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What to feed finches with babies


Lessons in Handfeeding Finches | AFA Watchbird

Vol. 26 No. 5 (1999), Articles

Vol. 26 No. 5 (1999)

Articles

  • Myra Markley

Myra Markley

For years I had been told that it was not possible to tame a finch. As wild birds, finches will always be flighty and afraid around humans. Finally, a few years ago I started hearing stories of people with tame, friendly finches, and I decided to try and tame one of my young Zebra Finches

I've never tried taming an adult bird.

I figured it would be best to start with a young finch. I preferred one that had not weaned yet so I could take over the role as "mother" and acclimate the bird to humans. I contacted a few people on the internet who had hand raised finches and learned how they accomplished raising these tiny birds.

I attempted to hand feed a couple of three-day-old Zebra chicks because they had been tossed from the nest. This failed miserably. Both babies died after a few days and I felt just terrible. I really am not sure why they died. It could have been a number of things; aspiration, bacterial infection, or the formula was not the right temperature.

My next attempt, which was nearly six months later, was with a 10-day-old Zebra chick. Her eyes had just opened when I started feeding her, and she ate very well for me right from the start.

Brooder

I built my own brooder from stuff around the house. It would be nice to have a real brooder but they are very expensive, and I am only an enthusiastic hobbyist.

Material list:

• A bowl, small aquarium, or plastic carrying case. I have used a shoebox in the past with no problems.

• A heating pad (set on low).

• A small plastic bowl or Canary

nest.

• A washcloth.

• A small glass of water.

• Something to measure the temperature (keep the temp. around 98 degrees).

• Many Kleenex tissues and paper towels

Place the heating pad in the box, or around the shoe box so it covers the bottom and at least some of the sides. Add in the small bowl or Canary nest with a Kleenex tissues to help soak up the droppings. The small glass of water

 

is also kept inside in the makeshift incubator to add the much needed humidity. As the water evaporates add more. Place a thermometer in the incubator and place the lid gently on top but not closed tightly-it works best if there is a half inch opening on each side of the lid so air can circulate. Give it time to warm up and check the temperature. Keeping the temperature 96 to 99 degrees is best for young finches but should be slowly lowered as the chick grows feathers.

I used the wash cloth to adjust the height of the bowl/nest inside the brooder, this allowed me to more finely tune the temperature for the chick as it grew.

Hand Feeding Formula

Lafeber's Instant NutriStart hand feeding formula mixed with Gerber's Rice Cereal with Applesauce and water or Pedialyte worked the best for raising my finches. I used a small Oral Tipped Syringe for the feedings. Narrow or long tip made feeding the Zebra chick easier.

If you have a chick that is one to eight days of age, you may need to use the flat end of a flat tooth pick. The syringe will not work for a baby that small. It is best to just let the chick have one small drop at a time and swallow the food on its own.

Mix the ingredients into a thin yogurt like texture for younger chicks, thickening it slightly as the chick grows. Make fresh food for every feeding and clean the syringe thoroughly after every use. Also never force feed a chick, the risk of aspirating is too great.

 

 

How to Care for House Finch Babies

By Nadelee Biondi | Updated September 26, 2017

Things You'll Need

  • Cage or box

  • Flannel or fleece fabric

  • Paper towels

  • Heat lamp or heating pad

  • Thermometer

  • Pre-made baby finch food

  • Pedialyte

  • Eye dropper or medication syringe

  • Bugs (crickets or mealworms)

  • Nest (can be a commercial finch nest)

  • Food and water bowls that attach to the cage bars

House finches are active but nervous birds. Their antics are fun to watch; however, unlike a parrot that can be held, a finch is not the right bird to have if the owner wants one that's loveable and playful. Finches don't enjoy cuddling -- although they're playful among themselves -- and holding them causes these birds stress. They make nests in pockets placed in the cage, and this is where finches will raise their young. Occasionally, when a parent dies or is unable to care for the baby, human intervention is needed. Though the babies are fragile, it is possible to raise them by hand until they can be introduced to other finches.

Find a box or cage that will protect the baby finch and give easy access to feed and care for it. Ensure the baby cannot escape before it's old enough to be placed in a cage with older finches.

Make a nest in the corner of the cage or box. It can be made of fleece or flannel fabric, and should have sides high enough so the baby cannot roll out of it. Cover the area for the baby finch with a folded paper towel.

Place the cage with the baby finch where the heat can be regulated. The baby must not get too hot or too cold. The temperature should be regulated between 88 and 92 degrees F. A heat lamp above the cage works well, as does a heating pad under it.

Put a thermometer in the cage between the nest and the wall of the cage. It will need to be continuously watched and the heat adjusted, until a steady temperature is finally achieved.

Purchase a ready-made seed mixture from a pet-supply or feed-supply store and a bottle of Pedialyte.

Set up a schedule for feeding the baby finch around the clock at timed intervals. Watch the crop in the baby's neck, as this tells when the baby's hungry; if it is flat, or puffed out, the baby finch is hungry and needs to be fed.

Mix the ready-made seed with the Pedialyte so that it's watery.

Feed the baby finch by filling an eyedropper with the ready-made seed mix. A syringe used to give human babies medicine will also work. Give the baby a little at a time, allowing the baby to take the food at its own pace. Baby finches do not breathe when they are feeding. Feed the baby small amounts at a time, allowing it to breathe in between. Do not overfeed the baby, as this could cause death.

Change the paper towel in the baby finch's nest before placing the baby back in it. The baby will probably fall fast asleep.

Mash up small bugs, occasionally mixing them with the seed mixture and sufficient quantities of water after the first two weeks of just feeding the seed mixture. Keep feeding the baby finch at regular intervals. Bugs provide perfect protein to keep the growing bird healthy. It's also okay at this point to start giving the baby water, small drops at a time, separate from the food -- although it's also okay to continue with Pedialyte.

Replace the homemade bird nest in the box with an actual finch nest, purchased from a pet store, in a cage. The baby finch is strong enough at this stage when it can stick its head out of the nest to let the caregiver know it's hungry. No matter what kind of directions a person is given for raising a baby bird, however, the chances of it surviving are slim if it is newly hatched. Remember though that even if it does not survive, it was held by your loving hands that tried.

Provide crushed birdseed in a bowl that attaches to the inside of the cage, along with a water container. At three weeks, the baby is large and agile enough to jump from the opening of the nest to the bowls and is now actively feeding and watering itself. It's okay to leave the baby in this cage for its lifetime.

Put the baby finch at five weeks of age into a cage with other finches. It is now old enough to be accepted and not picked on by the others. Keep its cage as it was for the time being, in case there are problems and it needs to be moved back into its first cage. It's okay to introduce another finch to the baby in the baby's cage as well.

  • Keep the baby finch's bedding clean at all times, replacing the paper towel as often as needed. Keep sudden noises to a minimum, as baby birds startle easily. Keep the cage and the baby in an area not accessible by children or other pets.

Warnings

  • Do not overheat or underheat the baby finch, and do not force or over feed it -- as all of these conditions can cause the death of the baby finch.

References

  • AnimalAmigo.com: Caring for Baby Finches
  • AskDeb.com: What do You Feed a Baby Bird: Doug Brinlee
  • Birds n Ways: How to Handfeed Finches: Kristine Spencer
  • Bird Guys: How to Care for Finches
  • Animal-World: All About Finches
  • Beautiful Song Birds: Guide to Finch Care

Photo Credits

Writer Bio

Nadelee Biondi has been writing professionally since 2004. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, she began contributing to "Sunset" and "Better Homes and Gardens." Biondi is also pursuing a Master of Arts in English literature.

care, what is possible and impossible, reviews

Finch is a well-known small bird. She is very beautiful and sings melodic songs. Therefore, many people are thinking about the question of whether a finch can live at home. In this article, we will consider in detail the intricacies of the life of this bird in captivity, we will analyze what it should eat, what conditions must be created for it.

Chaffinch

Description of the bird

Chaffinch is a songbird that belongs to the finches family. She is very bright and elegant, she does not tolerate cold at all, which is why she got such an interesting name.

Length From 14 to 18 centimeters.
Wingspan 24 to 29 centimeters.
Weight 16 to 30 grams.
Plumage color Plumage includes brown, white, grey, blue and green. In autumn and winter, the color becomes dull, and in spring and summer, with the onset of the mating season, the birds become bright again. Birds are distinguished by a strong beak, a tail of sufficient length and powerful wings. Females are different from males, they are not so bright and beautiful.
Lifespan In the wild, the bird lives from one to three years. When kept at home, a finch can live up to ten years.
Songbirds The chaffinch starts singing its songs approximately from spring to mid-summer, in the mating season. In autumn, the bird sings much quieter and less frequently. If the chaffinch lives at home, then its singing can be heard from January.
Table. Finch descriptionSinging finch

The usual type of finches flies quickly, moves on the ground by short jumps, he does not like to walk very much.

The songs of this bird are notable for their loud sound, ringing trills, a bit reminiscent of nightingale. The chant lasts up to three seconds, then there is a pause, after which the singing resumes. Young birds sing very simply, while adults give out virtuoso melodies. A finch's repertoire can include up to ten melodies, which he loves to perform the most.

Interesting fact! Finches are able to predict rainy weather - before the rain they sing a special trill.

Where does such an unusual name come from

To understand where this name of the bird came from, you need to remember the saying that larks begin to sing when it gets warm, and finches start singing when frost sets in. The finch's trills end before winter in a rather peculiar way, as if the bird's throat had frozen sharply from frost and it could no longer continue singing.

Chaffinch before the onset of frost

In general, it is believed that the name of the bird came from the Russian word "chill", which means - to freeze.

Differences between males and females

As mentioned above, females are not as bright as males. The females of the chaffinch have brownish-gray feathers, occasionally white wedges can be found. The abdomen of the female is light, and the back, on the contrary, is dark. The beak of the female has a brownish-yellow tint.

As for the males, their plumage has many shades of green and blue. These birds have dark wings with white stripes, their back is brown, and their abdomen is beige. With the beginning of the mating season, in spring, the bird's beak becomes bluish, only its tip remains dark. By winter, the beak of the male finch looks slightly frozen - it acquires a shade of pinkish-brown.

A pair of finches

The most common types of finches

In total, eighteen species of finches are known in nature. On the territory of the Russian Federation and the CIS you can meet:

  • European chaffinch - the traditional variety described above;
  • Caucasian chaffinch - lives in the Crimea and the Caucasus, sings very beautifully;
  • Hyrcanian chaffinch - lives mainly in Northern Iran, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, has a reddish belly and a dark brown back;
  • Kopetdag chaffinch - distributed near the Turkmen reserve of the same name, has extensive white areas of feathers on the wings and tail.

On the territory of our country, you will most likely meet only the European variety of the chaffinch.

European chaffinch

Way of life

The chaffinch resembles a sparrow in many ways, it easily finds a common language with people, often neighbors them. The diet of this bird is unpretentious, for the winter (subject to a warm climate), the bird builds a strong nest for itself, which it diligently disguises.

Chaffinches can often be found at the stadium or in the city park. If the bird is worried, feels the approaching danger, it makes loud, sharp sounds that are repeated over a wide range of frequencies. The loud sound of such a chirp should make the enemy stop chasing the bird.

Sometimes finches do not want to show their excitement to everyone, then they squeak loudly, betraying anxiety. Such sounds resemble a thin, drawn-out whistle, it starts almost silently and ends with the gradual disappearance of the volume to zero. A bird can give similar signals to its fellow tribesmen in order to warn them of impending danger, but not to appear in front of a predator, not to give out its location.

Weasels are one of the main enemies of finches

The chaffinch is an unpretentious and hardy bird. Its main enemies are small predatory animals that love to destroy bird nests. Finches can be hunted by owls, woodpeckers, magpies, crows and jays.

In addition, the main enemies of finches are cats, ermines, squirrels and martens.

Where found in nature

Finches prefer to live in deciduous, coniferous or mixed forests. They do not like only the taiga, because it is quite difficult to get food on the ground there. It is not uncommon for a finch living in a summer cottage or garden plot.

What it eats

The basis of the diet of this bird is insects, in addition, the bird does not refuse weeds, fruits, berries.

Diet of finches

Chaffinches actively harvest insects in spring, they feed on them throughout the summer, until the end of August. They really like small bugs, weevils. Finches rid tree plantations of these pests, which bring great benefits to the environment.

Migratory or not

Finches prefer to fly to warmer climes for the winter. Some varieties of these birds that live in an acceptable climate may stay over the winter. Most of the birds, with the onset of the first frosts, approximately at the beginning of October, set off on a long journey. They can fly to the central part of Europe, to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Some birds winter in the Caucasus, birds from Siberia prefer to winter in Central Asia, Kazakhstan.

The flight to wintering takes place with the participation of the whole flock, which can include up to a thousand individuals. Birds move south at a speed of more than fifty kilometers per hour. From wintering, finches return from February to April. First, males return to their place of residence, females catch up with them after about a week.

Flock of finches

Peculiarities of keeping finches at home

Finches at home – is it possible? These birds coexist well with humans, take root well in apartments and houses. But, it is impossible to say with certainty that the bird will definitely become tame. To achieve this, you will have to create a lot of conditions for the finch, have experience in keeping birds and be patient.

If the bird was caught as an adult, certain difficulties may arise with it. You will have to keep the finch in a cage covered with a cloth so as not to frighten him. Such birds, when a person appears, begin to express strong anxiety, beat against the bars of the cage.

If the bird was caught in the wild on its own, because of which it was injured, then it will not work to wait for melodic singing from the pet.

Cage covered with cloth

Preparing the cage, drinkers and feeders

Keeping a finch at home involves preparing a suitable place for him to live. A cage for a finch will need not be too voluminous, with a height of about sixty centimeters, a width of fifty centimeters and a width of forty centimeters. The upper part of the cage should be made of cloth, and it is better to cover the cage itself with a cloth so that the bird is more comfortable inside. So, you will create for her an island of safety in which she will feel comfortable.

Place a bowl of water and a feeder in the bird cage. It does not hurt to fix perches inside the cage on which the bird can sit and a house where it can hide.

At the bottom of the cage, sand can be poured, which must first be sieved and calcined to get rid of parasites in it.

Dry sand for bedding

Puts the cage with the bird in a place that is well lit, regularly ventilated. But, the presence of drafts is not acceptable. You need to clean the inside of the cage on a regular basis. General cleaning should be carried out weekly with mandatory disinfection of all surfaces and subsequent airing of the cage in the fresh air.

Nest materials or bedding

As we noted above, sifted sand should be poured inside the cage, it will act as bedding.

In order for the birds to make their own nest, it is necessary to prepare materials at hand for them. It can be tree branches, lichen, moss, pieces of tree bark, cobwebs, wool, hair.

Diet and feeding regimen

How to feed a finch at home? This bird is not particularly picky either in living conditions or in the diet.

Poppy seeds

What can be fed to a chaffinch:

  • millet - you can combine several species, check what the bird will like and choose the optimal composition;
  • some oil to reduce the pet's susceptibility to cold;
  • sunflower seeds, rapeseed, oat and poppy seeds - will increase the energy of birds, which is especially important during the mating season;
  • germinated seeds - just do not mix them with dry ones, this will quickly spoil both types;
  • grated carrots, boiled potatoes;
  • white bread soaked in milk or water;
  • ant eggs;
  • woodweed greens.

Chaffinch food should not remain in the feeder for a long time, it must be changed to a new one in a timely manner.

In order for the birds to sing more actively, it is necessary to increase the number of insects in the diet. It can be flour worms, special mixtures. Insects are required when the birds have hatched and begin to accustom the chicks to adult food.

Boiled potatoes for feeding finches

Do not constantly feed the bird with sunflower and hemp seeds. These products should be given in minimal quantities, only as part of a mixture with other grains. Otherwise, the bird may get sick, blind and die. If you notice signs of anxiety in a pet, you see that he constantly scratches his head on the bars of the cage, and his eyes begin to water, you need to drastically remove these foods from the diet. After that, it is important to wipe the finch's eyes with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, increase the amount of greens in the daily diet, add a little currant jam to the drinker.

Basic hygiene procedures

In order for the bird to bathe whenever it wants, to keep its plumage clean, it is necessary to put a container of water in the cage. Its contents should be changed regularly to avoid the multiplication of pathogens inside.

Do finches breed in captivity?

Finches can breed if kept at home, in a cage, under the right conditions for them.

Chaffinch nest

What you need:

  • a small box with a nest;
  • improvised nest materials - moss, lichen, twigs, tree bark, wool;
  • bring the male and female into one cage.

How will birds breed? First, the birds will begin to build a nest, it will take them about a week. After mating, the female will lay eggs in the nest, there can be from four to seven. Finch eggs are multi-colored, the female will incubate them for 11-13 days.

It should be noted that all the time while the female is incubating the eggs, the male sings songs melodiously. Newborn chicks squeak amusingly, whistle, their skin is covered with a rare fluff, it is wrinkled and red.

The chicks begin to fly out of the nest on their own about 14 days after hatching from the egg. To feed them, you need to offer the birds small larvae and other insects. Food rich in protein will speed up the growth of finch chicks.

Finch chick

Males guard the nest with the female and chicks very seriously. When danger appears, they immediately stand up to protect their family.

Interesting fact! The male chaffinch may participate in feeding foreign chicks.

After the first spring/summer egg laying, finches may lay another clutch. This does not happen before the end of summer. This time the female lays no more than three or four eggs. It should be noted that in order to incubate new offspring, the male builds a new nest for the female.

How to tame a bird?

It is not easy to tame a finch, if a pet was born in a cage, then it can get used to a person. If he was caught already as an adult, then it will be very difficult to tame him. Most likely, when a person appears, the bird will beat against the bars of the cage, trying to hide.

Tamed Chaffinch

In order for the bird to quickly get used to the owner, it must be kept in a cage upholstered with cloth for a long time, where the pet will feel relatively safe.

Finches can live in a cage with other birds, but they do not always do it with great pleasure. If the bird has a cocky character, then the meeting of two male finch can end in a fight.

Owner feedback on keeping finches at home

The chaffinch at home is a bird that needs attention. She is not often seen in the apartment.

Owner reviews of finches :

  • the bird sings beautifully, in different ways;
  • difficult to tame an adult;
  • does not require special care;
  • young chick easily adapts to life in captivity.

Keeping a finch at home is not just entertainment, it is a great responsibility for the bird and its life. If you want to have a songbird in the apartment, think about whether you can provide it with the necessary living conditions, properly organize the living space and diet.

Video: Finches.

Finch | ZOOMIR

Jul 2012

  • FINCH, NOT CHILL!
  • Chaffinch - an ordinary bird of our forests, the size of a sparrow, a cheerful and lively singer of the spring forest. Where did such a name come from?
  • It is known that the chaffinch is a migratory bird, but sometimes it stayed over the winter in its native lands.

  • Finch

    Finch

  • This happened in those distant times, when horses were the main means of transportation in Rus'. In the harsh winter season, when a thick layer of snow covered the ground, the only and reliable source of food for wintering birds was oat grains, which were fed to horses.
  • The Russian people have always subtly noticed the features of the behavior and appearance of each bird and aptly gave it a name.
  • It is possible that he received the Russian name "chaffinch" (chill, chaffinch) out of compassion for a ruffled, small and chilled bird, boldly remaining at home in a severe frost, or maybe because of his manner often stay in autumn and spring in large flocks on the chill
  • Let's get to know our little hero better. As mentioned above, this bird is the size of a sparrow or slightly smaller, has an unusual color.
  • The rusty-brown tone of the chest and belly is in harmony with the dove-gray cap. The back of the head and neck are of the same bluish color.
  • Black forehead, brown back, greenish-brown rump and loins complete the motley portrait of an elegant male.
  • And the older the bird, the brighter the colors in its plumage. The distinguishing features of finches look especially beautiful - white spots - "epaulettes" on the wings and a narrow white stripe along each wing.
  • These details are also present in the outfit of the female, but unlike the bright male, she is painted in restrained tones of light olive color.
  • It is very important for her to be as inconspicuous as possible on the nest when she is incubating the eggs and keeping the chicks warm.

    Finch

    Finch

  • Special mention should be made of the finch's nest. As the chicks grow, their nest noticeably stretches and increases in size - this wonderful feature of such a building helps the kids not to fall out due to crowding and fit in their house until the very departure.
  • Scientists conducted an experiment with an empty nest, filling it with pebbles and the internal volume increased by one and a half times! And this is not the limit!
  • It turns out that with effort, you can stretch such a house 2.5 times without violating its strength and shape.
  • Males are the first to arrive in their native lands and occupy their territory in forests, groves, parks and even dachas in order to meet their ladies in a week and start a family.
  • As it should be in the spring, they stay in pairs, as a result of which the female lays 5 eggs in a warm nest, after which incubation begins.
  • For two weeks she sits motionless on her eggs, rarely flying down to feed and exercise. Sometimes the male feeds her, but he sings more or quarrels with the neighbor finches, preoccupied with the protection of his site.

  • Finch

    Finch

  • The hatched chicks are covered with long gray down, although some parts of the body remain bare, but in general their outfit looks much more fluffy than that of their many songbird relatives.
  • Especially attractive is the cover on the head of fluffy chicks sticking out in different directions, forming a funny cap, and after two weeks only downy "horns" on the head remind of the former outfit. While feeding babies, finches change their diet - instead of plant foods, they feed their offspring with tender spiders and caterpillars.
  • In June this food is always in abundance. As the chicks mature, more seeds are added.
  • Chicks that quickly become independent leave their parents, but do not remain alone. Despite the fact that the finch is a forest bird, and therefore nests exclusively in trees, for most of its life it sticks to open spaces.
  • Flocks of finches begin to roam, adhering to meadows and forest edges, where there are always a lot of weeds with edible seeds.

  • Finch

    Finch

  • At the end of August, migratory mood takes over all finches and small flocks of 5-20 birds each go to warmer climes, mixing with other brothers and forming larger flocks.

    Learn more