CAGE BIRDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22226, 28 September 1935, Page 5 (Supplement)

CAGE BIRDS

Fancier Friends: Inquiries have again been so numerous that the major portion of this week's notes will be taken up with answers. Several young fanciers have been asking the best treatment for goldfinches, which they have recently caught. Ample niger seed, crushed hemp seed and canary seed are essential in getting these birds into good condition. Niger seed in particular is valuable because it is almost identical with many of the seeds upon which they feed when at liberty. Give goldfinches plenty of sow thistle heads and groundsel. When (lowers with seeds that are liked by goldfinches arc in the garden, give these to the birds. Different kinds of marigolds or, later on, cosmos, are particularly appreciated. Unless one is prepared to go to some trouble in daily feeding these birds, one should not assume the responsibility of keeping them in captivity. Well kept, the birds will bo happier in secure quarters with an ample food supply than battling on their own against the elements, but the owner must give them that personal attention to which all live tilings in captivity arc entitled.

Answers to Correspondents "Balgowrie," To Awnmutu.—Let tho lion raise tho balance o£ tho nest by herself. If she could get into the nest, tho cock bird also should have been able. It is difficult to Rive an exact reason for the cock bird acting hb he has, but it may be because tho nest was put in a littlo too late. If ho is a big bird und tho hen small, and ho is unable to get into the nest, he would be annoyed, as often they sit side by side. I suggest that a fortnight after the last young 0110 has left tho nest you remove tho youngsters; introduce the cock bird again, but do not give them the husk for a week after his re-entry. It is probable that 110 will not cause any troublo a second time.

"Beginner," Nukuhou North.—(Your name is omitted.) A small handful of partridge pens once a day is sufficient. Fancy pigeons and doves requiro different foods, such as wheat, canary seeds and millet seeds. "Budgie," Thames.—Approximately IS days for tho eggs to hatch; sometimes a littlo longer. They will nest four to five times a year if you permit them; but you aro recommended to lit.ko two nests only, even if the hen lays a few eggs of the third nest before the young ones of tho second nest have flown. It is better to breed good, healthy youngsters than a larger number of bad "doers." "Pure Bred," Mount Roskill.—Tho nest you mention is the outer husk of the coconut. Tho nut itself with the flesh inside is no use at all for budgerigars. You enn buy a husk, already made into a nest, from any bird shop; the coconut itself with a portion sawn off the end and the flesh inside scooped out makes a very good nest for small finches. Havo a look round a bird shop next time you are in town, and you will see tho two different articles. "Cheerio," B.G.—Your complimentary remarks are appreciated. I would suggest that you do a little more study of books ■available on sexing birds. It is not as easy ns it seems with some' species. Your information from England is very good, but it is a pity that you are not, however, in possession of all of tho facts

"Tyro," Frankton Junction.—Tho onp white youngster is the result of both birds having had a white ancestor; this lack of colour on both sides centreing in the white young one in tho nest. If tho white had been on one side only, all of tho progeny would have been blue.

"Hopeful," Epsom.—Sand from an ocean bench is quito suitable as grit, as long as thero aro no drains or other contaminating influences in the vicinity. You could also try to obtain some old mortar, which is sometimes available when a house iB being demolished. That is very good. You could also use cuttlefish. On no account wash the sand from the clean ocean beach, as the salt water in the 6and is of great benefit to the bird. Will be delighted to answer any question you may ask. Never mind if it is something you think you should know. Everyone has got to start at tho bottom of the ladder. A.C.C., Dcvonport.—lt is very unusual for budgerigars to attempt to destroy their young when they aro ready to leave the nest. If tho birds aro by themselves, it might be that the enclosure is too small.' If any bird is immediately alongside, jealousy might bo the cause. In somo cases, it is thought that deficiencies in the diet produce depraved cravings I suggest yoii give a little rock salt or some mineral or iodine tonic, and in tho meanwhile take the cock bird away, and let the hen rear four young one 3 by herself. Give tho hen a fortnight or more after tho j-oung ones aro independent before re-introducing the cock bird for a second nest. 8.L., Westmere.—Goldfinches will go to nest if they have been moulted in captivity between October, November and December, according to tho treatment they receive. See the rotes at the top of the page for food. Tho cock bird is not ready to have a family until his beak is clear to tho tip. For nesting material, they want plenty of horse hair, rootlets of grass, etc., moss, and if you wish, a little cow hair. Give them twiggy branches of tea-tree or privet, and fix in a secluded corner screened from view. You do not say if you aro going to pair the goldfinch with the canary, or try and breed pure goldfinches. "First Neflt," Denby Avenue.—Write to the honorary secretary of tho Budgerigar Society, Mr. Cutler, Carlton Avenue, Oneliunga.

"Keen," Epsom.—l suggest you take nwny the lust two eggs laid. They can bo distinguished by being cleaner than the others and whiter, because incubation has not gono very far. The hen is certainly an egg machine. You will have to watch her carefully when the young ones are hatched out. You may even now find it advisable, after the young ones are hatched, to leave her not more than five young ones, transferring the surplus young to another hen with young ones of about the same age. You may, as many of the fanciers do, give the young ones away to some other fancier who is pleased to take tliem. When inserting the young ones into a strange nest, try to select one where they are all about the same sequence of size, and put your hand on those in the nest. This is thought to make them appear or smell the same to the parent birds, and they are then less liable to throw out the extra offspring. It is not much use allowing such a large number of eggs to remain in the nest, as it often happens that the eggs duo to hatch last become soiled and occasionally are pierced by the claws of the parents or youngsters.

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Letters requesting information regarding the care of cage birds will be answered in this column each week. Readers are invited to writo to Tailfeathers, New Zealand Herald Office, Auckland.

M.T.J., Kingslnnd.—Please do not excuße yourself for being a beginner. It is a pleasure to be of any help. If these notes help you to spend a few spare moments with a clean, henlthy hobby, any iittlo effort is well repaid. Jt is difficult 1o obtain good birds. Tho budgerigar's capacity for reproduction is its own worst enemy. When bred in captivity, food is always available, and Nature's automatic check of a food shortage stopping breeding does not act. The cock budgerigar is an idle fellow, and his work does not commence until the young onps appear. lie docs not assist the hen during incubation, only feeds her. Allowing the birds to exercise their natural discrimination in food is good. You do not know their precise needs, and it is better to permit them to follow their natural inclination than to force them to live upon certain restricted kinds of seeds. Exercise is essential. On no account keep budgerigars with canaries, as the former will playfully nip the legs of the canaries and break them. Canaries in the hot weather arc afflicted with small insects called rod mite, which would in turn annoy the budgerigars. Several firms in Auckland stock mealworms, which aro usually sold by the hundred. You can also breed them yourself by putting tho worms in a tightly joined, dry, wooden box with bran and old flannel folded in tho box. Some fanciers put layers of brown paper in tho box as well. An apple or a carrot occasionally is necessary lo supply a small quantity of moisture. The cage you mention is large enough, but would have been better ISin. wide. If your birds aro truly three months old, you should bo able to tell the cocks by the colour of tho skin above the beak, which is deep blue. Tho similarly situated skin of tho hen can be any shade, from pale blue to coffeo colour; but ns jour birds are young and not nearly ready to breed, it is probable that the colour of tho skin of the hen at present would bo whitish blue. Do not breed from birds unless they arc 12 months old. It is not necessary to feed selected white millet or canary seed with cod liver oil the whole of the season. You are liable to cause the birds to become too fat, particularly as they are not at liberty in a largo aviary. Use the cod liver oil with the seed before the hen goes to nest, and after the young ones are hatched. "Celia," Toliuna.—l am afraid your budgerigar must be a cock bird, and wants the opportunity to give some of the good food you give him to a hen bird. Budgerigars do not eat very much grit, as_ long as they have not been deprived of it for a long period In fact, under normal conditions, you hardly ever see them eat tho grit. To check my supposition, handle tho bird and see if it is in good physical condition; that is, when you catch hold of it, it feels a good handful, and the breast bono is well covered with flesh. The bird will not cat moro than a teaspoonful of seed per day. Write again in a fortnight if still in doubt. E.M.C., New Lynn.—For budgerigars when breeding, in addition to a well-bal-anccd proprietary seed mixture, yoti want to give them a littlo extra good quality white millet seed and hulled oats. I suggest that you get tho four back issues of the Heuald supplement- to obtain the complete treatment of these birds. For green food, give them sow thistle heads, leaves and stalk, silverbeet leaves or lettuce leaves. Give them cuttlefish, sea shell sand in the bottom of the cage, and a little mixture to mako up the possible mineral deficiencies in the diet. R.G., Karaka.—The bird you bought may have been younger than two months and fretting. Try giving him white millet seed and plain canary in which a little cod liver oil has been stirred, and dust the oily seeds with carbonate of bismuth. Your bird may have caught some intestinal trouble, or being younger than you think, not be feeding properly. This will bo proved by the husks in the seed dish. Be sure to isolate the bird at once. "Anxious," New Plymouth.—-(Please givo name next time.) If anything, you may have been giving your birds too fattening a diet. Hulled oats and cod liver oil to excess are detrimental. If tho bird has gone out of breeding condition, and into a moult, possibly she did not have enough exercise previous to the present. You might also have restrained her from breeding too long. This seems to bo indicated by the skin above the beak being very dark in colour. In good breeding condition, this is a light brown, and has the appearance of being full underneath. Often when out of breeding condition, it is exceptionally dark brown and shrivelled up. I suggest you remove the husk, if she lias not already laid, and let the pair of birds have ample exercise for a month before re-introducing them to a breeding cage or breeding aviary. By your exceptionally generous regime, you havo probably brought the birds into breeding condition a little too early, and prevented the hen from nesting • by introducing tho husk too late. The case is interesting, and I would like to know whether they eventually respond to the treatment suggested. R.E.S., Waiuku.—l think your difficulties will cease, and the birds will very shortly go to nest. The fact that tho hen is taking an interes". in the nesting receptacle proves that sho is thinking of making use of it. You do not say if the pair are by themselves or whether you have a few odd birds in tho vicinity. This sometimes helps. Cats on tho top of the aviary would prevent the birds nesting. "Worried," Papakura.—(Please give name next time.) The birds will probably bo a little late in going to nest. Mako sure that the nest is firm, as sometimes when it is swinging the hen does not feel it is securely fixed and safe for tho young ones. See that tho opening of the husk is slightly inclined to tho light. They do not like the opening in deep shade. Thi3 further advice will probably make you succeed. See previous answers re goldfinches "Late Breeder," Rata Street.—(Please give namo next time.) Use an old putty knife or an old tablespoon to clean out the husk; of course, removing tho youngsters while you aro doing this, and putting them in an old felt hat or wooden box, so that they will not get chilled. It is not too late to pair up your budgerigars now. S.D., To Poi.—Zebra Finches very often lay clear eggs at the commencement of the breeding season. It is really a mistake to givo them nesting material before hot weather is here. I suggest you remove tho nest and any nesting material in the aviary and do not introduce it until the fine weather during October or November, Tho birds want to bo given an insect mixture in addition to plain seed diet during tho breeding season. "Birds," Tauranga.—Birds newly caught want careful treatment to get them accus tomed to a hard seed diet. Different species require slightly different treatment. A chaffinch is an unsuitable bird for a cago. They are rather wild, and want to be kept in an out-door aviary. A goldfinch would be better for you. Chaffinches can be kept in captivity, and Iheir food is all kinds of mixed seeds, wheat, apple, carrot and greens such as lettuce, silverbeet, etc. The birds should bo caught in the winter time, and not in I tho spring, when they aro approaching tho 1 breeding season.