What do Finches Eat?
The food. What do finches eat? Mostly seed. You will find seed mixes specifically for finches. You can purchase your seed from a number of sources. I purchase my seed from ABBA Seed and Herman Brothers. You can purchase it from pet stores, local bird marts/fairs or online. It depends on what is available and is most convenient for you. Here are some places you can purchase seed from via the Internet that I have used:
While your bird could survive on just seed alone, I would not recommend it. Birds also enjoy millet, sprouted seed, eggfood, live food (some species) as well as fresh vegetables and fruit. Sometimes it will take many attempts to introduce new foods to your birds – but keep trying and in the long run you will have healthier and happier birds. Also keep in mind how you provide your food to your birds as far as the containers. Some people use the cups that are provided with the cage when you buy it. I prefer to use Seed Hoppers that attach to my individual breeding cages. They have a catch tray that greatly reduces the amount of hulls on the floor. In my flight cages, I use large bird feeders.
Your birds also need fresh water on a daily basis. There are many ways to provide water to your birds. You could use shallow dishes on the bottom of the cage – only problem with this is they tend to get dirty very fast with bird droppings or your finch takes a bath in it. You can also use water tubes that are attached to the outside of the cage or even better is an automatic watering system - which is what I use. Be sure to ask the person you buy your finches from what method they use. I have heard of finches dying due to lack of water because they were not familiar with the method a new owner used. You may have to transition your finches from one type of water source to another – be sure you see your finches drinking before removing a water source.
Supplements….There are many products on the market that you may wish to add to your finches’ diet. These would include, but are not limited to, vitamins, supplements for breeding birds, apple cider vinegar, supplements for sick birds and supplements for molting birds – just to name a few. You will find that many breeders do things differently and it is your personal preference on what to offer your finches.
WHAT I FEED
I feed my birds the ABBA finch diet. To that I add canary seed as well as chick starter. This is the basis of my birds food. I also feed my birds "oiled" seed. This is seed that I have added an oil supplement such as VetaFarm Breeding Aid or Cod Liver Oil. You add a SMALL amount of oil to the seed, just enough to coat it, and let it "soak" overnight before feeding. I usually mix up a batch each week. Oiled seed does need to be refrigerated!
I also feed my birds an eggfood mixture. You will find this varies greatly by breeder. I hard boil the eggs and then run them through a potato ricer. I then add Feast Softfood. I may also add any of the folowing: kelp granules, powdered vitamins, bee pollen granules, probiotic, soak seed or chopped veggies. I give this daily to breeding birds and those with babies. Other birds receive this 2-3 times per week. Moulting birds especially need a diet high in protein, be sure to provide your birds with some typed of eggfood daily when moulting. I will also add supplements to my eggfood specific to each bird cages needs. I will sprinkle on ProBoost SuperMax, Feather up, Guardian Angel, Nekton-S and Lafeber's Bird Vitamins. What they receive depends again on whether they are breeding, moulting, feeding young, etc. Many of the BirdCare Company items can be found on our online store www.JustBirdStuff.com!
I do try to provide my birds with fresh foods as well. But I have to admit, they do not show alot of interest in them. But I will continue to try and feed these items because I do believe they are beneficial to them.
What Supplies will I need....
Once you have done some research about the species of finch you are interested in, you need to purchase the cage and supplies.
The cage. You should try to buy the largest cage possible that you can afford and that your home can accommodate. For finches, a longer cage is more important than a tall cage. Finches need to be able to fly back and forth, not up and down. I would recommend a rectangular cage no smaller than 16H X 16W X 24L. But if you can get a larger cage I would recommend doing so. Also, be aware that finches need their space and the size of the cage will determine the number of birds you can have in it. For the above listed cage size, I would recommend no more than 1 pair of finches.
Setting Up Your Cage. Once you have purchased your cage, you need to get it ready for your birds. Most cages will already come with perches and plastic feed cups. Many people also add other things to their birds cages such as plastic plants that you can purchase at any local craft store. Be sure to wash them and let them dry completely prior to use. I will twine my plastic vines through the cage top and sides so the birds have some coverage to hide in. I also recommend that you purchase a variety of perches of different sizes. It is best if you have more than one size perch in the cage - in nature, finches would be perching on a variety of different sized branches. This is beneficial for the feet. You can also add natural perches from outside to your birds cages. Be sure to wash them well first (I use bleach and water mixture) and let them dry completely. Here is a site listing safe plants that you can use in your birds cages - http://www.multiscope.com/hotspot/safeplants.htm. You want to put the perches at opposite ends of the cage so your birds can fly back and forth (not hop). As for the feed dishes - I personally do not use the ones provided with the cage. I purchase clay pot saucers (again from local craft store) and use this to feed my birds with. Finches usually feed off of the ground so this method is more natural to them. For water, I purchase water tubes at my local bird mart. I don't use the saucers because the birds tend to take baths in them and it becomes very dirty quite fast.
Where to purchase cages:
Your best deal is at a local bird mart/fair. Otherwise, using the Internet is another great option. Here are some places that I have purchased cages from via the Internet
Demsonds Pet Depot on Ebay
Lighting….Finches require natural sunlight to help in absorption of vitamins and minerals. If you birds are outside (in warmer climates) you will not need to add any additional lighting source. If you birds are indoors, I
would recommend using Full Spectrum lighting above your cages. You can purchase the bulbs and hardware quite inexpensively from Walmart. I just lay a light fixture directly on top of each cage.
Purchasing a Finch
Before you buy….
Prior to deciding to purchase a finch, I would recommend that you do a little research to find out as much information as you can so you are well prepared. This will ensure you are knowledgeable and know what to expect once you bring your bird home. Remember, birds need daily care and if you are going to be gone overnight you need to ensure that you have someone who can take care of your bird(s) for you.
You can visit your local library and find books on Finches. You can also use the Internet by joining online Groups. There are a number of Yahoo! Groups that specifically discuss the care of Finches. Plus they are a great resource for when you have questions.
Where to Buy....
There are a number of places you can look to purchase your a Finch.
The Pet Store. You can find them at your local pet store. If possible, I would recommend you not buy your finch at the local pet store - unless you know they have a good reputation. Too often they can't give you any information about your bird such as the age. They crowd too many birds in too small of a cage. And the birds can be old or sick.
Bird Fairs/Marts. You can buy quality birds at a local Bird Fair/Mart. The key here is to get to know the person selling the birds. Look at the condition of the birds and how clean is the cage they are in. Do they have food and water? Unfortunately at bird fairs/Marts it is buyer beware. Good, reputable breeders will provide with information on their birds and being willing to provide you with their name and number in case you have any questions at a later date.
There are some "vendors" who sell a variety of birds. But these individuals usually do not actually breed the birds. If unsure, try and ask someone at the fair if they can recommend someone. Most vendors at fairs attend regularly and can offer some valuable advice.
How do you find local bird fairs/marts? Check out the following link:
Breeders. This is, in my opinion, the best way to purchase your bird - directly from a breeder. As noted above, they will sometimes attend local bird fairs/marts. If you can find a local breeder, that is probably best. But many times it is difficult to find a local breeder, you can then find a breeder who is willing to ship the birds to you. Shipping costs vary depending on the method the breeder uses. If shipped by USPS, you can expect to pay shipping costs of $30-$50 dollars. If shipped via the airlines, you can expect to pay $90 and up.
How do I find breeders? The Internet can help as well as breeders listed in Magazines such as Bird Talk. Here are just a few of the sites you can look for breeders at:
