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Errol Crosbie.
Copyright © 2002.
All rights reserved.
Revised: Oct 14, 2007


Blue-faced Parrot Finch
Feeding
.
Breeding
Blue-faced do not seem to be at all fussy.
 
No fostering is required with Blue-faced.
They receive the same seed mix/ soft food mix as the Pin-tailed Parrot Finches - Link
 
Other breeders do not report this but I have difficulty distinguishing between cocks and hens.
They are more willing to experiment with new foods and are generally more inquisitive than Pin-tailed Parrot Finches.
 
Cocks are generally more robust but the main difference is the extent and intensity of the blue face.
They make more use of egg food even when they are not rearing chicks than do the Pin-tailed.
 
Once a true pair is installed in an adequate cage or flight there is very little to prevent breeding.
Grit is available at all times as is crushed oyster shell
mixed with dry vitamins and minerals.
They make great use of this.
They like water cress.
 
Mine nest in half-fronted 5 in. cube nest boxes
in which I form a nest of coconut fibre.
The birds don't bother to restructure my nests to any great extent.They are not fussy.
While it could be that the birds which I obtained were too in-bred or closely related, a few seemed to be prone to a rheumatic type of condition whereby they slowly lost function of the legs.
 
The number of eggs seems to vary considerably.
Seven is my maximum, all were fertile and six chicks fledged.
but....
In-breeding could have been involved but a vitamin or mineral deficiency is the more likely cause.
Such problems seem to arise more readily in birds kept in small cages.
These birds are amongst the lightest of sitters that I have ever experienced.Just approaching the aviary is enough for the birds to come off.
Apart from these initial problems, Blue-faced Parrot Finches are very easy to keep and breed.
For this reason, one is sometimes unaware that a pair is nesting.Care needs to be taken that a pair is not disturbed excessively such that eggs or chicks chill.
Apart from the slightest noise during the first few days after hatching, particularly in the morning, the chicks seem to make very little noise.
The overall pattern is of a very discreet breeder such that on one occasion the first I knew of a pair nesting was when three chicks fledged.
The young learn and wean quickly.
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