Nest Boxes Are Installed for 2012

Rosie is getting ready.

It won't be long now and I'll be posting more about Bourkes than Gouldian finches.

Two of our eight cages. Nest boxes are ready.

All our Bourke couples have nest boxes up as of yesterday and hens are happily rearranging the pine shavings. Our three mature hens eagerly hollowed out an area for their eggs almost immediately. Two hens hatched last year are asking to breed, but haven't entered their boxes yet even though they went up first. Experienced hens are way ahead of the younger ones.

Six babies from last year. Only one of these is still with us.
All were hand fed and I kept a pink-eyed male.

Newly hatched Rosie Bourkes in 2011.

Duke and Duchess, our Lady Gouldian pair, are on their second clutch. Their first five babies were sold to a pet shop last Wednesday, along with two Bourkes I'd held back. I decided to release them to the pet shop too. They were pink-eyed (opaline fallows) and I had hoped one would be a hen, but they were not. I still have one very tame male who needs a mate. Although he is a 2011 bird, his hen will have to be a 2012 hatchling. He is an opaline fallow with pink eyes and I'd like to pair him with a similar female. Wish I could find a lutino Bourke to put with him. In lieu of that, I hope he will raise some lutinos from a light pink hen like himself.

Some of our hand fed Rosy Bourke youngsters from last year. It's
difficult to part with them after the love they received and reciprocated.

Peace & Blessings.