What to do after - Hatching?

[Mands]

I have approx 1 week to go till the babies hatch. (If at all)

I cannot get my pair to eat anything other than carrot and seed. I have tried nearly every suitable vegetables and fruit available with no luck.

They will not touch egg or egg and biscuit dry or wet. They wont touch the Finch Crumble. The only thing I have been doing is mixing the egg & biscuit through the seed dry. They also get what is called "Breeder Aid" (This is what the breeder told me to get) it is an oil that you soak the seed in for 24 hours and feed them with it every day. "Assists in the normal development of egg membranes and assists birds in producing the maximum amount of fertile eggs" but that doesn't tell me what to do after the egg is formed and hatched.

This is my very first time at breeding, so I have no idea what is coming next. When the babies hatch, what comes next? How do they feed them and what do they feed them? If they wont touch the egg or anything else, are the babies going to survive on seed alone? What other things should I put in the cage for them, they are indoors in a cage of their own.

What should they be feeding the babies? I am getting really worried with what they WONT eat.

Is seed enough?

[Tiaris]

Which species are due to hatch?
Most finches will take some leafy greens - perhaps try a cos lettuce or bok choy leaf or a handful of chickweed which is about at this time of year.
The parents are more likely to take egg & biscuit, greens, etc. when they have young to feed.

[Mands]

Heya.

I have a pair of Manikins that are sitting due to hatch in about a week. They will only eat carrot. I did give them Ice-berg lettuce which they loved but was then told not to due to giving them diarrhea, so I stopped, I tried cos lettuce but they wouldn't eat that either. I put Egg & Biscuit into their seed so hopefully they are getting some sort of egg into them, I have been advised that they must get egg??

I will give bok choy a go. How often should they have greens and grasses etc?

I really hope they start eating the other stuff once the chicks hatch. Being a newbie I am probably worrying about nothing.

[tonytoast]

I'm guessing you are referring to your manikins (Bengalese).

Don't panic.....the parents will work it out (sometimes it takes a few goes though). Bengalese are usually great parents and are often used as foster parents for other finches.

With regards to food, pop a piece of cucumber in each day and I am reasonably confident they will eat it. If you want to get a little more fancy, you could soak some seed overnight, drain it and leave it in the sieve until the next morning....and/or follow Tiaris thoughts.

Many Bengalese have been bred on seed and water so anything else provided is a bonus.

Toast

[Tiaris]

The more regularly you can give them greens the better. Ideally something daily.
I wouldn't put egg & biscuit in the seed as it will settle under most of the seed where the birds can't get to the smaller particles & spoil. Best in its own little bowl & give a small amount regularly.
A bit of lettuce regularly is much better for them than no green food. Large amounts of green food offered irregularly is more likely to cause digestive problems than a small amount (of almost any type) regularly.
With any breeding foods, small amounts offered regularly are much better than feast then famine. Once breeding, your pairs need to be able to depend on a consistent supply of the key ingredients, whatever they may be.
I agree with Tony, seed plus regular greens & egg food would be more than adequate breeding diet for Bengalese.

[Mands]

OK sounds like a good plan.

I will follow what you have both advised. I will get some cucumber and some lettuce. Put the egg & biscuit in its own bowl. Offer greens regularly and in small amounts.

I am referring to my Bengalese Manikins, I have 2 pairs. I am not sure what term to use as everyone calls them something different.

Also, are you able to tell me the correct colour to call them by? The 2nd pair are already building a nest (I know they are a pair) I got 2 Double Bars at the same time (I have no idea if they are a pair, they are both building a nest but I cant tell who is singing / meowing they move so fast). I also have a pair of Gouldian's.

Here are my Bengalese - Manikins - Societies?

Bonnie & Clyde
http://critterz.net.au/Images/Birds/Bonnie&Clyde.jpg

Coco & Milo
http://critterz.net.au/Images/Birds/coco&milo.jpg

[branchez]

Hi Mands-in your first thread you said you soak the seed in Breeders Aid for 24 hours then feed it out.
Breeders Aid should be used at about 1-2 desert spoons per 2 litre of seed and mixed through and fed
out.Bengalese will rear young on dry seed only,they are good parents.
Jack

[Craig52]

Hi Mandy,your bengo's are chocolate pied and ginger pied birds. Craig

[Mands]

Hi Mands-in your first thread you said you soak the seed in Breeders Aid for 24 hours then feed it out.
Breeders Aid should be used at about 1-2 desert spoons per 2 litre of seed and mixed through and fed
out.Bengalese will rear young on dry seed only,they are good parents.
Jack

Jack are you saying to stop using the Breeders Aid?? I guess if the egg process is already done it is no use anymore?? I never thought about it

[Mands]

Hi Mandy,your bengo's are chocolate pied and ginger pied birds. Craig

Thank you Craig, I will have to change my signature to match hehe I was told they were fawn??