nest-box, 6ft (1.8m) above him, carrying a millet spray. We have also seen one cover his partner’s eggs with a lettuce leaf. If there is any material what so ever, they might build a second nest on top of the first clutch of eggs – and then a third on top of the second clutch – and so on, with no eggs being incubated. Interestingly, when zebra finches are colony breeding in aviaries, this sandwich nesting is not a problem – probably because the birds have more choice and the conditions are more natural. Nest- boxes for cage breeding are traditionally made of wood. A typical box takes the form of a 6in (15cm) cube with a 2½ to 3in (6.3 to 7.5cm) high aperture across the top of the front face. The lid must be either hinged or removable to permit inspections and afford access to eggs and chicks. Some breeders believe it is important to have ventilation holes in the bottom of the box to permit air to circulate and to help control humidity. This aspect of nest-box design has never worried us unduly – though we would consider it to be much more important if the box was made of plastic. The nest-box can be fitted either on the inside or the outside of the breeding cage. This is a matter of choice that can be influenced by the sizes of cages and the bird room itself. If the breeding cages are small, the box may take up too much space. In a small bird room, outside mounted nest- boxes could be in danger of being


14 BIRD SCENE


dislodged by the breeder as he or she moves around the room. We, as partners, take a different view on nest-box locations. Gerald prefers nest-boxes on the outside, while Ken puts his inside the cages. Our birds breed equally well with either arrangement. With the box on the outside the entrance aperture automatically faces the rear wall of the cage, but an interior nest-box can face in any direction. Ken positions his boxes so that the aperture faces the sides of the cages. If ever Gerald uses an inside box he faces it towards the back wall. One thing we both agree on is that it is not good practice to have the nest-box entrance facing the cage front so that the occupants can see every movement in the bird room. This can cause the birds to leave their nests. A disturbed hen has been known to panic and leave the box, without realising that she has a chick under her wing – which then drops to the cage floor and dies. Most of our birds accept the position of


the nest-boxes we choose. However, occasionally, they decide that they would refer to build their nest elsewhere – usually in the corner of the cage or on top of the nest-box. If it is the former, the solution is to place the nest-box in the corner of the cage that the birds have chosen. If the latter, taking the lid off the box usually persuades them to nest inside it. The claws of breeding birds should be checked to make sure that they


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48