Abstract
Recently while talking with a wellknown finch writer we started to discuss fostering. The comment was made that "I do not consider you have raised a finch unless it is parent-reared". To us this comment was ludicrous and demonstrates the adolescent approach many Aviculturists have towards breeding finches. Fostering is a valuable tool and many people need to get beyond the "my pet bird" mentality and see fostering as the frequently necessary means to an end which it is. Parent-rearing is nice luxury when you can afford it.For example, when the Blue-breasted Parrot Finch Erythura tricolor was found only in European aviculture and its numbers were very small, one breeder produced 50 offspring in one year from a single pair through the use of fos- tering. Of course, we are not advocating the "cranking-it-out" factory mentality, but it does show what one can accomplish with well-conditioned Society Finches.
For good general care and housing of Societies, we recommend the article by Lisa Weedn in the October/November 1993 issue of the AFA Watch bird, "The Society Finch: A Bounty for Beginners". This article demonstrates the fundamentals in keeping Societies and we could not have said it better.
Good fostering Societies are not necessarily born nor made, but a combination of the two. So the first issue to be addressed is where to get good stock. We have searched diligently in this country to find such birds, only to be consistently disappointed. Many people state that they have such birds, but when pressed further, it turns out they foster only Australians, such as Shaft-tails Poepbila acuticauda and Gouldians Cbloebia gouldiae, or as our friend Levin calls them, the "G" birds. The problem here is that the begging postures of Australians are very straight-forward, like Society chicks, and rend to be lightskinned to boor.
Africans, on the other hand, have a myriad of begging postures. Many, like the Pytilias, frantically wag their heads side to side. Some, such as the Violetears Uraegintbus granatina are very quiet for the first week or so in the nest. Many, to make matters worse, are dark-skinned. This bewildering array is very confusing to most Societies and they simply will not raise such unconventional chicks.
We consider the Society strains in this country unacceptable and had to go overseas for better bloodlines. This is not beyond the reach of the average aviculturist and can be gotten through Sigie Meyer of SE Bird and Supply Co., through special order. The Europeans are constantly developing their Societies and have produced excellent strains for the purpose of fostering. This is emphasized by the fact that perhaps the finch taking the longest to wean is the Pictorella Loncbura pectoralis. Domestic strains will feed them until they feel it is time to recycle. Unfortunately, Pictorellas may not be self-feeding until they are a couple of months old, and they must be supplemented by handfeeding or else they will surely die. European strains, in our experience, will feed them until they are self-feeding and will then recycle. Truly a desirable trait! These imported strains are what the Europeans call "dark chocolate selfs with strong breast mottlization" and are an attractive bird in their own right. Size-wise they are huge - much larger than any other domestic strains we have seen. Interestingly, from this strain we have produced a mutation called a cremino. These are the first in this country. Clearly, many of these birds are splits and many mutations can occur.
Now that you have good bloodlines, you're halfway home. You must now develop these jewels in the rough into reliable foster parents that will accept any bird at any time. At this point in aviculture with the restrictions on CITES III birds and dwindling imports of wild-caughts, these are well worth their weight in platinum.
Many people suggest the use of triads or two males. But in our experience, best results are consistently obtained using bonded, true pairs. The first step in the procedure is sexing these birds. The only reliable indication is that the cocks sing and dance and the hens lay eggs. Of course, our friend Dr. Luis Baptista throws a monkey wrench into the works by announcing that very rarely he comes across hens that sing. We suggest obtaining a good assortment and banding each individual a different color. By keeping them in one cage, it is a simple matter to identify and remove singing cocks, and any birds that are left are probably hens. The production of fertile eggs by a pair you set up will confirm that you have a cock and a hen.
We suggest letting the pairs raise their first clutch, proving their nurturing instincts. Birds that fail to accomplish this should immediately be given new partners. After they have successfully reared their first clutch, their second clutch should be dark-skinned chicks, giving them no chance to imprint upon light-skinned birds. Of course, you must remove all the Society eggs and replace them with the desired eggs. If they fail to rear, try them again with a dark-skinned bird. They will be more likely to successfully rear the second time around. Soon you will get a feel for your birds and learn which ones will be particularly good parents. Their next clutch should be light-skinned, with a possible introduction of a dark-skinned bird. By going back and forth, you will develop pairs which will accept chicks regardless of skin color or begging....