Gold breast babies

[kyle]

Hi all. Tomorrow or the next day I hope to have newly hatched gold breast babies. I have been feeding the parents boiled egg put through a garlic press along with the pulverized eggshell and vitamins. Vegetables, sprouted seed and some leafy greens. I have read how gold breasted finches feed their babies tiny insects for the first week or so. I have tried fruit flies which they shown no interest in. Is it possible for the adults to rear the Young on egg food for the protein? Has anybody had success without using insects

[Sally]

I've had Goldbreasts in the past that raised babies without live food. One thing you might want to try is freeze-dried bloodworms, found in the fish food section of the pet store. They are extremely lightweight, so need to be mixed in with either egg food, veggies, or sprouted seed. They are very high in protein (65% for Hikari brand). Good luck with it, Goldbreast babies are so tiny, they are adorable!

[Jen]

I have three Gold Breast babies that just fledged yesterday! They are precious babies and soooo tiny! (I'll try to get a pic of them today and post). My GB breed easily without live food. As Sally mentioned, I use dried blood worms and mix it into their boiled egg "feast" and they love it! Best of luck with yours and let us know when the babies hatch!

[kyle]

Sally Jen
Thanks for the tip! I will pick up some freeze-dried bloodworms today. On the 26th of last month I noticed two eggs. Then about 11 days ago the parents started sleeping in the nest. My hen has done 99% of the brooding during the day. I'm hoping when the chicks hatch the male will kick in and do more to help. This is the first time this pair has laid a clutch and I don't want to do anything to spoil it. I'm thinking there is at least five eggs. I would love to check and see what's going on but I don't know how easily the gold breast would be put off from returning to the nest. Are your gold breasts finicky about Nest checks?

[Chrismurdoch3]

Most gold breast waxbills do not like nest checks and I have had several pairs abandon babies due to a nest check. I would just try to be patient and not check the nest "even though it's very difficult to do so "
Just make sure you keep egg food in there at all times and every time you refill their dish do a quick glance on the floor just to make sure no chicks got tossed out.
You should be able to hear the chicks after a few days of hatching so if you don't see any babies on the floor but your pair is still going to the nest just wait a few days and see if you can hear any squeaks coming from the nest.
Good luck to you

[Jen]

kyle
I have not had any GB abandon their nest but I don't do nest checks! At lease not when mom and dad are around. I observe them and know when they are nesting. I wait.....and wait....AND WAIT....then I hear tiny cheeping....BINGO! When mom starts leaving the nest to stretch and eat I make a "head count'. And that's it...until they fledge.

Being in Texas, the mornings they fledge are usually cold!....then warm up during the day. So when I go out at night to turn on lights, heaters, etc. I hunt these tiny tots out and put them in the "gazebo" section of my aviary that is still wrapped in plastic and is the warmest part of the aviary at night. So far...so good....they are growing and doing well...soooo sweet those little ones.

Best of luck with your babies. Post pics when you can!!!

[kyle]

Chrismurdoch3
Thanks for the tip about keeping my eye open on the bottom of the cage! I put a little hay underneath the nest should a baby fall out. I'll be waiting anxiously to hear little peeps from the nest. LOL.
@Jen
I will not be doing any Nest checks. If they're not successful at least I won't have myself to blame. LOL. As soon as they fledge there will be a photoshoot! Tomorrow I will try the bloodworms with their egg food.