Breeding FINCHES

Zebra finch female  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Finches are popular among bird enthusiasts because not only are they easy to breed, they are also considered songbirds, which means their sound is generally pleasant to the ears. You can easily find them being sold in local pet stores. Feeding and breeding finches can be such a wonderful experience at home, especially if you do it with your kids. These birds can be an educational tool for your children to learn how to nurture life and appreciate nature. Finches are generally shy when it comes to being hand-fed. It would be best to just allow the parents to do feeding and rearing for the babies.

When to Start

The best time to start breeding your finches is when they are about 8 months old. There are finches that are highly dimorphic, which means one can easily distinguish their gender by simply checking out their colors. An example of this would be the Zebra finches. Society finches, on the other hand, can be a bit challenging in this department because they don't have color patterns that tell whether they are male or female. One technique in determining the gender of the finches is by placing at least four of them in a cage and watching which birds get attracted to whom. Once spotted, you can place them in a separate cage so you can start breeding finches.

Prepping the Cage

The cage should get ample sunlight at least 14 hours a day. You can use a bulb or lamp as complement lighting, if necessary. The cage should be large enough to create a comfortable space for the parents to breed. Hang a basket in the cage that would serve as a place for the eggs to hatch. Putting together the nest requires skill. The nest should have lining material which you can get from pet stores. In most cases, the male finches arrange the lining materials themselves. For the nesting, you can use shredded burlap as well as dry straws. The nest is important when breeding finches and you should prepare the right materials ahead of time.

Checking for Eggs

Use a flashlight when monitoring the nest for hatchlings. When you notice the parents flying in and out of the basket, it is more likely a sign that there are already eggs poised to hatch. The female finch lays one egg per day until she completes the brood of up to 8 eggs. Then she will begin sitting on the eggs with the male on a standby and ready to substitute when the female leaves and looks for something to eat. This is a sensitive stage in breeding finches that requires constant monitoring to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

It takes about 14 days for the eggs to hatch from the day when the female started brooding them. If you notice an egg that hasn't hatched in 21 days, it is more likely an infertile egg. It usually takes four weeks for the parents to feed the babies until they start hopping out of the nest. After a month, the young will resemble an adult finch in size. Breeding finches is an awesome experience that you shouldn't miss out on. Your first try can be quite nerve-wracking, but once you get the hang of it, you cannot wait until the next breeding season begins.

by: Kevin Green Article Source: ArticleCity

---

---