Feeding mealworms quantities

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Kears
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Posts: 15
Joined: 16 Mar 2018, 10:15
Location: Ireland

Hi everyone on the new look forum .....its class.i am starting to breed green singers and starfinches this season and my question is how many mealworms do I feed to the birds to get them into condition,second question how many do I feed when they have young in the nest,it's my first time so it might seem a silly question.thanks .
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starman
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Joined: 04 Oct 2016, 18:51
Location: Coastal N.S.W.

Hi Kears,
My Stars show little interest in mealworms.....they are far more interested in seeding grass heads and sprouted seed. My Green Singers seem to like to kill mealworms but don't consume them completely. In my opinion other forms of live food would be preferable, and if available, termites or maggots would be the better choice.
Sm.
Avid student of Estrildids in aviculture.
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Craig52
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Joined: 11 Nov 2011, 19:26
Location: victoria

I don't know about termites in Ireland Sm, but feed out the smallest meal worms you can get less than 1/2" they will eat them and not just bite their heads off.
Feed out around 6- 10 a day per pr then keep the container topped up when they have young, if they miss a feed of live food they might toss their young.
Agree green seeding grasses and soaked sprouted seed is all you really need to get the stars through but green singers need that bit more in the way of live food and some oily seeds like crushed sunflower.
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starman
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Joined: 04 Oct 2016, 18:51
Location: Coastal N.S.W.

Craig52 wrote: 02 Aug 2018, 09:36 I don't know about termites in Ireland Sm
Hi Craig,
I can remember some time ago reading that with global warming, termites were becoming a bigger threat in Europe and the British Isles. I was too lazy to research whether the mound building types were prevalent there and agree that they are unlikely to be a practical finch food for Kears.
Sm.
Avid student of Estrildids in aviculture.
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CathyCraftz
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Joined: 14 Apr 2018, 12:21
Location: Sydney, NSW

Hello,
Just keep feeding your finches mealworms when they have young in the nest. As Craig said, they can throw their young out of the nest if they get a shortage so take care to top up their container every few hours.
Have a nice day!
Sincerely, Cathy
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Albus Dumbledore
Kears
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Posts: 15
Joined: 16 Mar 2018, 10:15
Location: Ireland

Thanks Everyone Hopefully i will breed some stars and Green singers this season now that i know the feeding quantity of meal worms.
Kears
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Posts: 15
Joined: 16 Mar 2018, 10:15
Location: Ireland

This is probably a silly question, but how do i know when to put the nest basket in with stars and green singers,what signs do i look for,as i also breed Irish fancy canaries these are much easy to know when they are Ready to breed,but as its my first season with foreign finches im a little Green.any help would be great.
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