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Most of our birds raise their young themselves. It is very
exciting to watch the interactions between the parents and their
nestlings. Shafttail Finches can make 2-3 broods per year and
are willing to breed year round if conditions are suitable. |
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If you wish to mate two birds of
a species, you must find what is considered to be a true-pair.
Choosing the right male for pairing is a crucial task, as
consequence of a bad choice can be infertile eggs that never
hatch. |
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Determining the sex of the
Shafttail Finches can prove to be difficult to an uneducated
eye. A male is recognized with complete certainty only by his
song. The male will puff out his chest feathers while singing.
Contrary to belief, the bill color has no relation to the sex of
the bird. Bib size can be a helpful tool in determining the
bird’s sex, as it is usually wider in males in compare to
females, but it is difficult to base the sex solely upon this
factor. |
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Availability of place appropriate
for making nest, and increasing length of light phase from 12 to
14 hours with 10 hours of following darkness will naturally
induce reproductive behavior of finches. |
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For breeding finches, a wooden
half-open nest box or domed wicker nest should be provided.
Usually we place some clean grass and hay inside the cage to be
used by the finches in creating their nest. |
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Some special products like
Breeding Aid can
also be helpful for improvement of bird fertility, increasing
egg number and quality. |
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The female will lay 4-6 white
eggs; these will be cared for by the parents until hatching,
usually within 14 to 18 days. |
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The fledglings will leave the nest in approximately three weeks. |
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The protein diet and special
supplements will not only help produce healthy chicks, it will
also help them to develop, and molt into their adult color.
Molting Aid is a good supplement for new feathers. It includes
nutrient needed for feather formation and rapid growth. |
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It takes about 4-6 months for chicks to molt into their adult
colors. |
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For detailed information as to what happened during breeding
season click here… |
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