Aussie Finch Forum

Can I get the thoughts of forumers, have a pair of cinnamon elegants, chasing my baby bourke parrots, only two days out of nest, giving them hell. I have removed the elegants this afternoon, in the adjoining aviary have another pair of bourkes, young in the nestbox about a week from coming out. If i move the nest box with the young inside to next door aviary, catch the parents and put into the aviary with the other bourkes, will the parents still feed or will they desert them due to change of aviary. your thoughts

Ive done it with neophemas and maybe dumb luck but the parents carried on like nothing happened ...spose you weigh up the risk of leaving them where they are to moving them .
Ill be interested to see how you go . Might be wise to have a syringe and some formula on hand just in case.

Ooops must add my parents birds were in the nest box when I moved it , I just held my hand over the hole ..this may have made it less traumatic.
If elegants are like Scarlets they will fly into the nest box when you open the cage ...hopefully

All aviculturists should have a checklist of skills . . and way up there should be "Can I use a crop-needle?" and "Can I hand feed?"

Both of these skills will be needed sooner or later (probably sooner)

The main reason (well it was in my case anyway), for not learning those skills is the fear of harming the birds

It is much easier to learn these skills in the non-emergency situation, where "nervous tension" is not at panic level

Ask at club meetings, check out the literature, etc . . but do learn them

PS
Maybe other forumites could suggest other skills/ knowledge that could be added to the checklist . .

If a complete checklist were compiled (or even an incomplete one), it may be of great use for beginners/ novices

Always easier to hand feed a healthy bird pulled from a nest , there is not that feeling of urgency in getting food into the bird.
Dont really know of other skills I like to live in danial and face things when thrown at me

arthur wrote:The main reason (well it was in my case anyway), for not learning those skills is the fear of harming the birds

It is much easier to learn these skills in the non-emergency situation, where "nervous tension" is not at panic level

I agree. I think the trick is to get your mind around the fact that if you dont do something the young will die.
It may die anyway but at least you would have tried.

I may be a bit late with this tip, but you could also try putting the flegelings in a cage in the aviary (ideally covered top & sides so the Elegants can't harass them constantly). The parents should feed the chicks through the bars/mesh...

Thanks all, for your input, madhatter that is exactly what i did today put them in a separate bird cage, the hen has been feeding the young through the bars. I know the elegant cock is protecting his patch as the hen is ready to lay that's why the aggression. Once again thanks, first time time with bourkes and elegants, currently have thirteen bourke youngens from three pairs. All going well, also have had young RFPF, emblemas, jacarinis, ruddies, with other finches on eggs. the only ones no doing anything are my cubans built a nest, preening but no action, oh well cant have everything.

I'm just glad to hear you found a workable solution. Sounds like you have a productive season ahead.