BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Birds when are society finches ready for new home?

I had two clutches that hatched 2/1/03 - 2/4/03. One clutch of zebras and one clutch of societies
The zebra males are already singing and getting their cheek patches so I can sex them easily.
I have four society babies and have not noticed one singing yet. When do they start singing? Am I right that the song is pretty much the only way of sexing them? I also would like to know when you usually let them go to their new homes. They are about 7 weeks old now. I've read somethings that say 6 week, some 8 weeks, some three months.
What do you say, Mavis? Bye the way, my zebra pair is already sitting on the next clutch of 3 eggs, there was four but one broke. Thanks, Sheree

I am no finch expert! But I would think if the babies are eating well enough on their own then they would be ready to go to their new homes. As to the singing/sexing......Mavis will have to help you out there!! conniem

Connie is right Sheree. Once the babies are eating & drinking on their own, they can go to new homes. The reason there is a variation in times is that some babies sometimes take a bit longer than others to become independent. Six weeks might be rushing it a bit, but between 7-8 weeks would cover most babies. The song is the only way to sex Societies. I can't remember exactly how old the babies here were when they started to sing, but at first the song is more silent & it was watching the males make singing attempts that let us know that every sing baby was a male. There was about 2 weeks difference in time when the first baby sang until the 2nd baby sang. Sometimes a male doesn't sing until he is put with a female though. Not much point in singing until you have someone to sing to. :music: When you send you babies to new homes, tell them what sex you think it is, but tell them that you might be wrong (it happens even with experienced breeders).

Thanks so much for your help! I am going to let my societies go and hold on to my zebra males until their cheek patches get clearer. Time to get ready for the next batch! Sheree