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I am looking into adding birds to my indoor aviary. I am looking into either Diamond Doves or Canaries. Which would be best? If it's canaries what type?
Any input would be very helpful. Thank you, Kim.

I believe it really depends on the kind of finches. Some are more agressive than others.

How large is the aviary?

In a small flight, most finches tend to stay nervous from the movements of a larger bird.

Depending on what your flooring is like, you might think about button quail. They are small, cuter'n all get-out, and are like catfish in an aquarium: little vaccuum cleaners who run around the ground/floor snarfing up all the seeds the finches have flung every which way. We added a pair last spring and though folks had warned us that they're very difficult to breed, Oingo & Boingo stepped right up and blessed us with a clutch of 3 chicks about 4 months after joining the flock. I dearly love watching the juveniles because they're so playful.

Just a thought,
Pat

The aviary is 6x4x3. Right now I just have 4 pairs of zebra finches. This aviary is something that my husband just finished building for me. I am looking into Button Quail. But any other additions would be welcome. Any thoughts.
Thanks, im

I'm assuming the 6' is the height? If so, then the 4 x 3 isn't a huge area to add doves or canaries along with finches.

I'm also a fan of button quail, but be warned that if any sickly birds end up on the floor, they won't live long once the quail spot them! I found I needed to clean the floor more often (unless you have a dirt floor) and they also do best in an area when they can take dust baths.

4 pair is really the ideal number to have in your flight at the moment, and adding more birds will most likely cause an upset in the balance.
If you definitely want to add a few more, consider the mutations of the Zebras, and maybe even some crested. There are few species of finches that mix well with active, nosey Zebras!

Just be aware that the addition of 2 new birds to the mix will more than likely cause the existing group to gang up on them so I'd suggest removing half of the original group, add the new ones, then after a few days place the other half back with the group. NEVER add just one bird to an existing flock.
I also recommend that when you add new birds to always move the perches to different locations so that territoriality is thrown off.

http://www.finchniche.com/f-multispecies.mgi

Thanks Annz. That is very good information. I also cheched out your website. That has a lot of great info.
However I will take your advise about adding other birds. I will still be thinking about adding th button quail though. Thanks.

finchfriend wrote:The aviary is 6x4x3. Right now I just have 4 pairs of zebra finches. This aviary is something that my husband just finished building for me. I am looking into Button Quail. But any other additions would be welcome. Any thoughts.
Thanks, im

That's a pretty small flight so I would only pick 1 pr of doves or bourks to add to your mix.

you could ad a pr of diamond doves
you could ad a pr of zebra doves
you could ad a pr of cape doves
you could ad a pr of bourkes

A pr of button quail on the bottom would be great for seed clean up. Note that button quail are really bad about sitting their own eggs, but if you are up to it you can hatch the eggs in one of those chicken incubators. Baby button quial are cute about the size of bumble bees so have a cage with very small wire holes.

Kerry C wrote:
A pr of button quail on the bottom would be great for seed clean up. Note that button quail are really bad about sitting their own eggs, but if you are up to it you can hatch the eggs in one of those chicken incubators. Baby button quial are cute about the size of bumble bees so have a cage with very small wire holes.

Uh huh. That's what they told me too... LOL

pittipat wrote:

Kerry C wrote:
A pr of button quail on the bottom would be great for seed clean up. Note that button quail are really bad about sitting their own eggs, but if you are up to it you can hatch the eggs in one of those chicken incubators. Baby button quial are cute about the size of bumble bees so have a cage with very small wire holes.

Uh huh. That's what they told me too... LOL

I have a friend who's wife is not really a bird person, but she just could not stand all those eggs in the bottom of the flight pens. She would collect them every day and add them to the chicken incubator. Poor Roy had button quail every where really soon after that! Buy a budgie and get 2 button quail for FREE! Buy a Neophema pr and get 5 button quail for FREE!

LOL We are harder hearted than that. We hard boil 'em and feed 'em back to the birds. =:-o