Are my chaffies trying to kill each other?

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Netsurfer
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mattymeischke wrote:Well, its been several weeks so I thought I would post an update on the chaffies.

They built a beautiful nest, but continued to fight vigorously. For those old enough to remember the Pink Panther movies, they reminded me of Inspector Clouseau and Kato. One would be eating something and the other would unexpectedly barrel into them from the side.

Then, about two weeks ago, I noticed the hen was missing some feathers on the back of her neck. Only on the back of her neck, like in star finches when they are laying. Further, it seemed to be him chasing her but not vice versa. I was worried that she may be losing the fight, but then I saw him do the courtship two-step and the deed of joy. At the same time, their live food intake increased from 5 or 6 mealies a day to 20 or 30.

Incidentally, I am having some trouble getting them to take any live food apart from mealies. They seem wholly disinterested in maggots, termites, slaters, crickets and earthworms. This despite several sustained attempts to introduce them: presenting them variously, giving them with mealies, giving them in the morning with no mealies until the afternoon etc... I know they like moths but have yet to set up a trap. Anyone have any tips for getting them to eat maggots (for example)? I am almost tempted to put a stray canary hen (I have spares at present) in with them to teach them to eat maggots and termites.

I had been providing heaps of cobwebs, and she had been promptly down to the forked stick and using them up quickly while building her nest. She had slowed down, so I had been providing less, but she seems to be using them again over the last few days. At the same time, the mealworm consumption has gone down significantly.

I suspect she is building another nest. I wonder if the hot weather last week put her off, or if my attempts to encourage a wider range of live food by holding mealies back until later in the day have upset her. Either way, they certainly haven't killed each other (or even injured each other) yet.

Incidentally, Fatso (the goldfinch-canary mule) has been using heaps of cobwebs too, which is a bit strange. Might he be building a nest? He is a bit confused, and fair enough....
I think you've got a good pair of birds there, I'm curious do you or did you check the the nest? You need to know has she laid eggs and if yes how many and what happened to them. You can foster their eggs to Canaries or Goldfinches if you have to, but most important make sure they don't brake them or eat them. If they eat them (probably the male) you may have to look for another bird. Anyhow, just keep an eye on the eggs. I'm yet to decide should I buy a pair of Chaffinches or Himalayan Greenfinches. :)
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finches247
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Good Luck

I agree with what Netsurfer says above about eggs and fostering.
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mattymeischke
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Hi, sorry for slow reply.
I don't check the nest, but can see their movements from the house (though not the nest).
She has been sitting in the first nest again, for about two weeks I think.
She comes off about three times a day and gorges on mealies.
They still haven't gone for the crickets which they are still being offered.

Hopefuly I will hear something from the nest soon.
elferoz777 wrote: photos of the nest would be quite interesting...I would like to see how you are keeping them
chaffie at nest.jpg
Netsurfer wrote: I'm yet to decide should I buy a pair of Chaffinches or Himalayan Greenfinches
If this pair produce, I'll swap you a proven pair of chaffies for some of your white-winged wrens...
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Avid amateur aviculturalist; I keep mostly australian and foreign finches.
The art is long, the life so short; the critical moment is fleeting and experience can be misleading, crisis is difficult....... (Hippocrates)
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Tiaris
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I didn't realise they built such a massive nest. Is it all their's or on top of another finch nest?
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mattymeischke
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It's all their own work, mostly hers as far as I have seen.
They initially built this nest, then went and made another, then returned to this one, at which point they relined it. Perhaps that has made it taller.

They use a huge amount of cobwebs.
Avid amateur aviculturalist; I keep mostly australian and foreign finches.
The art is long, the life so short; the critical moment is fleeting and experience can be misleading, crisis is difficult....... (Hippocrates)
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Netsurfer
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mattymeischke wrote:Hi, sorry for slow reply.
I don't check the nest, but can see their movements from the house (though not the nest).
She has been sitting in the first nest again, for about two weeks I think.
She comes off about three times a day and gorges on mealies.
They still haven't gone for the crickets which they are still being offered.

Hopefuly I will hear something from the nest soon.
elferoz777 wrote: photos of the nest would be quite interesting...I would like to see how you are keeping them
chaffie at nest.jpg
Netsurfer wrote: I'm yet to decide should I buy a pair of Chaffinches or Himalayan Greenfinches
If this pair produce, I'll swap you a proven pair of chaffies for some of your white-winged wrens...
Deal :thumbup:
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Diane
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mattymeischke wrote:They use a huge amount of cobwebs.
With a highrise home like that they probably need the stickiness of the cobwebs to hold it upright!
Diane
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elferoz777
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Great stuff!!

If you need homes for the young ones you feel free to PM me
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agate mosaic canaries, agate yellow mosaic canaries, red zebs, self bengos and goldfinch mules.
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mattymeischke
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Good news and bad news from chaffie land.
First the bad news:
I went out yesterday and the side of their nest was pulled out and an egg was spilt. The hen spent the day off the nest and has today started building again in a different corner.
I watched for some time before the culprits showed themselves. The bulbuls have been pirating the chaffie nest for soft stuff!

The good news is that the bulbuls are building.

The chaffie hen is getting through cobwebs again as she gets on with the next attempt.
The pair have resumed their relentless campaign of mutual surprise attacks, and he has done the dance like the dudes from the MC Hammer "You can't touch this" video again.

As is usually the case when a clutch fails, it is the birdkeepers fault.
I had seen the bulbuls getting organised, and failed to put in ample nesting material.
I have of course since rectified this.

So, bugger! But also, Hooray!.

What a bloody soap opera.
:cloppy:
Avid amateur aviculturalist; I keep mostly australian and foreign finches.
The art is long, the life so short; the critical moment is fleeting and experience can be misleading, crisis is difficult....... (Hippocrates)
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TomDeGraaff
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I hope the chaffinches go back. Are they in with the bulbuls? If so, I would oversupply materialds and livefood ! :)
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