Breeding Emblemas

[rach8191]

Hi guys,

Its been awhile since my last lot of posts, and I have exciting news. My two little painteds have been doing fantastically in their new big cage. I gave them heaps of nesting places when I got them and was a little annoyed about the fact they completely ignored all of it. But I was told not to expect anything since it's winter. Well well wasn't I in for a shock. I noticed some nesting material in their water dish about 6 days ago and thought it a little odd so I put a huge pack of swamp grasses and some sticks and twigs in their cage and 2 days ago they started building a nest! I was so happy I couldnt believe it especially since everyone has told me they will probably wait til spring/summer to start breeding. Well today there are two little eggs in the nest. The nest has a pretty basic (and not very thick) dome type thing over the top, and in the nest isn't very thick. It looks like it was done very quickly. Neither hen or cock are sitting on the eggs and I basically need a crash course on Painted breeding. I'm trying to read up as much as possible but any advice will be awesome. Kinda wondering:

- Are they suppose to sit on the eggs all the time?
-How do I know if something is wrong (if they aren't fertilised/parents aren't interested)
- How long until they hatch?
-Will taking their cover on their cage off in the morning and putting it on at night disrupt them too much?

I basically want to know all the warning signs for if something is wrong. Basically best advice for anyone who has never had nesting finches
Im so excited/scared

[tonytoast]

Like most finches, who knows what the outcome will be but it sounds like they are well on their way...

As for sitting, I think you will find that most finches, including Painteds, will lay an egg each day for 3-4 days and then commence the incubation. The cock may continue to build whilst the eggs are being laid.

My pair built a nest on the weekend but I have been reluctant to go sticky beaking due to its location in the aviary. They are not sitting yet either and my guess is that there will be an egg or two....obviously our winters are better than our friends down south and I find this is a very busy time for breeding with all my finches...I note our temps are dropping the next couple of days though.

Oh, and the nests I have seen over the years are usually just a platform of twigs, bark and anything else they can find...

Mine love live food but I have been told that they will raise young without it????

Good luck and just let them be...you can't really do much but enjoy and keep your fingers crossed.

[rach8191]

obviously our winters are better than our friends down south and I find this is a very busy time for breeding with all my finches...I note our temps are dropping the next couple of days though.
Mine love live food but I have been told that they will raise young without it????

Good luck and just let them be...you can't really do much but enjoy and keep your fingers crossed.

Well my Dad thinks maybe they were nesting because I installed a UV light that has a fan and emits a small amount of heat, although it doesn't warm them but I think it keeps them from getting too cold. I put it on when its overcast or they don't get any sun in the afternoon, and sometimes from about 4pm through to 6pm just to warm them up before bed. So maybe I accidently have made their days seem longer then they really are

I can get live food (like meal worms or mini mealies) from work, if it will help them along.

[shox]

Rach, sounds exciting. It will take about 12-14 days before any signs of hatching. They are obviously comfortable with their environment thus happy to breed. Treat them as you have been doing dont change your pattern. However try not to disturb too much, emblema are quite good parents and can cope with a little bit of attention but dont overdo. With the meal worms just put in three or four a day that will be sufficient for emblemas. All you have to do now is cross your fingers

[jusdeb]

I dont think the heater has much to do with it , mine are sitting tight at the moment too and its freezing here most days .

As said who knows what the outcome will be ... its just a nice surprise when something does happen .

If its their first attempt at breeding they may just be practicing for the real thing , who knows how much is instinct and how much they learn from other birds .

Anyhoo good luck with them .

[Tiaris]

I'd offer them some feathers too, so they can make the nest a bit more snug at this time of year.

[djb78]

Hi rach, glad to hear things are looking up for you three. Emblemas for me have always seemed to build a pretty shabby nests would add feathers-sterilized this will help the young. The pair will sit tight when the majority of eggs are laid 1-6 are the average clutch sizes. The hen and cock will rotate incubation every 3-4 hours and will sit during the night. At about the 15 days the eggs will hatch. The cock and hen will still sit all day for approx 12 days and then they will go in at night. 21 days after hatching the young will look at fledging, they will still be dependent on their for at least another 3 weeks then they should be self sufficient. Food, they will take most greens, seeding grasses, fruit and vegies, live food is good but not a must but I found that live food gives heavier fledglings. These times are just a guide as some times may be eariler or later depending on sitting times or food. Hope this helps a bit rach.

[rach8191]

Thanks for the advice so far everyone. I remember as a kid my parents telling me about if you ever "contaminate" a baby bird or egg it will be abandoned by the parents. I guess my main concern is the babies coming out of the nest and getting stuck on the cold floor or something. I will keep you all updated, might try take a few photos tomorrow.

[Diane]

Emblema young do tend to stay "ground bound" for the first few days, a nail biting time for me I can tell you! I have branches of Woolly pine on the floor so that any young can at least get a little way up off the floor, but birds being birds it doesn't mean because its there they will use it.

[rach8191]

Just managed to snap a couple of photos with my phone, so sorry about the quality. The picture of the cage isn't too great as the afternoon sun is shining straight on it. The plastic at the top is the wind/cold proofing I pull down at night. They are currently nesting in the top right basket. You can see on the right the bag of swamp grass I left in the bag and zip tied into the cage. The hen finally has got most of her feathers on the back on her head (considering she was bald when I got her). I'll get some feathers and mealworms tomorrow from work for them