Aussie Finch Forum

Hi guys,

Have a single pair of pied cordons, which I've had now for approx 12 months. Cock and Hen are from different breeders.
My Problem is, I cant seem to rear the young!!! and it is getting extremely frustrating. So far there has been 7 nest, with an average of 4-5 fertile eggs in each (never had a clear egg), so fertility is good. But have always lost the young within 4 days. First couple of babies usually found dead on floor, remaining young dead in nest.
So far I've tried; Removing cock, Altering my mothod for producing maggots, Changed spieces with which they're housed, Separate aviary altogether by themselves. ALL TO NO AVAIL.
As of this morning, they now have 3 young and 2 unhatched fertile eggs. This time round I'm trying my hand at termites.

Can anybody suggest anything else that I may have missed, or not yet tried.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ernie

when I first had red cheeked cordon's I found that it took a young pair up to 18 months of practice and much frustration for me before they finally got it right.
also had to ensure they had fresh live food twice a day and lots of it once there were young in the nest

Most likely they were reared on whiteants(termites) sadly some birds reared that way take ages to even rear an odd chick.
If they eventually rear young on your normal diet then keep them as they may not demand a constant supply of whiteants

Thanks for your insight.

You can be sure, that if I get any out on maggots, I'll keep em.

Cheers

Are you inspecting or touching the nest. In my experience cordons don't tolerate interference at all. You can tell if they have young just by watching their behaviour, dead keen for live food, and as the young get a bit older you can hear them in the nest begging. Good luck!

I'm sure you'll have better "luck" with termites.

Termites, termites, termites and if that doesn't work, try more termites....

I too struggle with this...sometimes they get a chick out but it is rarely (maybe a couple in 3-4 nests)....the only time I seem to have had any luck is when I am cracking open the mounds 3-4 times a day. Unfortunately, time does not always allow this.

Hang in there....sounds like they are doing most things right.

It certainly sounds to me like you are too nosy around the nest .Keep away until the parents are finished with it a lot of birds will leave young when nest is disturbed .White ants are definitely the way to go any finch will go better if fed termites a natural food. but for red cheeked cordons not compulsory, more important is to be fed same time every day( no missing out)

Leave birds alone & they will learn with experience.Good luck

It is a well known fact that finches will be looking to rear their own young on a similar diet to what they were raised on. If they were reared on termites, they are going to be looking for the same when they hatch out their own young ones, at the very least for their first couple of nests.

I do think you are spot on though with being nosy. Cordons will desert at the slightest disturbance. I recently had a finch that wasn't looking 100% so decided to catch her up. The Cordons had young in the nest only a few days off fledging. A week went by with no sign of young and they'd stopped eating live food. Checked the nest and found 2 dead chicks. I didn't go within 3 feet of the nest!

Do not poke a finger in a cordons nest!

Definetly try termites and dont even look sideways at the nest.