Need Tips on Breeding the above

[Greg41]

I have a pair of R/F which since I have had them have had 2 clutches of eggs [4 & 5] none of which have hatched. The birds have sat on them
with no problems but also no success . I have read that if they are too well feed they have trouble fertilizing the eggs, they are in a mixed aviary
5.5 mts long so have ample room.How do you give the right food to the other birds without the R/F eating the lions share? I could put them into a smaller
aviary but then they wouldn't get the same exercise and could still finish up obese. Any help most appreciated.

Cheers Greg.

[jusdeb]

It was suggested a while ago in a topic about breeding Blue Faces in a cabinet that they are less prone to obesity as you can control what they eat rather than them having a buffet 24/7 and pigging out on the other occupants food .

This made sense to me as rations and special lower fatty diets can be given solely to the pair in question .

Hope this gives you something to ponder ...

[shox]

Bushranger, parrot finches are greedy when it comes to food, however, what food do they have available, the problem usually lies in the feeding of oily seeds and lots of meal worms. It sounds as if the flight is long enough. Fresh green seed and vege's dont pose a problem. Just from the limited information I reckon there coming of the nest at night or perhaps the male is infertile have you every opened an egg and had a look. Let us know.

[Greg41]

I feed them and the others my own mix: 40% R/Panicun 40% White M 10% Jap M 10% canary seed to which during the winter months I have been adding a very small amount of sunflower oil.They also get separate Linseed , Niger and aniseed mix along
with a variety of greens and grasses, whatever is around. They get a daily feed of meal-worms which I have now switched to maggots to see how they go.
They are certainly the first into the food bowl, I checked two eggs this morning, one had a yellow yoke and the other was a grey dried out centre. They have been sitting long enough to have hatched out the eggs.

Cheers Greg.

[Tiaris]

They are a definite pair??

[Greg41]

I don't have enough knowledge to know for sure, I bought them as a breeding pair and believe they are. The male is a red face and the hen? a sea green.I can't say
that I have ever seen them mating, perhaps they go behind the bike shed. No great problem they are both great looking birds and happy to have them,
though it would be nice to see some young.

Cheers Greg.

[Diane]

I can't say that I have ever seen them mating, perhaps they go behind the bike shed. Cheers Greg.

Any chance of pics of them both? I know with parrot finches its a bit difficult but pics would let others say if they think you have a true pair. Im happy to load them for you if you have any problems, just email hem to me.

[Tiaris]

If they are a true pair the male should relentlessly chase the female prior to mating. If this hasn't been obvious you may have only hens. Whenever I put young hens into my holding aviaries they always lay eggs into the seed hopper trays so they don't need a male for them to go through the motions.

[spanna]

I've never had parrots finches but from memory bushranger your normal one (the assumed male) trilled a fair bit when I visited, while the other was quiet. Please correct me if I am wrong but I thought loud trilling was the best way to ID a male RFPF??

[vettepilot_6]

I have sexed parrot finches by the two middle tail feathers and the eyebrow as well...