FEATURE
A pair of Zebra Finches
WHEN THE TIME COMES TO SPLIT UP BREEDING PAIRS OF ZEBRA FINCH There comes a point in every breeding season when pairs need to be split up. In our case it is almost always at the end of the second breeding round. Feeding chicks takes a lot out of parent birds so we are never tempted to let them go on to feed a third round though, if the early chicks of a particular pair are outstanding we have been known to let a hen lay a third clutch of eggs and then foster out the clutch. Compared to feeding, laying eggs has no adverse effect on a zebra finch hen’s physical condition. One of the benefits of maintaining a relatively large stud of zebra finches is that it is not too difficult to find suitable foster
nests for eggs – without ever making pairings with the express intention of using them as foster pairs. If there is a possibility that eggs will need to be transferred, a hen with a clear clutch will be permitted to carry on sitting. If a hen has four fertile eggs, there is room for a couple from another pair. In set-ups such as ours it is usually possible to transfer eggs to a pair of a different colour so that there can be no confusion over parentage. For the decision to be made to split up a pair, their last chick or chicks must be ready for weaning. Full details of the chick – parentage, hatching date, colour and sex – are entered in the record book at the time. You may think you have a good memory but leaving such details
BIRD SCENE 27
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