Finch Age before leg ringing

[spoton]

Hi everyone,

Have done a quick search but was unable to locate the answer to my query so apologies if the answer is somewhere in here

What age should finch babies (especially Goulds) be before you fit leg rings? A budgie breeder friend says he rings his birds at 9 days of age and thought finches would be a similar age.

Any info appreciated.

This has just given me a thought: Maybe the forum needs a "FAQ Section" to cover newbies like myself

Thanks

[Jayburd]

This has just given me a thought: Maybe the forum needs a "FAQ Section" to cover newbies like myself

Thanks

Sorry, can't help you with the question.... want to know the same myself!!
But in regards to your other point, isn't the whole purpose of a forum the exchange of ideas and questions? If we have set answers for an FAQ section as you suggest, then we don't ask to hear the solutions from the minds of real breeders, who each have their personal experiences.... I'd much rather have it this way.

[Niki_K]

Hiya,
I generally band my zebs at about 10 days old, but I'm pretty easygoing with it, as long as its between 9 and 14 days so there is little chance of them having fledged.
Hope this helps!

EDIT: I should note that this is using plastic split rings, in a large flight aviary where I need to know which birds came from which nest. If being bred in a cage, I don't bother until they are fledged and I am separating parents from young.

[Misso]

Do you want to close band your finches? or use split rings?

you will have different answers for both

[Tiaris]

When I used to closed band young Gouldians I did it between 5 and 7 days old. Any older than this their legs/feet are too big to slip the ring over (with the right sized ring) and any younger & they can slip off.

[gomer]

I split ring mine when i think they will all live and am moving them from the breeding aviary about 4 plus weeks after fledged. Sometimes earlier if I have more then one pr of the same specie fledging young during the same period.I have never closed rung birds personally as many of my aussie finches would possibly abandon the nest if this was done.

[E Orix]

We have covered ringing earlier but unless you wish to close band your birds there is no need until they leave the nest.
I maybe I am old fashioned but regarless of what finch specie I am still loathed to handle nestlings.
As I have stated before you can use a good quality split metal ring applied by ring pliers.
If it is just for personal ID then there is nothing wrong with putting split rings on
I actually use a two coloured split ring as a year ring.This year it is red and white, if a bird is in the aviary flying around
I can quickly work out its age by the ring colour without the need to catch it up as I would need to if it was a numbered ring.
If you are inexperienced I would suggest you stick to split plastic rings.

[spoton]

Thanks everyone for the advice. It is simply for my id of young ones in the aviary as I have a number of nests with young ones that I want to be able to id later. Definitally will go for plastic split rings as simply not enough experience to use metal / closed rings

Thanks again

[spanna]

If you have a number of pairs in the same aviary and want to ring them wIth split plastic rings, it's probably easiest to wait til they're almost ready to fledge, pull them out of the nest one at a time and put rings on them, then place them back to fledge normally. Saves chasing them around the aviary once theyve learnt to fly. Have never actually done this myself, but have been getting my pairs (first season nesters) used to me pulling young from the nest, inspecting and replacing with no ill effects, so can't see any problems, though please anyone raise any possible issues.

[MadHatter]

Spanna, My only concern would be in doing that with nestlings that are unaccustomed to nest inspection and/or handling as it may scare them into fledging too early. So if the plan is to ring them before fledging, be sure to do regular inspections from hatching in order to condition the chicks to being poked at and handled.
Of course, all this works easy enough with Gouldians and other species that nest in boxes and artificial nest sites, but I would not want to count on it with Parrot Finches and Diamond Firetails that often build their own nests in inaccessible positions in the brush or live plantings. And certainly never with species that don't tolerate nest inspection.