RED CHEEKED CORDON BLEU

tsangelfinch · Post by **tsangelfinch** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:05 pm

Hi people and birds

my name is Tracey I'm new to the forum and i was just wondering if anybody could tell me when red cheeked cordon bleu's get there blue ?

I had a pair hatch a chick out for the first time and they was feeding it right upto the age of 3 week old when they just stoped, so i put the little cuteie in with some society that are housed in with the CB'S they took to it right away.

The chick is now 4 months old and is still brown and to day i saw it singing but it sounded just like a society could it have learned the society song?
or could it be a cross between a CB and society, it's shape is very much like an CB but it's song is like a society, My male society's do like to try and mate with any birds if they get the chance. maybe this time one got lucky.

TRACEY

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:34 pm

Do your chicks look like that? Those are pure bred CB juveniles.

It is possible the chick learned a society song. I have not heard of a CB x society cross, but I would not rule it out as a possibility.

CBs first molt occurs at 5-6 months of age.

Crystal

P.S. Welcome!

Post by **Hilary** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:55 pm

Welcome Tracey! Good luck with the chick, and let us know what he looks like after his molt. Lucky you to have a red cheek chick! I just got a pair, but they're still in quarantine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for later, though!

Good to know that societies will take over feeding if necessary. My blue cap cbs laid a clutch but didn't line the nest enough so the eggs didn't develop. They've been very, um, romantic lately, though, so I'm hoping that we'll be more successful with the next try! One breeder told me that societies wouldn't feed them, so I'm glad you proved him wrong!

Hilary

tsangelfinch · Post by **tsangelfinch** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 2:19 pm

Hi,

I had a look at the photo that was posted to see if my c.b looked at all a like and as i said before it's the same shape but as none of the blue like the ones in the photo.

I will try and dig my camera out to take a photo of him over the weekend so i can post it in the gallery, That's if he will keep still the little guy don't stop hoping about.

thanks for the replys i'll keep you upto date if he starts to show any blue.

Tracey

Post by **Hilary** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 7:12 pm

Behavior sounds a lot more like a cb than a society - I can't get pics of my cbs either.

Hilary

tsangelfinch · Post by **tsangelfinch** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 12:31 pm

Just want to let you all know i have now uploaded a photo in the gallery.

it's kind of funny some days he look's more like a society and other days more like a C.B

Tracey

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 7:04 pm

Well that doesn't look like a CB chick to me. It also doesn't look like a "purebred" society juvenile to me, but I only ever raised fawn and pied societies (never any 'self' societies--so maybe the juveniles of different mutations look different than I am accustomed to).

Just to clarify, you had society finches and CBs in a cage, eggs were laid, and this baby hatched out? Was there a male and female society in the cage that this chick hatched within? Is it possible a pair of societies laid their egg in a CB nest? Or is it only possible that this bird must be the result of a society x CB cross since it isn't a purebred CB chick?

I really do think it looks like a hybrid... is there a hint of blue on its chest or is it just something about the photo?

Would you mind posting pictures of this chick when it gets its adult plumage in? I am very curious to see how it looks when it "grows up"!

Thanks. :)

alwaysfullofjoy · Post by **alwaysfullofjoy** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 7:15 pm

Looks like a society to me but I see a little blue on the chest too. Humm?

Post by **Hilary** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:47 pm

That beak is definitely society rather than cb. Hilary

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 11:45 pm

The beak stuck out the most to me, too. Do you think the whole bird looks like pure society, though? The breast/belly and somewhat the flank looked a little questionable to me.

alaska · Post by **alaska** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:18 am

Well to me the beak is definately a society beak, however the body shape and the blueish tinge to the chest and around the cheeks suggests a CB.
Possibly a cross? Very interesting...keep us posted

Regards
Alaska

tsangelfinch · Post by **tsangelfinch** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 5:58 pm

i'll keep you updated and post some new photo's in a few weeks

tracey

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 4:35 am

Any updates on this bird?

debbyloo · Post by **debbyloo** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:01 pm

I am VERY interested to find out what you provided for your red-cheeked cordon bleu finches to feed their youngster after it hatched.

I have a pair of blue-capped cordons which are currently incubating, and I so hope this 3rd attempt of theirs will be successful The hen stopped sitting on the eggs after incubating for only a couple of days the first time, then their second attempt was foiled within only 2 or 3 days of hatching when an owl finch dumped an egg in their nest and caused the hen to abandon the nest. I discovered that problem too late as the eggs were cold. They contained almost fully developed chicks - so sad - but at least I know I have a fertile pair of birds. I have removed the owls to their own end of the cage, where they are sitting on a clutch of their own now. Anyway, I am wanting to get ready to provide whatever the cordons need to rear any young which might hatch from this attempt. I have live mini-mealworms (which the hen voraciously devours during the time she is laying eggs, but then won't touch while she is incubating - weird!) and some home made egg food (cornbread/eggs, etc.) What did you provide your cordons to feed their baby and how much of it did they go through? I have read that they can literally go through 100's of meal worms a day when rearing young, and I wonder how many I need to have on hand (have to order them on line).

Also, do you have any idea why they suddenly stopped feeding the chick? Had it fledged by then? Thanks for any help or advice you could pass my way!

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 4:54 pm

I hope you get the responses you want from your inquiry from people who have cordon bleu experience; I have not bred these waxbills but I have read plenty of accounts of those who have and they all suggested the following foods:

-Avico bugs n berries
-ant pupae/dried ant eggs
-mealworms
-waxworms
-fly larvae
-bevo pellet food
-bevo insect food
-egg food
-soaked seed
-spray millet

The key is to refill the dishes several times daily each day, as needed (or more often) to keep an ample supply available to the adults at all times.

I recently updated the article about cordon bleus http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... axbill.php

If you scroll down to the links section, you can read several articles written by breeders who gained success after trial and error, and how they did so.

You may be especially interested in this article:

http://www.nfss.org/Articles/Article/Cordons1.html

Good luck!

FINCHforum

RED CHEEKED CORDON BLEU

RED CHEEKED CORDON BLEU

photo in gallery

Rearing Question