crimson finches...

Black Bellied & White Bellied.
Includes Species Profile
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E Orix
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Joined: 29 May 2009, 23:30
Location: Howlong on NSW/Vic Border 30km from Albury
Location: Howlong NSW

On the way back from the convention I stayed with Mike and actually had a good look at his set up.
The aviaries he keeps them in are quite small but the breeding results are very very good.
As he said in his lecture his set up is based on wild observation.
Apart from the perches etc he has a basket possibly 1 m long and 400mm high and deep fill with Bracken Fern
or other filling fixed high up nearly to the roof.
Then there is another similar basket sitting on the floor under the high located one. Maybe not quite as heavily filled as the high one.
The breeding cockbirds do have variable periods of behavior.When he starts kicking up all the otherbirds simply retire to
the basement until he calms down hence no periods of carnage and good breeding results.
His holding cages also have the baskets on the floor and he also limits his holding cages to 15 birds and ALL are released into
the holding aviaries at the SAME time.
All his aviaries are fully roofed in.He lost so many chicks when they bred in his larger outside flights mainly due to the long wet grass.
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Jayburd
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Joined: 08 Dec 2009, 12:08
Location: Canberra

interesting to watch these comments unfold.....
Julian

Birdwatcher and finch-keeper.

Feel free to check out my photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lewinsrail/
And my birding antics here: http://worthtwointhebushbirding.blogspot.com.au/
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COUNTRY CAPITAL
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Posts: 610
Joined: 01 Sep 2010, 08:25
Location: TAMWORTH

e-orix's comments on MF's crimson aviaries interest me.
If i put bracken or tea tree baskets in my holding aviary they would soon be breeding aviaries....even 6-9 month olds attempt to breed if allowed in my aviaries.
i see why he does it, so the persecuted can hide out til calm returns.Maybe keep hens/cocks seperate?
if this is common crimson behavior they do deserve the agressive tag as they are not protecting a nest yet will hound others near them anyway.
his observations in the wild must support the "keep them seperate" theory as thats how he has them.
surely common sense must prevail, if you had beautiful firetails,green strawberrys or orange cheeks would you risk them with crimsons? not me, then why sacrifice the more common varieties as one day you will probably find them put to the sword.
I know many breeders keep crimsons in a mixed collection and good luck to them but i need all the help i can get so mine will be getting space to themselves.After all at approx.$250.00 per pair they warrant extra attention in my view.
the crimson is a striking bird and deserves a place in our aviaries so, for me its either a smaller aviary by themselves ala MF or a planted larger aviary, which would really show them off, probably fully roofed in most areas to protect nests/fledglings from the elements.
will calm down now.... :roll: too much coffee apparently.
CC
Aussie finch tragic.rodent/snake terroriser.
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mickw
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Posts: 365
Joined: 08 Jun 2009, 19:49
Location: Port Macquarie, NSW
Location: Port Macquarie

Perfect timing for me as my new pair will be going into the aviary very soon....on their own for the very reasons you say Country Capitol.

Its not a new thing, this ground cover idea.....been around for quite a while.......not only to avoid agro dads but also to give hopeless fledglings a softer landing and a spot to roost off the cold floor....old fellas I used to hang around as a kid in the 70's & 80's would put piles of tea tree brush on the floor especially for the winter breeders.....mostly WA wild caught finches

I know wagga has described the method to me recently also........seems smart, whoever came up with it, and gets results

On the same topic but a tangent..........Anyone ever cabinet breed Bloods?
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E Orix
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Posts: 2740
Joined: 29 May 2009, 23:30
Location: Howlong on NSW/Vic Border 30km from Albury
Location: Howlong NSW

For many years I have thought about the different thinking of the Parrot breeder to the Finch breeder when it comes to aviary stocking.
A Parrot breeder will think nothing of putting a $50 pair of parrots on their own,yet a finch breeder my have a $200 pair or even a $1000 pair of Finches and house them with $20 birds,then thinking on how many birds will fit in the aviary.Not worrying about the expensive species trying to cope with the cheaper ones.
Remember the reason for birds being inexpensive generally means they are free breeders and will most likely dominate the good nesting sites.
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iaos
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Joined: 18 Aug 2009, 20:07
Location: Newcastle, NSW
Location: Newcastle, NSW

mickw wrote:Anyone ever cabinet breed Bloods?
Its on my to do list! :D
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COUNTRY CAPITAL
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Joined: 01 Sep 2010, 08:25
Location: TAMWORTH

E-Orix
i thought the parrot breeder had no choice but to stock in single pairs(some neophemas excepted),if they were compatible im sure they would mix them up like finch breeders do. Killer reasons dictate what is possible in all but the largest confines, a walkthrough aviary here houses parrots,doves,finches, quail and all sorts of foliage and all seems well but it covers approx. 1000 sqm and 10m high.
lightly stocking is certainly the way to go to improve results as you alude to.

Mickw & Iaos
i'm sure cabinet breeding bloods is possible but why would you do it?
Surely they deserve as natural an environment as possible, even small aviarys can have plants growing in them.even dry dirt floors for a dust bath would be preferable to a cabinet. I'm sure you have seen photos of their "anting" behavior,or how finches behave in a light rain shower, they derive great benefit from being housed outside. It seems we will do whatever is required for nutrition/medical needs but sometimes overlook basics like natural conditions/habitat. Climate has a say of course but I for one would'nt purchase cabinet bred stock if i had a choice.
To each their own, but i get great pleasure from watching my finches in their large planted aviaries....and i can only assume they do too.
:P :thumbup:
CC
Aussie finch tragic.rodent/snake terroriser.
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iaos
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Joined: 18 Aug 2009, 20:07
Location: Newcastle, NSW
Location: Newcastle, NSW

COUNTRY CAPITAL wrote:To each their own, but i get great pleasure from watching my finches in their large planted aviaries
I would too, but I don't physically have the room for an aviary at my place. I'm sure you would have an aviary bigger than my back yard :mrgreen: . My cabinets are outside, in a small netted off area. I know its not idea but its what I have to deal with. My cabinets are 1200 x 500 x 600. I wouldn't consider my birds weaker for being in cabinets that are outside. I haven't had any feedback from birds sold that I have gone into aviaries.
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Myzomela
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Joined: 24 Jan 2011, 18:44
Location: Melbourne Vic

Well said Eorix and Country Capital :clap: -
I've never understood mixing rare with common species so that they have to compete for food, nests roosts etc.
They are rare for a reason so why not keep them on their own and give them every chance to succeed... or minimise the chances for things to go wrong.
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Myzomela
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Joined: 24 Jan 2011, 18:44
Location: Melbourne Vic

Country Capital

Sometimes some coffee is a good thing!! :D
Research; evaluate;observe;act
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