Are Cordon Blues really all that easy to breed

[Krebsj]

Are Cordon Blues( Red Checked ) really all that easy to breed ?

Recently I have read that Red Checked Cordon Blues are easy to breed or are considered a beginners finch.

I would be interested to know what other forum members think. They are now $ 70 dollars a pair suggesting fewer are being bred. My own experience is about a 50 to 60% success rate of pairs breeding over the years. This has been in uncrowded conditions with maggots provided for live food.

I get a little concerned when I see Cordons regarded as a beginners bird, when some beginners perhaps wont be providing live food meaning the birds will not produce and die out.

[vettepilot_6]

Are Cordon Blues( Red Checked ) really all that easy to breed ?

Recently I have read that Red Checked Cordon Blues are easy to breed or are considered a beginners finch.

I would be interested to know what other forum members think. They are now $ 70 dollars a pair suggesting fewer are being bred. My own experience is about a 50 to 60% success rate of pairs breeding over the years. This has been in uncrowded conditions with maggots provided for live food.

I get a little concerned when I see Cordons regarded as a beginners bird, when some beginners perhaps wont be providing live food meaning the birds will not produce and die out.

IMO more like someone who has had a few years up there belt (intermediate) in regards to care and breeding of other finches...in saying that though RCCordons are very hardy when given right conditions and will readily breed if copious amount of livefood given when young are hatched...

[Shark]

Anything that requires livefood is not a beginners bird.
In my opinion.

[Nye]

I agree with shark, but will add that i knew off breeders that struggled with some "beginner" birds but bred birds like Red polls & Himalayan's .When it comes to cordons & for all birds really; is apart from live feed ,is the aviary conditions, are they dry & fully roofed or open & fully planted etc & the weather conditions in that area ,what other species share the aviary & how crowded it is.

[iva]

I managed to have 1 baby cordon, 2 were dead in the nest.( believe because I had issues with mouse). Provided only ocassionaly mealyworms.
And they are in the mixed aviary with many other varieties.

[toothlessjaws]

mine aren't!!!!!!

[billmack]

Hi, I am in Brisbane and have one pr red cheeked cordons. So far this season they have successfully bred 9 youngsters. My aviary is partly open and planted. I give them meal worms (they love them and are first to the tray), sprouted seed, hard boiled egg with breadcrumbs and a normal dried seed mix. They have just gone down. They have been nesting in the sheltered part of aviary. If you have live food, in my opinion, they are relatively easy to breed.