How to Breed Wild Finches

A finch's playful antics can provide spectators with hours of amusement. While most finches do well in a mixed species environment, some, such as weavers and bullfinches, are too aggressive to be housed with other species. Breeding finches is relatively easy compared to many other birds but catching wild birds for breeding purposes should be restricted to common wild species (which are difficult to obtain through breeders), to those that have a unique local variation or to the preservation efforts of endangered species by qualified individuals.

Things You'll Need

  • Cages
  • 3 plywood sheets, 4-by-8-foot
  • Nails
  • Hammer
  • Window screening
  • 1-by-2-inch wood boards
  • Saw
  • Full spectrum lighting
  • Birdbath
  • Minerals
  • Variety of nesting materials
  • Food
  • 3 hinges with screws
  • 1 door
  • 1 cat door
  • Greenery
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Instructions

  1. Preliminary

    • 1

      Determine if the species you are trying to breed is social or must be kept in solitary pairs. Society and zebra finches are very social and you keep them in mixed groups. Some species such as the bronze wing mannkin can be in multiple pairs but others, like the blue cap cordon bleu, must be the only pair of that species in a mixed-flight cage.

    • 2

      Quarantine all new birds for six to eight weeks. Some experts recommend dosing all new birds with antibiotics but this can be stressful in itself.

    • 3

      Move healthy new birds to adjustment cages in, or attached to, your bird flight cage after the quarantine period. These cages allow easy access to the new birds in case of problems without adding the stress of chase and recapture. Caging near the other members of your flight cage allows you to observe the interactions of the new birds with the other finches in the flight cage.

    Building Flight Cage

    • 4

      Build a breeding flight cage inside the larger shelter; for finches 4-foot square by 8-foot high is sufficient for two to four pairs of birds if the species are compatible.

    • 5

      Nail together three 4-by-8-feet plywood sheets for three walls using the hammer. If your shelter has a higher or lower ceiling you will need to cut the boards to fit or add a roof to the cage. Frame the fourth wall with 1-by-2-inch wood strips. Add 1-by-2-inch wood studs every 12 inches for support.

    • 6

      Frame out a doorway by building a header and the side frames from the wood strips. What you use as a door will determine the frame dimensions. Hang the door using three hinges. Heavier doors might require adding a second stud to each side of the frame for support.

    • 7

      Install a lockable cat door in your door or in a wall. Use this to feed and water the birds. Not entering the room will reduce the birds stress during breeding and chick rearing.

    • 8

      Run 32-inch or wider window screen vertically up three studs on the outside of the framed out fourth wall. Hold the screen tight and staple in place.

    Breeding

    • 9

      Provide privacy for the birds by adding foliage plants and small trees.

    • 10

      Use full spectrum lighting for the health of the birds as well as the foliage.

    • 11

      Provide open access cages, a variety of nesting material and pre-made woven nests. Allowing your pair to choose their location and type of nest will increase the odds of mating.

    • 12

      Add mineral powder to their food to replace the minerals the female will use while laying eggs.

    • 13

      Observe the behavior of the birds to determine if the male and female are interested in each other. In cages with more than one pair, take note of any aggression of breeding interference especially between males.