Ticked at my Societies

[MLaRue]

I find that Societies vary a lot in whether or not they will foster. The ones I have now will brood but not feed. Once you get a pair or trio that will do both, and will raise any species, they are worth their weight in gold!!

I agree Sally - I've been thru so many that will NOT foster - they just never click with it. But once you do get some that do - it is like heaven!

[annague]

I am totally in agreement with that! It would be so great to have a reliable pair or trio that would raise anything. So, from now on I will be looking for 'gold' Societies -- I'll bet if someone started working on breeding 'gold' Societies that were pretty much guaranteed to raise any kind of baby they could ask a lot of money for them! Hmmm.... wonder if it could be done? (Not by me of course since I have no 'gold' stock to start out with!) But if I find some they will be highly valued I can tell you for sure!

[annague]

Since I maligned my Societies earlier in this post I wanted to do them justice by posting an update to this situation:

As my Star eggs began hatching (the Soc's did a good job sitting but let the first hatchling die because they didn't feed it) I removed them to hand-raise. I did this for 2 days but yesterday as I checked again and saw that two more Star eggs had hatched -- I started to remove the babies to the brooder to hand-feed when I noticed that the babies had food in their crop. Yup. The Soc's had started feeding the little fuzzy Star babies!!! Yay!!!

So, I am continuing to hand-raise my 4 Yellow-Face Stars , the Societies have two they are feeding (plus 2 eggs yet to hatch). If they end up with four I am going to have a total of 8 YF Star babies (this is my first Star brood).

I will post some pictures of the baby Stars I am handfeeding when I get an opportunity. (Twinkle, Bright, Shiny & Gold). I have to think of names for the other ones, too...

So... maybe I have some GOLD Soc's after all!

[lovemyfinch]

Congrats Anna That's a ."golden" update.

[debbie276]

wonderful news!
congratulations

[MLaRue]

Sometimes it just takes a few times before they catch on... Congrats!!!

[L in Ontario]

There you go! Wonderful news and update - thanks for sharing. We knew they'd come through for you sooner or later.

[annague]

I've been out of touch a few days (virus on my laptop) so I had to take it in to get it cleaned...

The Soc's are taking superb care of the little ones and tomorrow I will take some pictures of the Star babies they are raising and post the pictures. I have to say, though, that I feel I am having success with them because of taking some great advice from folks on the forum like putting the Soc's in a smaller cage and how to prep them properly to sit and just some general encouragement. So, thanks all! Misty, when I get a Super Wo I know I will have reached the pinnacle of owning an Ubergold Society Foster!

I have been so thrilled with the great job these guys are doing -- they are getting lots of extra little treats from me (out of appreciation for their hard work!)

[lovemyfinch]

That's wonderful news Anna. I am looking forward to those pics.

[MLaRue]

That's wonderful news Anna. I am looking forward to those pics.

Me too! I don't think I've ever seen baby Stars before I think you have your UberGOLD Socs Anna

[annague]

As promised, I am showing pictures of the 6 baby Star Finches being raised by my Societies. (I was originally hand-feeding 4 but turned them over to the Societies -- who picked up feeding them without losing a beat). I've also included pictures of my Societies who are the REAL Stars!

[lovemyfinch]

What a beautiful interspecies family

[annague]

Yes, a MODERN finch family with two "mommies" and a daddy raising another Finch species babies!

[MLaRue]

I didn't picture the babies looking like that - they remind me of parrot finch babies - almost Congrats!

[Sally]

Definitely UberGOLD Societies, to take on the additional ones you had been handfeeding without missing a beat! Congrats!!