A pair of Fawn Hecks Grassfinches

BREEDS & their NEEDS HECKS GRASSFINCHES Australian Grass Finch Hardy & suitable for Novice Bird-Keeper Article & Photos by Alison Robertshaw

2 Cock Hecks with Bicheno (Owl Finch)

Hecks Grassfinch

• The Hecks Grassfinch originates from Australia and measures  5-6 inches in size.              Bengalese + Hecks ▼

• They are a hardy bird and would suit beginners to the bird-keeping hobby.

• They are peaceful but very inquisitive birds.

• they have distinctive red beaks and black bibs

• average lifespan 5-7 years.
   

Diet

• Feed them a foreign finch seed mix and occasionally spray millet.                                  

  • They are not particularly fussy eaters.
     

• They relish broccoli, cress, apple and small amounts of lettuce.

• Always supply cuttlefish bone, mineralised grit or oystershell grit, especially in breeding season.

 
Courtship display

• Hecks ‘ head bob ‘ to greet mates and flock members, which is quite comical to watch.

• During courtship display the cock bird bobs his head while one or both feet leave the perch then commences
  to sing while standing in an erect position facing the hen.

 
Housing

• They can be kept in cages or indoor flights

  •  The longer the better.

• Thrive better in aviary with indoor flight.

 
Compatability

•  Hecks can easily be housed within a mixed species environment

  •  eg. Bengalese, Zebra finches, Bicheno’s (Owl Finch), Cherry finches, Star finches, Canaries etc.

  •  I would not recommend breeding within a mixed group though because Hecks being very inquisitive
    will disrupt the other species in their nests.

 
Sexing

• Sometimes sexing can be difficult visually.

• Generally the cock birds’ bib is larger and the black bar across the flanks is broader.

• To be 100% sure it is best to go by the cocks’ song.                                   2 Cock Hecks (Red Beaks) + 2 Bengalese

 
The different Mutations:

Feeding in preparation for Breeding

• I feed breeding pair Egg Food / mealworms prior to breeding.
  • as this ups the Protein Levels needed prior to bringing the birds into Breeding condition.
  • I often mix my eggfood with cous cous.
     
• feed eggfood  and soaked seed for young.
   

Breeding

• When breeding Hecks provide a finch nest box or domed nest basket         

  •  or both

  •  each pair seem to have their own preference

• Have also experienced a pair using a canary nest basket lined with a nest felt .

• The cock bird used coconut fibre and weaved an elaborate domed top leaving a small entrance hole.
   

• I tend to breed Hecks from April to September ( other people may differ )

• They can breed from 10 months

  • but if hens are not totally mature they are liable to have difficulties and become egg-bound.

INCUBATION

• They do not start to incubate the eggs until the clutch is complete.

• Normally 4 – 6 eggs in a clutch.

• Incubation 12 - 14 days.

  • Parents take turns incubating or both occupy the nest together.

  • Both parents feed the young.
     

• At 9 – 10 days of age the parents no longer brood the chicks during the day.
   

AGE the CHICKS FLEDGE

• The young normally fledge after 21 days.

• Providing they are feeding themselves efficiently they may be removed from parents at 5 – 6 weeks of age.
   

CLOSE RINGING

•  Approx. age to Close Ring - 10days

• Split rings best put on just before the chicks leave the nest when they are fully feathered

  • Sometimes if you interfere and handle younger chicks, the parents can try and get the ring
    off the chick and sometimes end up killing it.
     

•  closed and split aluminium  Size C 

•  plastic split size  XF

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