast babies, one pair tossed their young and I was able to put them in with the other pairs' chicks, they are raising both sets...not sure of the exact number of little ones yet!

congrats on the new additions! sounds like a lot of fun coming up to get ready for them. hope all goes well with gb babies, too!

The picture below is of the 4 chicks, 2 are coming home with me. They will be DNA sexed and banded, they have a little longer to go with handfeeding and weaning.

Congrats Cindy

Lucky duck!

I think the Bourke's are stunning. How do your dogs accept the birds?

Sounds great! I'm very excited for you. I've slowly been falling for these bourkes too. I love their colors and dispositions.

Congrats Cindy! Your bird flock sure is growing!!!

dfcauley wrote:Congrats Cindy! Your bird flock sure is growing!!!

And in a new direction.

This was a dream of mine to get back into these someday, there are a few mutations that are really nice, but I'll start with the pink...two pairs first then........I may have a pair by next weekend and then two young ones from my friend around Thanksgiving.

When my now 18 yr old daughter was 3 she helped feed out (towards the end near weaning) a little female rosey, it followed both of us through the aviary...it's best friend was a little yellow parakeet names Pepper that was hand fed out with her, they were the frick and frack of the aviary!

Thanks Domenic, Anna, John and Donna. My dogs are pretty good about leaving the birds be, the littlest cavalier, Zoe can easily walk under the stands the cages are on, some of the finches go to the bottom and try to see where she went. If she sniffs the front of the cage a few zebras will come right up to her.

I'd love to get a pair of Bourkes - lucky you to have the room for them!!! Congratulations!!

And double congrats on the GB babies too!!

Thank you Liz...I got two call in one day that people had clutches of bourkes being fed out! I'm checking the bottom of my shoes!!!!

The one pair of Gold Breast with young of their own took in a tossed baby from the other pair which tosses everytime and rolls eggs out of their nest.

Cindy, those babies are adorable. That is so neat that you will be part of their life at such a young age. They will be beautiful birds

Candace...I am also debating about getting a pair of Scarlet Chested parakeets again. I slimming down my finch stock some...it has a life of its own and has expanded somehow. I am keeping my favorites and hard to get finches.

I am hoping to pick up 2 young bourkes this weekend. The breeder is highly recommended and has different mutations.

The other little ones won't be ready for a while yet. My friend raises then, handfeeds them out (there is nothing sweeter than a handfed bourke - his quote) and lives close by so I can go visit!!! He also raises beautiful linnies (Lineolated Parakeets) and Kakariki.

Cindy, I too love the australian grasskeets, linnies, etc. Yhey are ever as sweet and gentle as finches.... even more so many times.
I am handfeeding 2 week old scarlets now. I had to take them to the show with me this past weekend which is always a juggling feat but was able to show many people my handfeeding technique...spoon/banding tool fed as opposed to tubed cropped. I also took my last 3 handfed scarlets...even though they are weaned and eating on their own they still want their Momma to give them formula morning and night.... like a 2 year old refusing to give up their bottle They are spoiled rotten.
I came home to find my parent raised scarlet had fledged and what a fine specimen! Of course, I highly recomend you get the scarlets I may someday add some bourkes myself, but my space is limited to the species I have now. Can't wait to see pics of your bourkes that you are getting.