Aussie Finch Forum

Does anyone have any tips for breeding?
So far i have one pair that have had three attempts two of those with
one dead chick as a result.
I feed my Pytilias: maggots,mealworms, friut fly, combination of egg/bisciut/insectivore mix /maderia cake,
sprouted seed, variety of wild green grass seeds heads, veggie mix and lebo cucumber.
I have made sure the live food never runs out.
They share there 4m x 1.5m with a pair of St helens.

Any ideas would be great.

Thanks
Anthony

Anthony
You may struggle to breed them as a large percentage are bred on White Ants(Termites).They will attempt and at times rear very small clutches.
My original birds(2 pair) generally fledge single chicks(no white ants)being fed Mealworms and Maggots.
Their young ones are at least fledging more often and I have got a couple of 2's
I could feed Termites and they would I presume fledge full clutches.
I intend to struggle along for awhile to see if the birds eventually don't need Termites.
I did this years ago with normal Auroras while living in Melbourne and in the end they were rearing near full clutches.
If you do get some let me know and I will swap you for an out cross.
Good luck as they are a nice specie.

E Orix wrote:Anthony
You may struggle to breed them as a large percentage are bred on White Ants(Termites).They will attempt and at times rear very small clutches.
My original birds(2 pair) generally fledge single chicks(no white ants)being fed Mealworms and Maggots.
Their young ones are at least fledging more often and I have got a couple of 2's
I could feed Termites and they would I presume fledge full clutches.
I intend to struggle along for awhile to see if the birds eventually don't need Termites.
I did this years ago with normal Auroras while living in Melbourne and in the end they were rearing near full clutches.
If you do get some let me know and I will swap you for an out cross.
Good luck as they are a nice specie.

Thanks i thought that could be the case ill keep trying and let you know they are sitting atm so maybe ill get lucky.
The breeder i bought them off only feed them maggots and said they where prolific breeders for him but hten again
he breed his as a seven pair colony and in a much larger avairy.
Thanks for the offer of an out cross might have to ntake you up on that.
Atm i have on spare hen looking for a cock would you have one by any chance?

The termite thing is definitely a factor with Pytilias, but apart from this they are very much a dry diet finch. Dry greens'n'grains type grass/pasture seed mixes are a more useful supplement to Pytilias than are sprouted/soft/fresh green seeds so may be worth a try too. Good luck.

Tiaris wrote:The termite thing is definitely a factor with Pytilias, but apart from this they are very much a dry diet finch. Dry greens'n'grains type grass/pasture seed mixes are a more useful supplement to Pytilias than are sprouted/soft/fresh green seeds so may be worth a try too. Good luck.

Thanks for that ill give it ago. I have been meaning to get some anyways for my birds.