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how frustrating can this hobby be
Posted: 13 Oct 2017, 18:43
by shnapper20
So after years of having hit and miss breeding results with grenadiers, I thought all my ducks were lining up. 3yr old cock mixed with 3 hens managed to put 3 young on the perch last year. Spare 5yr old cock held in holding aviary awaiting new aviary. So I lost 2 of my young birds starved, hadn't found second feeder in aviary. The one they had been using was empty for 2days. finished the aviary put 6yr old cock and 1 hen in new aviary, 1 4yr old cock and 3 hens in other aviary. Both cocks starting to weave, both coming into color. That was monday, 4yr old cock gone missing tuesday , went searching today no sign of him, no feathers no nothing? I have spots in the aviary heavily planted and have nesting birds in them, so I couldn't be too thorough . possible culprit blue wren, I have had my best breeding hen die by getting her leg ring caught in nesting mat'l (that was some years back) so anything is possible. I guess I'll wait a couple of weeks then decide what to do. I bought 2pr of diamond firetails earlier in the yr got them dna tested 4hens, managed to get 4 cocks put 3pr in new aviary went to nest straight away. 2 weeks in, checked the enclosure where they were nesting 2 dead males. They had flown into the glass window and broke their necks, which is hard to imagine as the room would be lucky to be 3 ft across from where they were nesting. I now have plastic mesh in front of the window to prevent this from happening again. Im currently looking for 2 more cocks. lets hope the rest of the breeding season goes smoother. Not looking for answers just having a bitch, feeling much better now.
Re: how frustrating can this hobby be
Posted: 13 Oct 2017, 19:55
by Craig52
Yeah, the joys and ups and downs of keeping birds. One thing i must say is, the keeping of wrens and finches together because of aggression during the breeding season but not so bad out of it. Adding new birds to their territory doesn't help either as they get bullied for a while so your finches were looking for an escape route through the window.
Craig
Re: how frustrating can this hobby be
Posted: 13 Oct 2017, 20:41
by arthur
shnapper20 wrote: 13 Oct 2017, 18:43
possible culprit blue wren
When I first joined the forum, I warned, indeed harped on the dangers of housing wrens with ANY species
This advice was 'pooh-poohed' by so many that I stopped pushing . .
Here we go again . .
Take heed . . if you are keeping ANY wren species with other birds,
sooner or later you will wish that you hadn't done so
Re: how frustrating can this hobby be
Posted: 13 Oct 2017, 20:57
by finchbreeder
Sorry to hear you have had a bad patch. Hope the rest of the year is all good.
LML
Re: how frustrating can this hobby be
Posted: 14 Oct 2017, 03:22
by STUART WHITING
shnapper20 wrote: 13 Oct 2017, 18:43
So after years of having hit and miss breeding results with grenadiers, I thought all my ducks were lining up. 3yr old cock mixed with 3 hens managed to put 3 young on the perch last year. Spare 5yr old cock held in holding aviary awaiting new aviary. So I lost 2 of my young birds starved, hadn't found second feeder in aviary. The one they had been using was empty for 2days. finished the aviary put 6yr old cock and 1 hen in new aviary, 1 4yr old cock and 3 hens in other aviary. Both cocks starting to weave, both coming into color. That was monday, 4yr old cock gone missing tuesday , went searching today no sign of him, no feathers no nothing? I have spots in the aviary heavily planted and have nesting birds in them, so I couldn't be too thorough . possible culprit blue wren, I have had my best breeding hen die by getting her leg ring caught in nesting mat'l (that was some years back) so anything is possible. I guess I'll wait a couple of weeks then decide what to do. I bought 2pr of diamond firetails earlier in the yr got them dna tested 4hens, managed to get 4 cocks put 3pr in new aviary went to nest straight away. 2 weeks in, checked the enclosure where they were nesting 2 dead males. They had flown into the glass window and broke their necks, which is hard to imagine as the room would be lucky to be 3 ft across from where they were nesting. I now have plastic mesh in front of the window to prevent this from happening again. Im currently looking for 2 more cocks. lets hope the rest of the breeding season goes smoother. Not looking for answers just having a bitch, feeling much better now.
Jeez sounds like you've had it from all angles and a bit of a rough time to say the least
I sure hope things start to pick up again for yer
I know that you may now have birds breeding etc but I'd very much strongly advise in trying to separate the wrens from the rest of yer birds before any more serious casualties happen again,
Be lucky
Re: how frustrating can this hobby be
Posted: 14 Oct 2017, 06:15
by shnapper20
my wrens father bred for the last 2yrs in the same aviary with no sign of aggression, so until I find a body or witness some aggressive behavior the wrens have the benefit of the doubt. Besides its hard to be suspicious of such a beautiful little bird , he is a delight to watch. even the hen is enjoyable to watch not as flashy but constantly busy.
Re: how frustrating can this hobby be
Posted: 14 Oct 2017, 06:20
by shnapper20
so your finches were looking for an escape route through the window.
Craig
I would imagine your right Craig, the access door is next door to the enclosure. Just me entering the aviary was probably enough to send them into flight, its hard to believe they could obtain enough speed in that short distance to break their necks.
Re: how frustrating can this hobby be
Posted: 14 Oct 2017, 07:49
by E Orix
There are lessons to be learnt here.
All windows should be covered in bird wire and preferably the wire should be fixed to a frame making a gap of 25mm
between glass and wire. Too close the birds will still crash and harm themselves.
Make sure your birds are aware of all feed stations and in particular water.
When using nesting material make sure it is organic and not synthetic.
Use good quality rings and make sure they are not to big and fully closed.
For weavers split metal rings fitted with the ring pliers are by far the best. the close evenly and there is no small gap
where they meet. Also the Weavers can't peel them off like they will with the normal plastic rings.
Pliers and rings are available from Allan Tully
I doubt if your Wren sorted out the Weaver, they are pretty tough. Possibly medical, but possible a night fright and it
hit the wire some where. When Weavers are coming into colour it is a stress full time and they can be lost then.
We all have made mistakes and the birds and we keep going on.
Re: how frustrating can this hobby be
Posted: 14 Oct 2017, 08:16
by arthur
shnapper20 wrote: 14 Oct 2017, 06:15
Besides its hard to be suspicious of such a beautiful little bird , he is a delight to watch. even the hen is enjoyable to watch not as flashy but constantly busy.
It is isn't it . .
I will say no more
Re: how frustrating can this hobby be
Posted: 14 Oct 2017, 08:41
by Craig52
I said exactly what you are thinking Arthur, and i'm speaking from experience with the wrens and a mixed collection of finches, it does not work in the end.
We can't have every thing we see and want if they aren't compatible and it's a shame that wrens aren't and need to be housed on their own in separate aviaries. The only softbills that i have had success with mixed with finches were Silver eyes and crimson chats, the wrens bred but to the expense of every thing else. Craig