Aussie Finch Forum

Very excited as I acquired two hens today...

Any thoughts about pairing them up keeping in mind they are housed in one flight (30 sqm) with other natives. I was thinking one cock to start with, but would two really be a problem?

Tony

I run usually 2 cocks to 3 hens as I find they are very pushy to the hens If dont have a lot of hiding place in aviary.

In your aviary i would the 2 hens and 2 cocks Its big enough for hens to get away from cocks.

Cheers for your thoughts Henry....

2 prs would be absolutely fine together. I can recall having 2pr of Bluefaced PF in a mixed aviary years ago & both pairs would consistently nest in sync. If one clutch fledged, you could count on another emerging within a few days. Regularly had 8 to 10 young come out virtually at the same time.
If you drop a hen, it may pay you to immediately take out a cock too though.

I have generally run more hens in a group rather than equal pairs. It is to try and spread the attention away from hens breeding
The cockbird birds will gang up on a hen in breeding condition and drive and drive her, often to the ground.
I generally run some of mine in a colony in my big flight but and also in single pairs in smaller aviaries. I would say without doubt there would be more chicks fledged per pair where they are housed in pairs only.
They don't seem to annoy any other bird and in my opinion can be kept with even the smallest finch type birds.

E Orix wrote:I have generally run more hens in a group rather than equal pairs. It is to try and spread the attention away from hens breeding
The cockbird birds will gang up on a hen in breeding condition and drive and drive her, often to the ground.
I generally run some of mine in a colony in my big flight but and also in single pairs in smaller aviaries. I would say without doubt there would be more chicks fledged per pair where they are housed in pairs only.
They don't seem to annoy any other bird and in my opinion can be kept with even the smallest finch type birds.

The only bird i have had trouble housing BF with is cubans,for some reason they never got on with BF in my aviaries to the extent of even killing them. Craig

As always, great feedback.....cheers!

I guess I need to see if I can get one cock before I worry about the second....might actually work quite well introducing one cock at a time. Anyone close to the Gold Coast got any spare cocks?

Oh and Craig, my Cubans and Stars used to fight to the point where I had to say good bye to one of them. A that stage the Stars were breeding 5-6 young per nest and the Cubans 1-2. Difficult decision given that Cubans are one of my favourites but since that day, things have been relatively peaceful.

Touch wood no problems with my Cubans. New young cock is just starting on building the nest up for his mature lady, so I will find out if I have been lucky again. Thanks Macka he is a sweetie, but still not fully black on the chest. Maybe it is just the family? Not fussed, his head/face is brilliantly coloured.
LML