Emmy

Great to hear that Josh - cant deny that- you've definately inherited the bird keeping bug. I'm 100 percent sure his mum wont give in- they have 2 dogs though. Think that's a good idea you have there. Next time he's here I think I 'll let him choose a pair and even although I'll have to feed them etc they'll be his. Emmy

Best Wishes =to you on your birthday Dean Emmy

Looking forwards to seeing more photos Josh- seems you had a fantastic time at Newark. -- guess your pockets will be empty now - but here's a tip when you run out of money when you are at the bird sales and find something you really want - just be like E.T and 'Phone Home!' --It does work LOL When my grandson comes to stay over he's becoming really interested in the Zebra Finches - he would like some of his own and I think he would like a cockateil as well- (so would I - so I maybe get one for him and he can keep it here.(lol) He's just about your age- but his mum has said NO BIRDS so just think how lucky you are having all those ones of your own. Keep up the good work Emmy

Just think ahead Kerry about all the time you'll have to finish that piece of work when the children are grown up. (lol) Emmy

That will look good Kerry- a lot of work involved in that - Why just do one bird? Easy for me to say that as it wont be me doing the sewing (lol) Good luck in fnding the disk. Emmy

Its really nice to see them all getting on together. Thanks for posting the photos. Emmy

Please let us now how you get on. Best of luck for the new season. Emmy

Hi I think what most peope say on the forum re the nesting material is when they start to lay the eggs dont give them anymore nesting material because they could cover the eggs that has been laid. Hen finches will lay eggs all the year round if the conditions are right and many will not be fertile (something like Hens LOL)the broken ones or in fact any egg found on the bottom of the cage should be removed straight away because the finches sometimes do eat the eggs and if they get into the habit of that then you will have a problem when it comes to breeding. They sometimes could eat their own eggs. I think its up to yourself what you choose either a wicker basket or a box type, One pair of mine decided they just wanted to use their seed dish as a nest. I'll let some of the others give you information about vitamens etc still learning about that myself. Hope all goes well for you this time Emmy

Thanks Mark1e 'll try that Will it be ok to take some of the needles off the branches and leave them on the floor of the aviary for the birds to use for nesting? Emmy

Thanks Paul, Guess its just the mothering instincts in me that makes me think they would be warmer at night in the nest (I'll be providing them with sleeping bags next ) but I think you're correct and I'm going to take the nest out. Thanks again Paul your advice its much appreciated. Emmy

Is that Lylandi (sp?) conifer you use. I've loads of them in my garden but I was thinking if the birds shredded it to line their nests would there not be a chance that it would pierce,break the eggs in the nest? I know from experience when the conifers have been cut and I've been picking up the cuttings I've had a few sharp jabs from them on my fingers. At he moment I collect the moss from my garden, wash and dry it before using it but if you have tried the conifers and it worked I think I'll try that too. Emmy

I'm thinking about doing a painting of that one - but at the moment its just at the THINKING stage Emmy

Glad to hear that Fidget is going to be OK. Today I've just ordered some more new perches for my cages I have some of these already and it does say it helps to exercise the birds feet I know the ones I'm using are well used by the birds I bought them on line from Zooplus They are Hagen Pedi-Perch they are on an offer just now. Emmy

Thanks Kerry I was just lucky to have the camera there when dad came onto the perch. guess the chick felt let down --it didnt get fed LOL Emmy

Paul you said Will it do the chicks any harm going back in the nest to sleep at night? There's only the dad in the cage beside them the mother had died so there is no chance of more eggs being laid. Could leaving the nest in the cage have an effect on the dad's behaviour towards the chicks? Emmy

All 3 chicks have now left the nest but are not too keen to sit on the perches. Prefer the floor of the cage but all 3 still go back into their nest basket at night -although there isnt much room for them in there now. They are very big chicks compared to the other zebra finch chicks I've reared. http://postimage.org/image/k22w3i1h1/ Guess it may not be possible to tell what colour the young chick will be yet? Emmy

Looks like she can still perch. Can she? Be interesting to find out if Kerry's bird's feet have the same problem. Emmy

Thanks Jeff I understand what you are saying but I just want to make sure they are getting enough food. I took that photo when I was checking the chick. Emmy

Thought you would like to see this This is one of the chicks taken 10 minutes ago http://postimage.org/image/xr42jlud7/ looks like they are going to be OK Emmy

Good news so far 'dad' is still feeding them and apart from checking that they are still being fed I leave them alone. I didnt change the nest deliberatley it was when I had the chicks out to feed them I decided to clean the cage before I put them back in- but the nest was really very dirty with the chicks' droppings- and at that time I honestly thought I was going to have to put them in the brooder and hand feed them, so I decided to remove the nest and replace it with a new one. I didnt have any moss ready (I gather it from my garden , then wash it and dry it) to put in this new nest so I just tore up a couple of paper hankies and put that in the bottom of the nest. then I made up my mind then to put the chicks back into the nest in the cage beside dad - I've no idea what the reason was that made him go back to the nest and look after the chicks. Was just wondering could it have been because all the chicks had been removed from the nest for that short time he became more aware of them when they were returned to the nest.? Emmy

Marie go into Forums then scroll down left hand side and go to WELFARE section then choose Health Issues then open post about Damaged Foot (Kerry posted this- Casamber) Emmy edited to add information (Have brought Kerry's post (Damaged Foot) back up to the top and Andy has given an answer in it)

Marie I'm sure someone else has posted about the same problem but I cant remember who it was. Perhaps some other member of the forum will be able to remember. I'll have another look and if I find the post I'll give you the link Hope Fidget gets better. Emmy

I'm keeping a close check on them because I dont want to lose those chicks. It seems that one of them is being fed more than the other two.(those two have very little in their crops) but at least they are gettting fed even if its not a lot. I'll check them again before I go to bed and if need be I'll give them a feed to see them through the night- I'm hoping I wont need to do this as I'd rather the 'dad' fed them himself. Emmy

Thanks Gary I think what may have happened with the hen is that the cock bird had probably been fighting with it again. My reason for saying this is that I found lots of her feathers on the floor below the cage and the last time that happened, before the young hatched, she was fighting back but they settled down after that. So perhaps as. you say she may have had a heart attack if she had been stressed out. I had to give the chicks another feed at noon and I decided while the chicks were out from the cage that I'd take a chance and clean the cage and put in a new nest basket. I was very surprised when I put the chicks back into the nest basket in the cage! ---the 'dad' immediately went to the nest and sat with the chicks. I am so relieved, I have just seen him feeding the chicks. I just cant understand why he has suddenly started to feed them after I changed their nest basket. Just hope he keeps feeding them now. Emmy

I watched the nest from a distance last night and finally checked the nest at 11pm so far dad hadnt been back on the nest. The chicks crops were empty but I thought I'd leave them and possibly if they were hungry he may just feed them. Odd thing though I have never heard those chicks chirping for food! I was worried about leaving them like this so I got up at 4am to check-- dad still wasnt on the nest so I lifted the 3 chicks out to give them a proper check 2 of them were hardly moving the 3rd one had a little more energy. I decided if I left them much longer I would lose them so I mixed up some handrearing food, the chick that seem to be moving more took the food with no bother but the other two were very weak but I finally managed to get some food into them and then I took a chance and put them back into their nest instead of into the brooder which I had sorted out just in case it was needed. This morning I did see dad on the nest and I thought everything was going to be ok but when I checked the chicks 15 minutes ago they still havent been fed their crops are empty, no sign of seed there at all. I'm going to leave them until 12noon and if their crops are still empty I'll feed them again and return them to their own nest after that. I'm hoping dad will eventually take over Emmy