Advice for breeding European goldfinches

Includes Species Profile
Howldaloom
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Posts: 184
Joined: 16 Mar 2011, 03:29
Location: United kingdom

Hi, i have a male and female goldfinch. I have had them for a few monthes. I bought them from a breeder down in merseyside england and they are now around a year old.

I have made sure all the breeding conditions are just right. Lighting etc And all the other pairs of birds i have are now sitting on eggs.
I have had no experience with Goldfinches before, this is my first pair.

I have heard that their diet is rather complex. So im currently feeding them *finger pots, charcoal, kelp, oyster shell, * iodine block, cuttle bone. A good canary mix, with extra hemp, loads of niger seed, Sunflower hearts and a tiny bit of millet *dont really eat* They get greens almost everyday or eggfood and now that its spring they also get maggots/mealworms or crickets.

Im wondering if i can add some stuff to this? I heard that they can eat grass seeds? like what you plant ur lawn with? from a garden centre *not ordinary grass seed like in seed mixs for birds* carrot seeds, brocalli seeds, cress seeds, strawberry seeds and other fruit and veggie seeds. Are there any other seeds i can give like fennel? etc

Anyway I have my goldfinches in a 4ft long cage by 1 n half foot wide by 2ft high. They currently have a board devideing them to 2ft each.

I have put a nest in with my hen and she does seem interested in it. The male doesnt sing a great deal but when he does she pays alot of attention to the nest.
When i allow the male in with er, they fight like cat and dog. Both are showing interest in the nest but chase each other away from it and growling. They pick up bedding and play with it but never try to nest build. He never sings to her when he can see her or when he is in with her. He just beats her up.


What am i doing wrong?
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nirep
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Posts: 114
Joined: 25 Jan 2010, 09:25
Location: Port Lincoln South Australia
Location: Port Lincoln SA

Hi you are doing a lot of things right like offering them plenty of food to choose from and cage set up.Number one goldfinches are hard to breed to start with.Other reasons are it is early in the season in the UK,your hen is still on the young side and she is not ready.Given you only had them for two months do they feel secure and do they have enough privacy for intimacy.Is the cage above eye level and is the nest hidden.Ofer them more than one nest to choose from.Sounds like you are nearly there it is just the hen is not quite ready.Give them more time and privacy and then offer them the right nesting material like cut up burlap,thistle down,grasses and roots,toilet paper cut up,moss,spider web and at the end some cotton balls.If you can find dandelion heads it is a number one conditioner and stimulant in my opinion.Keep us posted
Howldaloom
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Posts: 184
Joined: 16 Mar 2011, 03:29
Location: United kingdom

Hiya , the cage is at head level for me which is 5 ft 1 hahaha. I have a box with a large hole cut in it, with a deep sorta bowl/nest inside the box.The box is in a high corner of the hens cage.

They are interested in the nest. going in and out of it. I also have been giving them bits of bedding (hamster bedding, hay, some other gardening material for plant pots and toilet paper) to play with. seperatly and together.

I am aware that they are a little young and its early which is why im asking in advance lol

Can i add any seeds to their diet at all???? Atm in their cage they have seed, maggots and brocalli. But i would like to expand their seed diet. And their are no dandilions as of yet but would rocket do?
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nirep
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Posts: 114
Joined: 25 Jan 2010, 09:25
Location: Port Lincoln South Australia
Location: Port Lincoln SA

I am not sure about your nest type all I know is that for best results use a canary pan type nest.If you can get hessian bag or burlap it is regarded as the best nesting material.You didn't mention soaked or sprouted seed.It is important once they have their young.Only other seed I use different to you is chicory and lettuce seed.As I said you are doing plenty all I would do is offer them wild seed like dandelion or sow thistle once it comes out in your spring.Here is a link for you please read

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=7282" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and this is a goldfinch nest of mine attached
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Howldaloom
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Posts: 184
Joined: 16 Mar 2011, 03:29
Location: United kingdom

Ty for your pm although im clueless as to reply??? But i apreciate it!

And I have very few pet shops in my area. I recently bought a canary nest but its no way near deep enough. So unless i buy online im stuck with the bowl in a box for now as all other nests r in use.

Maby when i buy them a new nest i shall get some burtlap rofl

I do ocassioanlly feed soaked seed but they tend to turn their noses up at it for their other seed. And soaking seed again is hard to come buy *live in poor area*

Maby i could go to the super macket and buy some, chicory,lettuce, basil, parsley,carrot and brocalli seeds to mix in with their usual seeds??

Anything else i can add. I will look around for the dandilions :thumbup:
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nirep
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Posts: 114
Joined: 25 Jan 2010, 09:25
Location: Port Lincoln South Australia
Location: Port Lincoln SA

Here is another link for a hand made nest!
http://thegoldfincher.blogspot.com/sear ... ade%20nest" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Howldaloom
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Posts: 184
Joined: 16 Mar 2011, 03:29
Location: United kingdom

Hiya. TY for the link. I am deff interested in those nests. Wondering what they are made of???
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Lukec
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Joined: 26 May 2009, 15:55
Location: Sutherland Shire Sydney NSW
Location: Sutherland Shire Sydney NSW

Just noticed today australian birdkeeper magazine has released a book for sale called The Goldfinch. Definately worth checking out.
Living In a Unit is Worse Than Being Attached to a Ball and Chain.
Howldaloom
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Posts: 184
Joined: 16 Mar 2011, 03:29
Location: United kingdom

Ty will have to look into that.

Ok just saw something else. My cock will sit on a perch and then hen will start to make frantic tiny twitter noises and start flying around the cage madly like she having a panic attack. The cock seeing this will start to snarl at her and begin to chases her around and beat her up.

But from what im seeing its the hen setting the cock off.

Whats that all about? Any ideas?
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nirep
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Posts: 114
Joined: 25 Jan 2010, 09:25
Location: Port Lincoln South Australia
Location: Port Lincoln SA

I have seen this book on the web before probably the one

http://thegoldfinch.com/TheBook/tabid/393/Default.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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