Emmy

1. Glasses OFF 2. Glasses ON 3. Gremlins? Emmy

You can always get an inside aviary In 2011 after my 12year old zebra finch died I bought another pair. Within weeks they had eggs in a nest and soon the 2 became 6. Wasnt content with that - got some different colours and also a pair of canaries. Talk about the saying 'breeding like rabbits!' I guess Zebra finches can beat the rabbits at that game. Then I decided to use an incubator to hatch out some chinese painted quails eggs - I intended to put them in the bottom of my indoor avairy - they havent been in there yet they have their own living quarters. Now as well as the inside aviary I've cages all over the place. So if I was you I'd let Jack,Jill and Fidget know just how lucky they are and to behave themselves. Take it from me when those zebra finches go 'fishing' for a home they definately get you 'hooked' Hope it all works out well for you Emmy ps Yesterday I've just put another 13 of my CPQ's eggs into the incubator.

Hi Kim Welcome to the forum I think you are doing the correct thing in wanting to find out all about the zebra finches before actually getting them. I can assure you you will get lots of help from the members here who are always ready to help in any way they can. Personally I think the bigger the cage you can get the better.Most cages come with a pull out tray for cleaning. I would also make sure that the doors on the cage can allow a bird bath to be fitted, they just love having a bath. fun to watch. Yes you are correct in thinking in most cases they wont like to be handled like budgies in fact they can move like lightning when you try to catch them in the cage (lol) but some of the members here have said they let their finches out and they come onto their hand but I think that's the exception rather than the rule. I have one that does come onto my hand but I had to hand rear him and that's the reason he does this. (guess he thinks I'm his mum lol) I can assure you if you get a pair (he is correct in saying they do need company I would never just have one on its own) you will sit and watch their antics for hours on end and they make a lovely chirping sound as well. You will have to make sure they have fresh water every day and the seed dishes will have to have the 'husks' from the seeds blown off every day too because their seed dishes may look full but it could be just husks there so important to check. Re the male/female, yes they will probably get along better but i have had two/three hens together and they have got on ok. But if you do get a cock and a hen, even if you dont put a nest basket in the cage she will still lay eggs (on the bottom of the cage or even in a seed dish )but all you would need to do is to remove them. The zebra finch hens seem to lay their eggs all year round. I've no doubts about you ever regretting it if you do get zebra finches they are adorable little birds. Please let us know what you decide and what colours you get. - ps I believe you wont be able to stop yourself getting a pair Good luck Emmy

Photographs worked fine Trevor Lucky you !! They are lovely birds havent seen any of those colours at the bird sales here. Could do with that fawn hen to put in with 'Woopsie' (lol) Emmy

Good Luck and keeping my fingers crossed you get some BFBCCFW's' Emmy

Forgot to ask did you get your new aviary? Emmy

Seems like you had a very nice day Kerry. Glad you were able to get those birds they look lovely pity about missing out on the crested but its always an excuse for to go back again. Emmy

Welcome to the forum Margaux. PhilippeBurnet is another member on this forum and he lives in Calais. Your English is very good. Look forward to reading your posts. (My daughter lives in France in the Dordogne area.) Emmy

Think this problem is now solved Last night I found some notes I had made about fostering the eggs from the pair of pieds-- Guess what??? I had transferred TWO eggs from the pied's nest into that other nest, so its seems both eggs belonging to the pieds have hatched out and only one of the foster parent's own eggs have hatched. Must be more careful with recording in future Many thanks for all your replies. Emmy

youve got a nice selection there Chessy. My big problem is I find it very difficult to part with mine but I'll need to sell some in the very near future. Please Let us know how you get on with them all Emmy

Welcome to the form Chessy2 What colours are your finches? You'll soon learn a lot about finches from the members on here they are very good at answering questions and solving problems for members. Emmy

Thanks Clare Shame he/previous she was marked down to be a mate for Woopsie. Guess Woopsie will just have to wait a bit longer until those new chicks decide if they are males/females. Emmy

if it is a CFW pied will I still need to wait to be sure of its sex? Emmy

Thanks Paul and Clare Dont think it could be pied definately has all the signs for CFW guess I'll just have to have a bit more patience and wait - then if an egg appears then 'he' will be a 'she' ------------and if no egg appears after 2/3 months then the 'she' will be a 'he' Emmy

Hi Paul As the chicks are getting bigger and out of the nest most of the time I have been studying them and comparing them to the markings on the pair of pieds I have and some of the markings on those pied chicks are very similar to the adult pieds I took the egg/eggs? from. I'm thinking I must have transferred 2 eggs from that nest --- this is a photo of the two pieds I took the egg/eggs from. What do you think http://postimage.org/image/qkntztgxp/ Emmy

I agree it looks like that! I've thought to myself it looked as though I had put some detergent and domestos in its bath water (lol) Dave Its mum was a CFW/fawn and is dad was Normal not sure if dad was split for another colour though. Is it possible it could still colour up after all this time or will that be it for good? It's other two siblings, both cocks, have really good colours (normals) Emmy

Thanks Trevor But the egg I took from the from the other nest was from a pair of pieds so I doubt if it would have produced a grey could be wrong though- .At the time I was removing all the eggs from the pieds nest because they werent sitting on the eggs and I thought I'd try one in another nest -now I'm just wondering if I've put in two of the pieds' eggs into that nest--Would that account for two of the chicks looking like pieds or would it be possible for that pair to have produced pieds? I know re the breeding you cant every say something isnt possible but maybe i should say in normal circumstances, going by the colour of the parents, would it be likely for them to have produced a pied chick? Emmy

Thanks M/F It still doesnt have any more colouring on its cheeks or on the flanks Emmy

Today all 3 of the chicks concerned have now fledged. I know I fostered one egg from a pair of my pieds into that nest. but it looks as though I may have 2 pied chicks ??? I'm posting photographs of the mum and dad and the 3 chicks. Be grateful for any suggestions ilast photo of a chick (the one with some missing feathers) could it be from that mum and dad. Emmy

Are you by any chance kept giving them nesting material? Sometimes they can cover up the first clutch of eggs and then start laying more (kind of making a 'sandwich' nest) It the cock bird has been incubating the first two eggs and is still sitting in the nest with the new eggs then those eggs may possibly hatch out if they are fertile but they'll hatch out later than the first lot and that is when you may find a difficulty arising because the ones to hatch out first will be more developed when the other ones hatch and the older ones will be able to 'call' louder to be fed and this may lead to the new chicks not getting fed. So its something to look out for if they 2nd lot hatch out check their crop to make sure it isnt empty. After all the chicks have left the nest and are feeding for themselves then remove the nest basket/box and this will stop them breeding. You must be aware though that the hen will continue to lay eggs even if the the eggs arent fertile and if you find eggs being laid on the bottom of the cage just remove them-dont leave them in the cage because sometimes the adult birds will eat the eggs and if they get a liking for this you will have trouble if you wanted to breed with them again - they may just start eating the eggs laid in a future nest. I'm hoping someone else will give you some more information and check that what I've said is correct. Emmy ps normally both birds take turns at incubating the eggs. and also take turns feeding the chicks. I've recently had a 'dad' taking over and rearing the chicks on his own after the 'mother' died. Guess your little cock bird is going to be a devoted dad lol.

Nice photograph you have a 'normal' coloured cock bird, a chestnut flanked white (CFW) cock bird and it looks like a CFW hen. Its obvious that the clutch of eggs that were laid at the beginning of February will not have hatched out yet -do you mean that the same birds have laid more eggs in the same nest? Be interesting to know many eggs are there in the nest altogether. You'll enjoy seeing the chicks when they arrive Emmy

Happy belated birthday Emmy

Kerry you said If I had been able to get a video taken with me chasing the birds with the net I think it would have won me £250 on 'You've been framed' you said the birds get stressed! I agree but not half as much as the person chasing them Emmy

thanks for posting the photos Josh they are lovely birds. You were lucky getting them. Emmy

First I'll say welcome to the forum and you will get lots of advice from the members here they are a great bunch with lots of knowledge about Zebra finches and are always on hand to give help and advice. I know some of the members on the forum have said they let their Zebra Finches out the cage to fly around in the house but in my opinion that isnt the normal situation. If a bird has had to be hand raised, or perhaps if it has been handled constantly from when it was a chick then it may respond to being let out. From past experience though usually when a Zebra finch gets out from its cage or aviary they are very difficult to catch. When I have 'escapees' (lol) in my house (all mine are kept in the house) i have to use a child's fishing net to catch them believe me they are QUICK to get off the mark. Hope you're able get the Zebra finches soon. Those others lived to a great age my oldest ones were 12 years when they died. Emmy ps If you do let them out make sure all your doors and windows are closed they'll get throught the tiniest of spaces LOL