I can’t remember the exact dimensions of the big cage, but I designed it to house 4 double 17×30’s one on top of one another. Currently I only have two of the planned four small cages, but am planning to acquire more birds in the next few months. I have placed it on a roofed part on the back of our house which is open-aired on two sides.

For those who are interested, I shelled out about 750 Pesos for the whole contraption. I got some scrap metal for the braces, some meters of the fine chicken wire, and had it put together by a welding man from a local auto repair shop. I have used this for over six months now and have protected my birds from dozens of cats and mice around our neigborhood. I think it can also protect the birds from snakes. My only problem now are the ants which feast on egg crumbs thrown by my zebras, who are very messy eaters.

The main advantages of this cage are the following:

1. it doesn’t require additional lighting fixtures
2. the cages are well ventilated
3. protection from cats and mice
4. it’s located outside so cleaning seed husks is much easier

How about you guys? I would like to know about your cage setup. Send me the pics at finchme.now(at)gmail.com and I will post them here, or you can host your pictures at http://www.freeimagehosting.com.

As with Stan aka Seona, I asked Benji to give some personal info about himself. Here’s what he said.

• I was a member of a punk/hardcore band during the mid 80’s called George Imbecile and the Idiots.
• I am an ABS-CBN employee, a sound engineer, since 1996.
• As a breeder, I am aiming for red and triple b zebras.

Benji sent me tons of pictures of his stock but failed to send me his own picture(Pwede nyo po bang ihabol ito? hehe). I may have to require this for future FinchMe breeders.

So much for the introductions. Here’s the interview proper.

Full Name: Benjamin O. Sengson
Address: Bulacan
Contact No.: 09209072305
Breeder Since: November 2005
Breeds: Finches and Waxbills

Interview:

Why did you breed finches? And is it more of a hobby or a business venture?
With my limited space, no choice but to go for small birds, after acquiring my first zebra “man I was hooked!!!”. They’re adorable, interesting, and very very rewarding(emotionally). I consider it a hobby with a little business on the side.

When did you start breeding? What was your first pair(s)?
T’was a childhood hobby/addiction that i wasn’t able to kick off he he, nagkaroon ako ng keets when I was a kid pero lagi namamatay. Then I shifted to pigeons, then successfully got rid of the habit during college.
Nov 2005, I started w/ a pair of normal grey zebra finch and after 3 months they surprised me with 4 small eggs.

Can you share some of the great experiences you had as a breeder? How about the not-so-great?
I’ll start w/ the funny experience first—it was the first hatched from my first pair, so happy muntik na kong magpabinyag nung napisa he he he. I was telling all my friends (experienced breeders w/ hi mutes) and looking back always brings a smile, wonder what they’re thinking back then he he.

Back to the question, it was when I was able to produce 2 crested male bfbc. After weaning for a week they died.
There’s one time when I bought 2 male cuthroats on a poultry shop in Quezon Ave. After 2 days nakawala! Happened so fast.. and there goes my hard earned buck.
Waaaa!!!

What were the initial difficulties and current difficulties that you experience in breeding finches?
initial difficulties -Endless nights of research and reading to gather more knowledge about finches.
current difficulties- still endless nights of research and reading to gather more knowledge about finches.
Seriously,initial difficulty?siguro yung pahabaan ng pasensya kahihintay magbreed ng alaga ko at yung galit ni misis kasi lagi akong nakatanga dun sa cage ng ibon .

Yung current naman ay yung pag mamaintain kasi medyo madami na sila kaya mahabang oras na ang kailangan para magpakain, painom at paglinis. Laging after lunch na ko nakakapasok sa trabaho.

What’s your most favourite finch and mutation(color, form) from your stock?
Black face black breasted chestnut flanked white male zebra finch.

How many pairs of birds do you currently have(zebras, gouldians, and canaries)? How much do you spend all in all every month to keep them(for electricity bill, food, vitamins, nests and cages, other supplies)?
More or less 80 zebras, 4 canaries, a pair of each (owl, cutthroat, pied yellow star, masked, diamond firetail, strawberry, silver java, and white shaftail),1 goldbreast waxbill.
Hindi ko kino-compute ang expenses eh, basta masaya ako, lam mo na, yung emotional fulfilment oks na ko dun. Sobra-sobra pa nga binibigay nilang kasiyahan sa akin kapag binalanse mo lalabas me utang pa ko sa kanila.

What’s the most expensive bird you have ever bought?
My canaries.

What’s the rarest mutation you currently have?
I think its my yellowbeak zebras.

Update: Triple Black (picture to follow)

Who in your opinion are the best finch breeders of the country?

Naku madami yan! Magtatampo yan pag isa lang ang sinabi ko.
Sa zebra andyan ang mga idol kong sina Zeb ng ppf, Rolly of Novaliches, Sergio at Jonell ng south.
Sa canary sina Rolly, John Albert, at Hansel.
Sa gouldians naman andyan sina Manong Palos ng ppf, R. Amurao, Mr.So, at Art ng Bulacan.

Have you entered your birds in a bird show(and won)?
In my dreams he he… Hindi pa. Di pa show quality ang mga birds ko.

Can you tell us a well-kept secret formula, routine, or food mix that is essential in your success as a breeder?
Successful breeder ba ako? Di naman eh.. Dami nga lagi casualties sa mga hatchlings eh.
Buy the best and the most expensive food mix, vitamins/supplements, and treats that you can afford for your pets. Ikinulong natin sila kaya responsibilidad nating ibigay ang lahat ng nakukuha nila sa labas.

Who are your best friends in the breeding community?
Madami, halos lahat nagiging kaibigan ko. You know what makes the hobby exciting? It’s the friends you gain/meet along the way. Different people w/ different personalities and interesting stories about their experiences in bird keeping.

Wala bang nagagalit sa mga kasambahay nyo or kapitbahay dahil sa mga alaga nyong ibon?
Kasambahay? Si misis lang pag mahal yung binili kong ibon. Kapitbahay din nung una kasi me nagregalo sakin ng 1 pair na African lovebird e masyado daw maingay lalo na sa umaga kaya naipamigay ko rin, tapos bumili na ako ng zebra.

Lastly, what advice can you give to other Filipino finch breeders out there?
“Ang mainip, talo!” Lack of patience ang no.1 reason kaya maraming nag quit sa hobby. Saka yung lack of knowledge. Research, Research, Research, everything’s online and it’s free!!!! Then gather infos and tips from experienced breeders tapos balansehin na lang, minsan may mga breeders na ayaw i-share lahat.

Here’s my most favorite picture out of all the pics Benji sent me.

That’s right! Here are my neighbor’s cats looking at me while I’m feeding my finches. This is how it looks like EVERY morning.

The best thing I was able to do to keep the cats off my finches was to provide a bigger cage which will house all my 17×30’s. So far everything’s been good. I’m just very careful not to leave the cage door open. Zebras responding to a cat’s attack doesn’t quite make it a spectacular sight, even for masochists. That’s the only time I see birds scared to death.

I would very much like to hear about your feline-and-finch story. Kwento naman kayo!

In this video, you’d also hear the nestlings crying for the food, which the father adeptly provides. The father first unhusks the seeds and “eat” them, and regurgitates them to its babies’ mouth. Just this morning, I saw Juday, the mother, do this exact same thing outsideof the nest, giving me a complete view of how it was done. First, the parents would come near the chicks and tap their beaks. The chicks would respond by opening their beaks, almost automatically, and the parents will put their beaks inside and basing from the movement of their necks, regurgitates the food that they have swallowed a few minutes ago. The whole process lasts for less than 5 seconds, and would preoccupy the parents all throughout the day.

Just an update with my zebras: the first pair has already borne three healthy birds on their first clutch, and they’re now on their third week as nestlings. I expect them to explore the whole cage in a matter of days. I’m having trouble taking their pictures because the parents are overprotective and won’t let me see the nestlings fully. I’ll probably be able to show them to you when they finally fledge.

On the note of the busy schedule, I have found a way to feature Filipino finch breeders through online interviews. The first one of this series will be a well-informed and trusted zebra breeder who has been a regular visitor here in FinchMe. His codename both here and in PPF is seonadancing, and I’m proud to introduce him here as one of the finest breeders with the largest collection of zebras in terms of quantity and mutations. Meet Mr. Stanley Lao of Project 6, QC.

Full Name: Stanley Lao
Address: Project 6, QC
Contact No.: 0917-5299576
Breeder Since: 2006
Breeds: Zebra Finches

Interview:

Why did you breed finches? And is it more of a hobby or a business venture?
An office friend of mine introduced me to breeding zebra finches and he said that it’s an easy way to get extra income. So I started with the thought of making a business out of breeding birds but it soon became an obsession to collect all the mutations available here. The change in mindset happened when I got frustrated that I cannot make my pairs produce offspring in the first month that I had my first few pairs, so instead of waiting to produce the mutations I wanted, I just went out and buy all the mutations that I can find.

When did you start breeding? What was your first pair(s)?
I think it was September of 2006. My first 2 pairs were normal-sized gray zebra finches.

Can you share some of the great experiences you had as a breeder? How about the not-so-great?
Seeing my first ever grandchild from my finches was one of my best experience. Producing 7 youngs in a clutch was also a memorable one. Producing my first visually OB cock was great also. Talking to fellow bird lovers was also a great experience.
Seeing dead chicks thrown by their parents was bad but what’s worst is seeing blood and dead birds all over the cages because a cat attacked.

What were the initial difficulties and current difficulties that you experience in breeding finches?
I used to handle all the cleaning and feeding for 40 pairs of zebras and that took an average of 2 hours every day. My biggest problem currently is the location since my aviary is not somewhere near my condo.

What’s your most favourite finch and mutation(color, form) from your stock? Please show us a picture.
After my initial stock of zebras, I began to concentrate on buying and producing jumbos and OBs. My favourite mutations are the jumbo white pied and the orange breasted Isabel.

How many pairs of birds do you currently have(zebras, gouldians, and canaries)? How much do you spend all in all every month to keep them(for electricity bill, food, vitamins, nests and cages, other supplies)?
All I have are zebras because ALBs bite too much, Gouldians are not as interactive, and Owl finches are too expensive. I have 35 breeding pairs plus about 30 more in flight cages. The cost to maintain the flock is about P3,000 a month. This is mostly on the different feeds I buy; electricity expense is minimal because I don’t follow the 16-hour rule.

What’s the most expensive bird you have ever bought?
I bought 3 Black Face Black Breasted cocks for P1,500 each.

What’s the rarest mutation you currently have?
I have a Jumbo Orange Breasted Isabel. The specific mutation is hard to come by in Jumbo form.

Who in your opinion are the best finch breeders of the country?
I think the best is still two of the pioneers – Raffy Yap and Evan Ong. I haven’t been to Evan’s aviary but pictures of his stock are mouth-watering. Raffy has the biggest sized zebras that I’ve seen. For Gouldians, it’s Jeff Mique of Bicutan, I don’t know how many pairs he has now but the last time I went to his aviary, the gouldians are everywhere. He plans to be the number breeder of gouldians in the country so good luck to him.

Have you entered your birds in a bird show(and won)?
I was so close to joining but my show bird got her feathers picked by her partner.

Can you tell us a well-kept secret formula, routine, or food mix that is essential in your success as a breeder?
It’s no secret that a balance diet makes for a healthy bird. I feed my birds 8 kinds of seeds plus I buy the 8-in-1 seed mix products to give my birds some variety. I give vitamins just twice a month and veggies once a month. Spray Millet whenever I can buy them. I have an eggfood mix that I give my birds and it’s a mixture of Eggfood + Aristopet egg and biscuit + Wheat Germ + Sing Song Singing Bird feeds + eggshell + 8-in-1 seed product depending on if the bird is moulting, conditioning, or has nestlings.

Who are your best friends in the breeding community?
Jeff Mique, alias Flare. He’s the one who helped me start this hobby.

Wala bang nagagalit sa mga kasambahay nyo or kapitbahay dahil sa mga alaga nyong ibon?
Wala naman, yun ALBs actually nung kapitbahay naming yun maingay.

Lastly, what advice can you give to other Filipino finch breeders out there?
I don’t think I’m in a position to give advice since I’ve been breeding for less than 2 years, but I guess in everything, we need to really take care of our pets. Let’s give them everything they need to be healthy and put them in a big enough cage so they can fly around. Observing is the best way to know your birds and don’t only rely on what you read on the internet or books.

Stan gets a little personal and shared us something about himself.

Aside from breeding zebra finches, I am also a Lego hobbyist and I think I have one of the biggest collections in the country. I used to love eating balut but after seeing day old chicks from my finches, I can’t at balut anymore. I’m a typical teenager who likes video games and sports but I’m not a teenager anymore.

Note: A week after this interview, Stan has informed me that there is a very big chance that he will be discontinuing breeding for the “sake of the birds.” He still gave the go ahead to publish this interview anyway, and as I’ve told him, he’ll probably suffer from withdrawal syndrome. Who can resist not having even just a pair of zebras?

To start off the year, I would like to make a little poll of who knows more than the intermediary breeder like me.  I have a question and I’m hoping some of you can answer it.  The first one to get the answer correctly will get a Yellow Variegated Canary PAIR from our dear friend and breeder in Makati.

Of course biro lang yun!  hehe.  Sorry kung na-excite kayo.  Apologies to Mr. Warlock for referring to him.  I just wanted to start the new year with something different.  Hey, maybe we can do some contests here in FinchMe in the future?  If you guys have any suggestions, just tell me and I’ll seriously consider it.

Anyway, let’s get back to the topic of this post.  This is really a trivia question, but unfortunately, there are no prizes for the person who can answer correctly. I’m hoping that the conversation which can ensue from this post is good enough prize for all of us.  Here it goes: I have seen a lot of zebra, gouldian and canary pictures ever since I got  interested in breeding finches.  Just today, I was looking for a new wallpaper candidate and this one picture got my attention.  It’s heavily edited, I know that, but I think the bird itself is left untouched, leaving me to ponder if this picture is actually the best finch picture I’ve ever seen.  Okay? so here’s the question. 

What kind of finch is it?

I know the answer although I have yet to read more on the bird itself.  I was just thinking maybe you can appreciate this picture too.  

 I looked at the first clutch after two weeks of no hatching and both of the eggs were cracked.  They didn’t smell bad for some reason, but I know from this article which I’ve read before that cracked eggs do not hatch.  If only I had the initiative to check them early.  Here’s a quote from zebrafinch.co.uk.

If the egg is cracked it is no longer good and you have a ‘bad egg’ on your hands. Just dispose of it. If not, lay the egg back in the nest gently and the parents should have no problem with it.

This time I plan to check their eggs after seven days of sitting. It has been three days already since the female sat on them 3 eggs, and I’m making a scratch paper out of our calendar to track the progress. Basically, knowing that your finches’ eggs are bad at the early stages saves the pairs trouble on trying to sit on them to no avail. Para hindi ma-stress ang nga ibon, ika nga.

I’m just a little surprised the zebras didn’t know they were sitting on duds. I’ve been to Sir Emer’s place in QC and saw gouldians throw their eggs out, and according to Sir Emer, the gouldians know when they have a bad egg. Ms. ladybird, ito rin po ba yung karanasan nyo sa gouldians nyo? I’m not sure about canaries, maybe Sir Albert “the warlock” can enlighten us. And seona, I know you have so many pairs. Do you check all of their eggs or you just wait it out ’til they don’t hatch to throw them away.

Sana magkwento kayo ng mga karanasan nyo sa mga basag at bugok na itlog ng inyong mga ibon.