FINCHforum

I found a couple of very imature and malnutritioned goldbreast running around the aviary floor a few days ago. I decided to catch them because the parents looked like they had given up feeding them.... they are like little road runners... I brought them in the house to warm the scared, cold fellows and they can walk right through the cage bars so the first thing I thought of was the kool aid pitcher Once they got some handffeding and warmed up I made them a nice little aquarium set up. They are doing great and now will bow and flag both wings in their classic begging pose as I approach them. They are the friendliest little chicks I have ever handled






New home

aww, poor babies. That's a great idea for a set up for them. I can't imagine how tiny they must be and the aquarium will keep in the heat and humidity.

Good luck with them.
Renee

Glad you found them in time Candace, they are so tiny

What a great save Candace

Curious question - does one of them have white on the wing feathers or was it just the lighting?

If it is white it could mean they haven't really been fed by the parents enough?

Well aren't you the creative one as always Candace.

Great idea to put them in the glass pitcher for a temp home. I hope the "Kool-Aid Kids" will do well for you.

To give you an idea of how small these guys are..in the 3rd picture with the aquarium... in the upper left corner is a gallon milk jug cap with a wet sponge in it for drinking. The chicks are setting in an ice cream lid that is 3 inches across. When they sit on you they feel like the weight of a Florida mosquito

Misty, I am sure all that white is from being malnutritioned.... I am surprised that the other brown one doesn't have any white though. .. the brown one is actually the smaller of the two.

I do have a pied golbreast but it has pied markings all over, usually when it is on the wings it is due to bad diet. I have not been giving them a lot of eggfood since they were not breeding I guess someone thought they would anyway (had 2 parrot finches fledge in the cold too..at least they are feathered and fed) I had the outdoor ones in resting/winter mode...I thought I have been trying to get the indoor...warm one to breed...but no, they will have nothing to do with breeding. Always some challenge to these feathered fluffs

poor little guys, I am glad that you found them in time.
Hope they are doing OK now

Awwww how cute they look! Best wishes for them. You have them in a terrific set up.

Look how itty bitty:


And their double wing flagging position when begging. They will try to crowd each other out and when one does get the food the other will just run around or pounce on my hand trying to get my attention









He has no underclothes on

No...no...no....! I can't stand so much adorable cuteness! Awww..... so glad you found them before they succumbed to starvation!

Good on you Mamma.
Nice to see all the effort you put in!!

Don't be surprised when they are feeding on their own they forget who you are.

I raised four baby goulds and when they were eating i wasn't need anymore!

See my video of my goulds!!






The Bear

Great videos
Yes...I have handfed many birds. I am well aware of them abandoning me for the life of a bird I am just surprized at how calm these goldbreast are, especially since they were already this old before being fed by me. They trusted me almost instantly.
I am currently feeding goulds of different ages, grasskeets too...
I just can't stand to see them die from lack of care from their feathered parents. So I do what I can for them.

Great work!!!

Your lucky your babies are so willing. I had parrot finches this young and I had to force feed till they were eating on their own. Not too much fun.

Good Luck.

Great save! Can't wait to see more pics as they grow. I love the inventiveness of their temporary home too.

I've never seen that flagging behavior (never having been lucky enough to have my goldbreasts show any interest in breeding) - very cool. And congrats on the save!