Aussie Finch Forum

Thanks everyone - some interesting views. I won't give up my day job. But I'll still enjoy my hobby.

Just following up with regard the release on the mutation King Quail.
The same time of the release all breeding stock was sold so those that purchased their birds
had a great chance to cover their initial outlay.

A bit of nostalgia , and perhaps no longer relevant:

Back in “the day” (1970s), I bought quite a few birds from an elderly couple who had been commercial orchardists. In their retirement they had built up a nice little business selling fruit at their roadside stall, potted plants (most of which the lady propagated herself), and Australian finches, that they bred in an aviary complex modified from their redundant packing sheds. The birds were well-priced and healthy and as the old folk were very knowledgeable, obliging and friendly, there were always a few cars in the parking lot (a boggy paddock).

Fast forward about ten years…. re-visiting the area, I found that there was a small retail nursery taking up about half of the property’s frontage, complete with a sealed car park. Out of curiosity, I wheeled in and found that it was still owned by the same family, but run by the next generation and paid staff.

When I asked what had happened to the birds and aviaries I was told (loosely) that ‘there is more money and less work in nurseries ….that plants outsell birds many times over and that the “bird craze” is over….no one wants them any more’.
I found this both surprising and disappointing…even though I wasn’t convinced of its truth, and at that time, was no longer keeping birds.

The packing shed/aviary complex that had once buzzed with noise and colour, had been gutted back to a bare shed…. ghostly quiet, housing bags of fertiliser, mulch, concrete statues and other lifeless stock.

Today, I can’t even recognise the site…all sub-divided and built over with the inevitable and ever-creeping urban spread.

you cant eat them!!!!
a couple of grass eater cattle or sheep can always be sold, these days for a healthy profit.
finches are way too boom/bust to rely on as income.
I seem to break even or so and am happy with that.
sometimes paycheques are far and few between with birds and I for one would get very hungry....

on the mutation King Quail.
Some of us are still playing round with the different shades. While in Aust no one much seems to care. Have multiple shades from cinnimon to fawn.
LML

Making a Living from finches..as in giving up your day job??? lol ...never...but if your saying keeping on top of costs..(seed,meds.bird replacement,etc)...yes it is possible...but you can never earn enough to pay yourself a wage or such...but like most I think we all do it because we love our Hobby....