Precocious Painted's

Includes Species Profile.
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BrettB
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Joined: 13 Jun 2012, 23:28
Location: Perth

6 weeks ago I bought 8 uncolored Painted's, they were of different ages (at a guess from 8 to 16 weeks).
They are still not fully colored but I have 6 cocks and 2 hens.
One of the birds has now started building a nest, I read that they don't build a roosting nest so I presume they have paired up.
The birds are in a small aviary (4mx3mx2m)
I would prefer to delay the breeding till they are older, at least wait until they are fully colored.
There are not many nesting sites in the aviary currently, will removing the nests be sufficient or will I need to remove the hens?

Cheers
Brett
"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are ." Anais Nin
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Craig52
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Joined: 11 Nov 2011, 19:26
Location: victoria

Painteds will breed at 3 months old, being a desert bird they take advantage of what's on offer and breed accordingly. You can't stop them as they will nest anywhere on the floor.
If you don't want them to breed take the hens out but put them back as even prs or there will be fighting during the mating stage where one cock will belt the mating cock. Craig
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BrettB
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Thanks Craig
Looks like I am going to have to catch them all up again

Cheers
Brett
"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are ." Anais Nin
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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

It's not a problem letting them breed.
Species develop and mature at different periods and generally short lived species or those at the bottom of the food chain breed early.
On the other hand long lived species generally take far longer.
Other quick breeders, Cubans, Zebras, Gouldians and Blue Faced Parrot Finches to name a couple.
Long lived species that mature slower, the Munias, Weavers etc.
If the female can produce an egg maybe she has matured. If the eggs are fertile then the male is mature.
I find it common Painteds breeding in the season they were bred.
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BrettB
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Separate question, but how long should I wait before deciding which are the best cock birds to keep.
Hardly fair comparing a partly colored male with a fully colored one.

Cheers
Brett
"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are ." Anais Nin
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Craig52
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BrettB wrote:Separate question, but how long should I wait before deciding which are the best cock birds to keep.
Hardly fair comparing a partly colored male with a fully colored one.

Cheers
Brett
That's a hard one Brett, depends whether you want to breed to size,colour or just breed painteds. Craig
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AMCA26
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Location: Melbourne, Vic
Location: Melbourne

Start with size then u can work with colour.
Breeding Show Zebra Finches, Blue Gouldians, Pied Orange Breast.
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Tiaris
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Location: Coffs Harbour

Fully coloured will be best developed for size & colour so comparing the half-coloured to coloured is going to be just as "unfair" for size for equivalent quality birds. If you are wanting be in any way selective for any features at all I recommend letting them colour fully. They don't take long anyway & fully coloured birds looking at their best are far easier to dispose of than scruffy part-coloured birds with pin-feathers.
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