Aussie Finch Forum

I placed seed hoppers into my aviaries 3 days ago and the birds are ignoring them and ate all the seed from the trays on the floor I keep for the quail. The hoppers are enclosed in perspex but I know they work as I used the very same feeders in my aviaries in the Philippines. I know that once the first bird find the seed then the rest will follow but how do I entice that first bird? The birds were starving when I fed them tonight as I have to leave before dawn tomorrow and I really want to shorten this learning period as I didn't have the same problem before.

You didn`t change the brand or buy new seed for the new feeders by any chance ?

Same seed just different location and perfectly visible but only approachable from the front because of the enclosing perspex box. Usually these birds, especially the Gouldians, are very curious and will try anything presented - on a dish In a seed hopper though they just won't enter the box.

Some green seeding heads might be enough to get them in there and work out where the seed is.

Canaries are good at showing the way.
Jack

Had this problem with converting tray fed TCPFs to hoppers .
Try putting the hoppers on or as close to the tray as possible and once the birds are accustomed to the new feeding station and taking seed move it to the desired location a few feet at a time .
I know you wish to expedite the process but patience is the only way ... otherwise it could prove fatal .
Cheers ,
Brad

I'd put small open bowls/dishes of seed on the hopper & when they are eating from them gradually reduce food in the bowls.

I noticed that there are husks in the overflow today in one of the aviaries so they've finally found the seed. Unfortunately it seems that there wasn't enough time for the birds to adapt as the day before a Gouldian clutch started hatching and today I found a hatching dead on the floor but strangely it did have a full crop! Hopefully they'll all change over and this will be the only deaths.

If it had a full crop I doubt that was the case....what others are in with them?

Well I have to admit that there are some Zebs in with the Gouldians (I know what you're thinking). The other eggs are hatching but now most of the birds, apart from the king quail on the floor, have found the hopper. Certainly the seed tray on the floor is still very popular when I feed the quail in the mornings. The aviary is supposed to be a holding cage but it came with built in nest boxes so anything that breeds is a bonus.