sexing orange cheeked waxbills

[iguanaman]

Hello
I heard/read about different ways of sexing orange cheeked waxbills but it always seems that one person will say one thing then someone else will so that wrong so i was wondering if anyone had they own views/ways of sexing or is it a case of pot luck as at the moment ive got 6 birds in a flight but nothings happened yet ,but im still waiting to get the last couple of zebras out from the flight so maybe things will start to happen once theyve gone as a couple of the orange cheeks are always together following each other around
Darren

[Waxbillman]

Hello Darren,


yes there are many different theories of how to sex Orange-cheeks the best way of doing it without a doulbt is to let them do it. ring every bird with a different colour then keep an eye on them, they will soon start to show signs, mutual preening is one, and mating once you found a pair you are best off spliting them up, as i've seen them become quite nasty with each other when breeding.
some say that their cheeks patches vary slightly in size between the cock and hen, that method isn't reliable.
Another method commonly used is by looking at the colouring of their vents, again this method is not fool proof.

matthew

[iguanaman]

Matthew
I have seen 2pr of mine keep preening each other but when you say spilt them what would be best to put them in will a double breeding cage/large bird cage be ok or is it best to use a small flight, if a flight is best what would the smallest size be as im running out of room
Darren

[Waxbillman]

they will breed in both flights and large box cages with plenty of shelter, theywill breed in 3 x 3 x 2 cages. they usually build their own nests, often with a cock's nest.

matthew

[laurab]

Thanks for answering those questions Matthew, I don't suppose you would consider being a moderator for this section would you? :-? ;-)

[Waxbillman]

Hello Laura,


yes sure i will be happy to help out this site, and be a moderator.

matthew

[laurab]

Thanks Matthew, I am sure everyone will agree you are the man for the job ;-)

[Waxbillman]

no problems


any questions on waxbills, please fire away.

matthew

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Darren,

Orange Cheeks do vary in colour and size a great deal, and as Matthew has already stated cheek or vent colour differences alone cannot be used reliably for sexing them.
But if you have a Bird that is small in size, has a pale red bill, small dull orange cheek patches, a small dull orange vent patch, dark red rump and very little white showing on the underparts it is likely to be a hen.
If you have another Bird slighty larger than the former, has a deep bright red bill, large bright orange cheek patches, a large bright orange vent patch, bright red rump and brighter silver/grey underparts with a white throat this is likely to be a cock.

But as Matthew has said life isn't this simple,:???: so plastic split rings of different colours for each Bird is the best answer, this is the method I used when I used to breed Orange Cheeks.:grin:
You haven't mentioned the size of the aviary housing your Waxbills or the other occupants (apart from the Zebra Finches), if the aviary is large enough you may get away with colony breeding, if not as Matthew has told you it would be best to seperate the individual pairs.

Good luck with breeding them, but remember, Fruit Flies!! Mine loved them especially when feeding chicks.:grin:

Paul.

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Matthew,

Laura has made a great move in asking you to be a Moderator:grin:, I may be picking your brains shortly on a few Waxbill Species but in particular Black Crowned, a Species I've wanted to keep and breed for a long time but I been put off of them thinking they were quite difficult to keep and breed.:-|

But recent articles are suggesting they are both hardy once acclimatised and not at all difficult to breed, but I'm still concerned with establishing pairs from a group of Birds knowing their nasty habit of plucking and bullying.:-x

Paul.:wink:

[iguanaman]

Thanks for all your answers Paul they are in a 6'L x 5'H x 3'W aviary there is 6 orange cheek,1pr diamond doves and 2pr zebras i know there are to many birds but the DD and zebras where just put in there while i was sorting out something for them but before i had time to finish the DD/zebras went to nest at the moment i give them small crickets and mealworms as fruit flies are banned from my house because ive got reptiles,chipmunks and monkeys in various places around the house who eat fruit and the last lot of fruit flies i used ended up in every room of the house

From all the info given i think out of the 6 birds i have ive got 2prs as they are always together preening each other and 1 from each pair is brighter/duller etc when i can get the DD/zebras out would the flight i have be big enough to house the 6 birds or at least the 2prs
Darren

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Darren,

A 6ft long X 5ft high X 3ft wide aviary may be large enough for two pairs of Orange Cheeked Waxbills if you provide them with plenty of natural cover and nesting sites (boxes and baskets at varying heights and positions) even then you may notice that each pair will take turns in breeding.

I do sympathise with you on the Fruit Fly problem, I'm amazed my Old's haven't burried me under a new patio by now:grin:, but if you use the large flightless Fruit Flies they shouldn't invade the House as much as the Wild Fruit Flies do.

Paul.

[Waxbillman]

hello Paul


sure thing fire away with any questions you want.
yes there is allot of stigma surrounding Black-crowned waxbills but providing you have a true pair they are good breeders.
black-crowns once acclimatised like you said are quite hardy birds, the reason for this is they are found quite high up in the mountains as well as low down so they naturally can tolerate cool temperatures. however having said that the British climate is a strange one, and its prolonged cool and damp conditions that our waxbills cannot tolerate. so if you were to have them in an outside avairy make sure they have access to heat and light quarters.
i find black-crowns a very attractive species reminding me of a miniture black and white version of the British bullfinch.
i have colour cctv attached to one of my avaries and so can observe their natural behievour and i can honestly say that they are not bullies and i've never really observed much aggression, the feather plucking believe it or not does not seem aggresive, it just seems like a ritual to them, like mutual preening.
to stop feather plucking i split my pairs up, and only put them together in the breeding season.
last year my breeding pair raised young in a domed nesting basket. this year the pair have built their nest in conifer branches, its a beautiful tight sphere with the entrave tube in the middle.
black-crowns do appreciate the odd buffalo worm when breeding, but seeding grases are probabily more important, they especially love red Anjou millet sprays which is a shame because the dam things are expensive and hard to get hold of due to last years' crop failing.
the chicks resemble their parent except being a slightly browner, cream rather than whict, as well as having their' gapes. thats why its recommended that ring the adults to save confusion.
the male displays by bobbing up and down with nesting material in his mouth, mine are quite secretive and never do it when i'm around.
prices range from £30-£50, which seems expensive, but is nothing compared to the early 1990's when prices well exceeded £100.
as for sexing it is hard but not impossible. the female has a creamy brown vent, with her breast being white with a brown sheen. where as the males have a white to light grey breast going down to the vent.

matthew

[PAUL HEARN]

Hello Matthew,

Thanks for the reply mate, I guess my worry over the plucking problem is mainly due to the fact I usually see them caged in Pet Shops rather than in planted aviaries.:?
I'm pleased to hear you have bred them yourself, and it looks likely you will repeat this again this year, well done.:grin:
When you mentioned severe mutual preening being the reason for what seems to be feather plucking, it reminded me of a Bird Species totaly different to Waxbills, White Throated Laughing Thrushes, in the last few years I have seen two breeding pairs of these Birds and on both occassions the hens had completely bare necks I can only assume the same happens with the Laughing Thrushes.:smile:

I can buy pairs of Black Crowns for £30-£35pr so price isn't a problem, Red Anjou Millet sprays, seeding Grasses and various Livefoods including Buffaloworms are all given to my Birds anyway, and I also feed my Birds Fonio seed which I assume Black Crowns will take to and enjoy.

Thanks again, Paul.:grin:

[Waxbillman]

hello Paul

good luck to you m8!! you should have few problems in breeding them they are very willing birds.
i certainly enjoy haveing them, you can colony breed black-crowns all though i pernonally wouldn't recommend it because they will pluck even more, they are better being in a pair in a mixed aviary, they tend to pluck less

matthew

[PAUL HEARN]

Thanks Matthew,

Your advice is noted, thank you very much.

Paul.:wink: