FINCHforum

Last week was around freezing...so the forecast of milder weather for the next few days has come at around the right time.
Three new additions to the aviary have today left the nestbox.Very lightly coloured and looking healthy.I say on the perch...but landings are still a bit of a learning curve.

Oh wow they are gorgeous!

Are those yellow wings? creams? rubinos? Did you know your oarents were splits?
Whatever mutation they are they are gorgeous

No idea if they're splits... Maybe the colours will darken?....have to wait and see.

One's sleeping outside in the cold on its own, others have gone indoors...little devil.

Gorgeous birds.. beautiful colors. I got a pair earlier this year. Those pictures make me anxious for chicks.

Those are absolutely smashing!! (Do you all in the UK still use that term?!)

In the pictures they look like the rubino bourke's I've seen but maybe they are not in their adult plumage yet -- soooo pretty!!!

Adorable Pooh If I only had more room Maybe the boys wouldn't mind sleeping outside in the tent for the winter

annague wrote:Those are absolutely smashing!! (Do you all in the UK still use that term?!)

Only if you're awfully posh and watch those old black and white movies....
The upper classes still say 'smashing' and 'golly' donchano.....If I used them in my local pub I'd get lynched....

lovemyfinch wrote:Adorable Pooh If I only had more room Maybe the boys wouldn't mind sleeping outside in the tent for the winter

I know what you mean Janine - they are beautiful (and quiet!). I had checked into getting a pair of bourkes but they need a cage bigger than any space I currently have available.

Just about got the hang of this perching thingy.... with help from elder brothers...

Such beautiful Bourkes -- thanks for the additional pictures. Are you totally happy with your set-up or are you finding that there are things you would change now if you could?

I guess I've spent too much time watching the BBC specials on my local channel. Well... now I know not to say such pretentious things if I'm ever able to visit your great country again -- I certainly don't want to be lynched at the local pub!

annague wrote: Are you totally happy with your set-up or are you finding that there are things you would change now if you could?

I may redesign the enclosed section so birds can be driven into a final small catching section with a series of sliding partitions.I don't like going in with a net...it's not the catching of the birds,but the disruption and possible nest desertion of other pairs that may be raising chicks in there.
I have not yet caught up a single bird for ringing for this reason.Aviary breeding is more complex than cage breeding because of the fact that you are disturbing more than the birds you wish to catch,for whatever reason.When I'm sure that the chicks just reared are independant and there are none on eggs,I will go in and sort them out.

They are simply stunning Pooh And my didn't the older siblings colour up fast

They are just gorgeous....those colors are so beautiful....makes my normal Bourkes look kind of plain.

Now why do you have to live so darn far away PoohBear?

FeatherHarp wrote:They are just gorgeous....those colors are so beautiful....makes my normal Bourkes look kind of plain.

Now why do you have to live so darn far away PoohBear?

Thanks for the nice comments folks...I'm well pleased with them,they seem healthy and happy enough It makes up for two deaths this week.
One adult Diamond Sparrow and a recently fledged Bicheno chick I've lost more birds in this last year than in the previous five.It just goes to show even with a set up of which I'm proud there can still be problems.
The adult deaths might just be due to age.The Bichenos were another matter...two tossed and two found dead in the box from one pair,and the recent one from the other pair.All the bichenos were fully feathered too,not just days old...very disappointing.
As I've said before,a large aviary is a pleasure to see.But you have more chance of successfully raising chicks in a cage environment where you can keep a close eye on things.

You other Bourkes keepers...let's have some pictures then.Pity we're not closer...we could do some swaps.