When do people separate babies

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Ajw132
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Location: Gold coast

Is it a general rule to remove babies from parents at 3 weeks or is it different for different species
Gouldian
Stars
Tri coloured parrot
Rfpf
Longtails
Tri coloured nuns
Ruddies
Cordons
Painteds
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starman
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Joined: 04 Oct 2016, 18:51
Location: Coastal N.S.W.

Hi Tony,
I always go by listening and observation. When all begging behaviour subsides ( the distinctive calling to be fed), I usually wait for about 2 weeks, during which I make sure that all babies are cracking their own seed and taking water. I do the same for all species.
Sm.
Avid student of Estrildids in aviculture.
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finchbreeder
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Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

Hmm - you mean you don't just leave them with the parents till they are 2 or 3 months old and ready to be sold? Obviously I am strange but that is my general practice with all finches.
LML
LML
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starman
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Location: Coastal N.S.W.

Hi L,
If my aviaries were larger and I had more room, I could certainly leave them longer. The pressure of overcrowding is always a problem for me. After second and third clutches they have to be removed to separate accommodation (suspends) for their own comfort. For me, this is more necessary with my Gouldians, as they breed so prolifically.....with smaller species, like Orange Breasts, I can leave them longer if needed as (for me) they have smaller clutches and tolerate the new arrivals quite well. It is just a matter of trying to manage with limited space. I don't sell much but give a few away, so the problem of overcrowding is ever-present here and that is something that does not sit well with me.
I can see that the answer to all of this is to change to species that are less prolific (and more of a challenge), or to move to a rural block.
Sm.
Avid student of Estrildids in aviculture.
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Tiaris
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I strongly feel that if you remove them from the breeding aviary too early (just independent) then they never properly mature into decent quality birds and remain a bit underdone for the rest of their lives. Leaving them until at least some mature plumage feathers coming through (a few weeks more) better allows them to achieve their potential and mature into quality birds. If the aviary is already fully stocked then there is a higher priority to remove independent young to avoid the bad consequences of overcrowding.
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starman
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Another factor that impacts on babies in "busy" aviaries is that of night disturbances, where one nervous bird can set off a chain reaction of mayhem ….. babies, in these instances, tend to become disoriented more easily and take a lot longer to resettle. I have found them tangled in brush, ringing wet on the floor after a trip through the water bowl or lodged in very unnatural places after a "hard" night. They seem to be more immune (or at least less reactive) to night fright when huddled together in a separate enclosure, probably because they are innately less nervous and more trusting than older birds.
Last edited by starman on 15 Mar 2019, 10:52, edited 1 time in total.
Sm.
Avid student of Estrildids in aviculture.
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Greg41
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Location: Kingsley Suburb of Perth
Location: Kingsley. Suburb of Perth Wa

I learnt the hard way that some types take longer than others to become independent. I moved 2 red siskins at 8 weeks and found one fluffed
up on the floor, I thought that it was cold so put it in the hospital box but it died the same day. Next day the other one was also on the floor
so I put this one back with the parents who started to feed it and all was well .Now all young are left with parents until time to move on, never less than 10 weeks.
Cheers
GDG
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noah.till
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Location: TOOWOOMBA/ HIGHFIELDS, QLD

I tend to leave them in there until they become reliant on the food dishes
I may leave my birds for an hour or so when cleaning, and when I put the dishes back in, if they come down to feed simultaneously, I think they are ready to be taken away until they all colour up and can be sold off
Thanks
Noah Till
Downs Bird Breeders Association and Queensland Finch Society Member
2018 Australian Birdkeepers Magazine Young Birdkeeper
Javan Munia, Black Rumped Double bar and Aberdeen Breeding Project
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mr skeeter
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Location: Melbourne Vic

i never remove any young birds until they start to colour up and are feeding well on there own, also never remove them in the colder months as this also adds to the birds stressing.cheers mick
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Rod_L
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Location: Mandurah WA

My young birds were kept with the adults at least until their beaks had coloured up and had no more black on them. That was normally about 2 months after they left the nest. This gives the young birds a chance to learn from the adults and to work out what foods are good to eat.
death to all cats & ants
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