Breeding Finches Outdoors

Owning birds can be fun, rewarding and an interesting hobby. I started like most bird lovers by owning indoor birds to start with like Cockatiels and Parrots.
because I like songbirds so much, I decided on raising Finches and after acquiring an outdoor aviary, purchased my first pair of Zebra Finches and named them Phil and Lil.This is them below.

I had a nesting box made with multiple compartments and stuffed them with hay.

They were wary of the box for a long time and wouldn't go in causing me to stress about whether the holes were too small, so I made them a little bigger.

Soon they would be mature enough to breed and I made the aviary as comfortable as possible for them.

I had various natural perches and sprigs of millet on offer. Meal worms.

I installed a used can into one corner, leaving half the lid on and bending it into a perch and this is where Lil laid her first eggs.

They loved this can.

I waited anxiously to see the first hatch, checking every day and then she had 4 chicks. One only survived for 4 days. It was just the weakest one I guess and didn't make it.

These little guys were amazing to watch and when they started flying, they were a bit unsteady and when I went out to check on them late one night.I discovered one on the cold floor of the aviary and picked him up and put him back on the perch where he remained for the night. 

They sometimes try to fly from perch to perch and get tired and can't make it up to a perch and land on the ground.I picked them up more than a few times.

I prepared egg food everyday for them and put it in the aviary where the parents readily used it.
A few times I had the pleasure of hand feeding.

It was always a pleasure to watch these little guys get fed and as usual at least one was a bit of a bully and always tried to take more then his share.

I was amazed one day to see one chick feeding another.Obviously a learned behavior.

It wasn't long before they could feed themselves and I sold the chicks back to the store they were purchased at. Just a few pounds towards more birdseed.

I decided on another species of finch and bought another mating pair of White Pied Zebras.

Stan

Next I purchased a pair of Bengali Society Finches.
You do have to be careful as to which species you put together as some get along better that others.
They are all very acrobatic fliers and every one of them landed on me while inside the aviary at least a few times.I was in their enclosure so much, that they got very familiar with me and even friendly.
Their songs are very cute and unique, starting off with a meep or beep and adding to it from there.
When threatened, they emit a sharp hiss.

Finches are very sociable and in the wild often live together in several pairs.

After all these guys had a few families, I added two canaries which get along great with Finches.

As you probably already know, Canaries are amazing singers.
Raising these birds was an enriching experience I would recommend to anyone that loves birds.
They can be kept in an indoor aviary if you have the room in your house or garage.
In colder climates such as Canada outdoor birds require a heater in winter.
They can be kept in a large cage, wide as it is tall. Never put more than one pair together in one cage.
Sadly I had to leave my birds in England when I came back to Canada, but this post has stirred up some feelings again and I would do this again in a heartbeat.

Canary feeding with tarp covering 3 sides, wintered over aviary

Do have a good day and see you next time on good day/ bad day.
                                 Jeff