FEATURE
for me once I get the protein levels correct. I achieve this with the use of frozen Pinkies and meal worms supplemented with Protifar a protein supplement added to my egg food. Mind you getting them to nest and actually rear chicks are two different propositions! Like most Estrildidae they can be very easily disturbed and desert their young. In the wild they will supply a lot of
green seeding grasses, as well as the animal protein in the form of small insects to the young. Easier said than done here in the UK, so as a replacement I use frozen Peas put through the blender when still frozen then mixed in the eggfood. However, I feel I must state that some pairs may often throw their chicks out or stop feeding despite the presence of large amounts green seed and of live food. I have had pairs that threw chicks out at varying stages of development – from day olds to almost fledged – despite there being enough live food. They show a great dislike for nest inspection, so try and keep fingers away. Changing diet triggers breeding,
(e.g.
changing from the austerity diet to breeding diet, introduction of soft food, with higher protein levels.) all the Australian finches need a period of rest; Austerity diet, with Crimsons this can be a balancing act, to little protein and you can trigger aggression when in mixed flights, keep it to high and the birds put
Crimsons will prefer to build their own bulky domed shape nest if given the chance, built from coarse grasses, and lined with coconut fibre and feathers, mostly white.
on weight and will not breed. I have tried fostering under Bengalese but found infant mortality high as the Bengalese tend to try to stuff food in and sit when Crimson chicks tend to need constant supply of little and often and will not beg once some food is delivered. Courtship starts with the cock flying around carrying a length of green grass or white feather he will land next to the hen and sidle up to her waving the grass stem or feather, they then tend to lean forward twisting there tails towards each other, the cock will then raise up and bob up and down, both then tail quiver and if his luck is in mating will take place. Crimsons will prefer to build their own bulky domed shape nest if given the chance, built from coarse grasses, and lined with coconut fibre and feathers, mostly white. They usually build high in branches lining the shelter walls. They also use nest boxes, but, prefer to construct their own if given the option. The usual clutch is five to seven eggs, and fertility is good, and incubation takes 14 days with both male and female sharing the duties the female incubates alone during the night with the cock
BIRD SCENE 13
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