siskens on eggs

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lardles
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Posts: 46
Joined: 23 Jul 2010, 10:59
Location: Central Vic
Location: Central Victoria

Hi all, my pair of red siskens have gone down, pretty happy. They built fairly low down (say 1.2m) off the ground in a wire cyclinder basket filled with tea-tree, couple of eggs so far as you can see right in the nest when you go past without interfering. Little cup shaped next which they line with teased hessian and grasses.

They get diet of crushed sunflower, niger, milk thistle/greens and leb cucmber (all finches go mad over this), seeding millet heads ATM in planted avairy. Only livefood is vinegar fly trap plus whatever they can scrounge, heaps of moths around.
Have noticed that the male starts singing more which is what got me curious about what they were up to. Coming into Autumn, bit worried about them desserting which they are apparently known for, nights starting to get cool - first clutch with these so see what happens.
It has been a strange year of finches so if I can get some of these up and about and my TCPF finally have fertiles egss will be pretty happy.
Cheers, Lardles
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SamDavis
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Posts: 2578
Joined: 03 Jan 2011, 14:01
Location: Douglas Park NSW

Good news! Hope all goes well. I've been thinking about getting some red siskins so I'll be very interested to hear how you go and any tips you may have...
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lardles
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Posts: 46
Joined: 23 Jul 2010, 10:59
Location: Central Vic
Location: Central Victoria

Siskens have 2 babies, about 10 days old. Have my fingers crossed they dont desert the young.
The go mad over seeding grass heads and picking aphids off milk thistle, become very brave and are waiting on the perch as I poke the grass heads (millet mainly) through.
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Buzzard-1
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Joined: 27 May 2010, 21:24
Location: Narrabri North West NSW
Location: North West NSW

I is jealous :irked:
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Jayburd
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me too :roll:
Julian

Birdwatcher and finch-keeper.

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lardles
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Posts: 46
Joined: 23 Jul 2010, 10:59
Location: Central Vic
Location: Central Victoria

Well pretty happy, two babies out yesterday, they sure leave the nest early. They hide in the plants and I dont think thye go back tot he nest at night? Very attentive parents, love the seeding grass heds and leb cucmber
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SamDavis
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Posts: 2578
Joined: 03 Jan 2011, 14:01
Location: Douglas Park NSW

Well done!!! I've recently bought some Red Siskins - hopefully mine will be as successful...

I'd be interested to see some pics - chicks and nest please.
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superfinch
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Posts: 63
Joined: 17 Mar 2010, 13:38
Location: Tullamarine, Victoria
Location: Victoria

Good on you !

I've had my siskins for a full year and they sat a couple of times during the breeding season but nothing ver came from it, so either the eggs were infertile or they may have deserted them when they hatched because she was sitting on them for 2 wks and then she stopped. They had tea tree and choices between cup nests and the other woven basket types which she seemed to prefer.

I've been feeding them exact same diet as you've listed only with the addition of meal worms, sprouted seed and mediera cake...

I did have them housed with a pair of cordons so perhaps they were just bothered by those. My cordons did well though, got 3 clutches out of them.

Towards the end I started to have problems with mice aswell so they may have just been put off breeding but they did seem keen initially.

This season Im going to try the siskins on their own with no other finches and see how that goes. I'm also renovating my avairy to make it even more mouse proof then i thought it was before and totally re-furbishing it with new plants and bushes ... so they better be happy with that lol

I'm also keen on seeing sum pics of yours :)
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lardles
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Posts: 46
Joined: 23 Jul 2010, 10:59
Location: Central Vic
Location: Central Victoria

HI Superfinch,
RH siskens are great little bird, seem to be coping with this freezing weather ok too. Had 3 masked fledge last week, what a week to pick, they are hanging in there so far.
Mine are in mixed avairy (5m x 2.5m x 2.3m planted) with TCPF, masked, stars and doubles bars. None of these seemed to interfere with the siskens when nesting. They were a little aggressive with the young in the nest and really loved seeding grass heads, lebanese cuc and milk thistle. The two young have been sepearted out now, both cocks, so am think of making up extra pairs and putting in another flight. ( if I can find some hens!! - talking to other breeders everyone seems to have bred plenty of cockbirds this season).

Mice could be a reason why they stopped, I think they are the reason the stars and DB both desserted. The stars tipped out the young.
I just keep the baits up to them, as mouse proof wire, 300m deep concrete footings and colourbond walls has not kept them out.
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superfinch
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Posts: 63
Joined: 17 Mar 2010, 13:38
Location: Tullamarine, Victoria
Location: Victoria

wow goodluck with the youngsters, I can't believe these mice can get through all that!

I definately think that is the reason my ones had npot much luck but this season coming im going to keep them seperate and will try my best to eliminate all mice!! gosh I hate mice lol

If i have no luck with this pair after all that after the coming season then I may have to look into swapping them for other ones because they really are a great finch I love them. Especially the male when he sings i really enjoy the spring time and watching them.

I may even try maggots this season so hopefully that will be what they need to be succesfull.

keep me posted on the young ones :)
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