About The Society finch: Society finches are a Domestic finch species that does not exist in the wild. They are thought to have originated as a hybrid between Sharp-tailed finches and several Munia species thousands of years ago. They do not generally like to be handled however with some patience in the taming process they will gladly come to your hand for treats. They come in quite a few color types as well as “crested” type birds. They are very popular cage birds and a pleasure to watch and be around. The Males also sing nicely. They are also a great beginner bird in my opinion along with Zebra finches.
Companionship: Society finches, As their name implies are HIGHLY social. They MUST be kept as a pair, Or more. They do not do well on their own. It is best to keep them in a small flock of 4-6 birds. Society finches will also get along with basically any other passive finch species as they are not prone to starting fights. They will either back off or attempt to stand their ground if another bird starts something. They can be kept with Zebra finches although other pushy species should be avoided unless you are familiar and experienced enough with them to feel confident housing them together without issues. Society finches can also easily be housed with Diamond doves or Coturnix & King Quail if caging needs for all species are properly met. Keep in mind, The minimum space should be that of the largest species in the cage plus a bit extra for the added birds.
Caging: Like all finches, These small birds are quite active & need a cage with decent length to allow for back and forth flight. Bars for cages of any size should be 1/2 an inch apart or smaller. A minimum of 18"W x 18"H x 30"L can house a single pair however it is highly advised to get larger than this. Anything smaller than the listed size above is cruel. They should have a bath in the cage in an area without perches above it. During warm times of the year they may bathe daily especially if they are housed outdoors. The small 12x18x18 inch cages commonly marketed for finches, Canaries, Or budgies are below the humane minimum for ANY of these birds- They should never be used as anything other than a travel cage or quarantine cage. Society finches also prefer to sleep in nests. Nesting material itself is not required as this will likely trigger breeding behavior when you aren't wanting to breed. In the case of many other species a nest should not be provided even if they "enjoy" them as for some species like parrots they will trigger hormonal issues which is stressful on the bird. A few parrot species ARE cavity sleepers however still don't really require them. And in the case of other Finch species they may also cause them to want to breed which can result in aggression amongst flock members (mainly between males)
The video here will cover how to best set up your finch cage as well as going over some basic cage types>
Outdoor enclosures: 1/4 inch hardware cloth is the safest option for outdoor enclosures. Small rodents such as mice can fit through half an inch and CAN kill finches, Especially chicks as well as eating eggs in a nest. Build must be sturdy to prevent larger mammalian predators such as raccoons from getting into it and in case of stronger weather. It is also HIGHLY advisable to have screen hanging from the inside of the door to prevent spooked or curious birds from escaping. For an outdoor cage I recommend a minimum of 2'W x 4'L x 3'H. This will provide ample space for up to 20 birds and be large enough to not be tipped over as easily while still being easily carried/moved by two people provided the frame is light. I recommend two doors on the front side, One at each end of the cage to provide easier access to feeding and watering stations as well as making birds easier to catch when necessary. The roof, back and at least one side wall must be waterproof to protect the birds from rain and wind. They will use the most covered corner to sleep near the top so be sure to provide a nice perch there. It is also advisable to have a heat lamp hanging in the cage and to cover the cage with a sheet to maintain heat and protect from drafts in temps below 40° especially with smaller amounts of birds. While they can be acclamatized, It is best to keep them comfortable.
Perches: Perches should be placed at the ends of the cage and at varying heights.They should also be of different diameter as this is important to the birds foot health, And natural perches should be used. With thicker perches, They will help control the growth of the birds nails and with the right perches you will never need to trim them (unless your bird has a condition causing it's nails to grow excessively). Dowel perches CAN be used but they should only be used along with natural ones as they are not great for a birds feet and can cause arthritis as well as sores.
(Example of overgrown nails on a newly acquired bird)
Diet: Society finches should be given a Good quality finch or “Budgie” seed mix. (Budgies actually should not be on seed based diets in captivity outside of an aviary setting as it results in a multitude of health issues due to nearly all common mixes being too high fat to fit their dietary needs). They also enjoy greens and sprouts as well as certain fruits however fruit should be limited due to it's high sugar content which can be damaging to their digestive system. Sources of occasional protein are also nice, Such as mealworms, Or crushed boiled egg. They should always have access to fresh clean drinking water.
Taming: Taming society finches is really simple. All you need is a slightly hungry bird, Patience, And spray millet or seed! Some individuals will tame way quicker than others so keep this in mind- It can take as little as a few days or it can take weeks. You need to go at the birds own pace and don't force anything- Or else you will lose the bird's trust and have to start all over again. The first step is to remove whatever food they have in their cage for about an hour. You CAN leave food in there but if they aren't hungry they will have not have much reason to try and overcome their fear of your hand. Once this hour has passed, You'll want to take a spray of millet or a small handful of seeds and rest your hand on a perch close to the cage floor or the floor itself. Stay as still as possible like this for as long as you can. I prefer to use millet and let them try and nibble from the perch without having to hop onto my hand yet. This helps them get used to your hand a lot easier in my experience. Do this for about 15 minutes at a time and several times a day if you can and always return their food after the session. If you were using millet leave a little bit of that in there too. Once they eat from the perch if you can start moving your hand away just a bit so they have to hop onto your hand to get to the food. The first few weeks they will likely spook easily when feeding on your hand so keep movement minimal.
Sexing: They cannot be visually sexed, However males will sing and this can be seen by playing videos of society finches to encourage him or simply watching the bird within the flock for awhile. The song type also varies between individuals. Sexing using normal calls is also not accurate as both genders mostly sound the same and Humans cannot generally tell the difference. Even if you could, It's much harder to tell who made a a certain peep than it is to watch the male perform his song.
Breeding: Please do not breed unless you have at least a year of experience in caring for your current birds, Preferably longer. These finches are on the easier side of birds to breed however you should not suddenly decide to let them do so when you’ve barely cared for the parents long term. There are always things that could go wrong and it is important to fully familiarize yourself with them first. You also should not breed unless you are willing and ABLE to keep the resulting babies- Rehoming may be easy sometimes and nearly impossible other times.
Society finches are quite easy to breed and are great parents. Keep in mind, First time parents will likely only raise a small clutch and will become better parents with experience. Society finches are also very often used as fosters for other similarly sized finch species.
Males will sing basically year round to announce their presence and court females. When available they will hold a piece of grass in their beak as they sing and turn back and forth while hopping. Sometimes they drop the grass and continue without it or don't use it in the first place. When the female lands near the male or crouches beside him he will drop the piece of grass if he had one and jump on her to mate.
First things first: Make sure any breeding birds are at least 7-8 months of age and in good health. Before and during breeding it is important that all birds are in proper breeding condition. They should be provided with good quality egg food, As well as being supplied with mealworms and sprouts which will also give them better health in preperation for egg laying and baby raising. Another important thing is making sure they have access to some form of extra calcium such as a cuttlebone.
Nests & the breeding process: For nests typical finch nests can be used however I prefer to use a standard sized budgie box as it is easy to clean out and allows me to easily check on eggs and chicks. Some sort of grass should be provided as nesting material. Grass clippings outside can be safely used as long as there aren't any pesticides being used on them or very close by. Certain grasses found in craft stores are also safe to use, And places such as amazon also have options specifically for finches. The hen will normally lay 4-6 small white eggs which take 12-16 days to hatch. Both parents (and other flock members) will incubate the eggs and care for the chicks. They are naked at hatch and will fledge at 20-25 days of age and the parents will normally continue to feed them until around 6 weeks of age. It is important to moniter the chicks during the birds first clutches, And while many finch species are prone to abandoning babies when checked on too often Societies are fine with occasional checkups, Hand tamed birds even more so. They should not be allowed to raise more than 3 or 4 clutches a year. Laying eggs puts a lot of strain on them and overdoing it will lead to deficiencies which can kill the bird.
Note: If housing King quail with breeding society finches make sure fledglings have plenty of opportunity to leave the ground and clamber up higher as curious quail may peck at an early fledged baby and injure it. If a chick happens to be very sickly or passes away on the floor for some reason the quail are also likely to eat it but please do not mistake this for the quail purposefully killing a healthy chick.
(Society chick at about 13 days of age)
(The same chick around 22 days old)
(Day 28, Late fledge)
(The chick no longer a chick- One year of age)
Companionship: Society finches, As their name implies are HIGHLY social. They MUST be kept as a pair, Or more. They do not do well on their own. It is best to keep them in a small flock of 4-6 birds. Society finches will also get along with basically any other passive finch species as they are not prone to starting fights. They will either back off or attempt to stand their ground if another bird starts something. They can be kept with Zebra finches although other pushy species should be avoided unless you are familiar and experienced enough with them to feel confident housing them together without issues. Society finches can also easily be housed with Diamond doves or Coturnix & King Quail if caging needs for all species are properly met. Keep in mind, The minimum space should be that of the largest species in the cage plus a bit extra for the added birds.
Caging: Like all finches, These small birds are quite active & need a cage with decent length to allow for back and forth flight. Bars for cages of any size should be 1/2 an inch apart or smaller. A minimum of 18"W x 18"H x 30"L can house a single pair however it is highly advised to get larger than this. Anything smaller than the listed size above is cruel. They should have a bath in the cage in an area without perches above it. During warm times of the year they may bathe daily especially if they are housed outdoors. The small 12x18x18 inch cages commonly marketed for finches, Canaries, Or budgies are below the humane minimum for ANY of these birds- They should never be used as anything other than a travel cage or quarantine cage. Society finches also prefer to sleep in nests. Nesting material itself is not required as this will likely trigger breeding behavior when you aren't wanting to breed. In the case of many other species a nest should not be provided even if they "enjoy" them as for some species like parrots they will trigger hormonal issues which is stressful on the bird. A few parrot species ARE cavity sleepers however still don't really require them. And in the case of other Finch species they may also cause them to want to breed which can result in aggression amongst flock members (mainly between males)
The video here will cover how to best set up your finch cage as well as going over some basic cage types>
Outdoor enclosures: 1/4 inch hardware cloth is the safest option for outdoor enclosures. Small rodents such as mice can fit through half an inch and CAN kill finches, Especially chicks as well as eating eggs in a nest. Build must be sturdy to prevent larger mammalian predators such as raccoons from getting into it and in case of stronger weather. It is also HIGHLY advisable to have screen hanging from the inside of the door to prevent spooked or curious birds from escaping. For an outdoor cage I recommend a minimum of 2'W x 4'L x 3'H. This will provide ample space for up to 20 birds and be large enough to not be tipped over as easily while still being easily carried/moved by two people provided the frame is light. I recommend two doors on the front side, One at each end of the cage to provide easier access to feeding and watering stations as well as making birds easier to catch when necessary. The roof, back and at least one side wall must be waterproof to protect the birds from rain and wind. They will use the most covered corner to sleep near the top so be sure to provide a nice perch there. It is also advisable to have a heat lamp hanging in the cage and to cover the cage with a sheet to maintain heat and protect from drafts in temps below 40° especially with smaller amounts of birds. While they can be acclamatized, It is best to keep them comfortable.
Perches: Perches should be placed at the ends of the cage and at varying heights.They should also be of different diameter as this is important to the birds foot health, And natural perches should be used. With thicker perches, They will help control the growth of the birds nails and with the right perches you will never need to trim them (unless your bird has a condition causing it's nails to grow excessively). Dowel perches CAN be used but they should only be used along with natural ones as they are not great for a birds feet and can cause arthritis as well as sores.
(Example of overgrown nails on a newly acquired bird)
Diet: Society finches should be given a Good quality finch or “Budgie” seed mix. (Budgies actually should not be on seed based diets in captivity outside of an aviary setting as it results in a multitude of health issues due to nearly all common mixes being too high fat to fit their dietary needs). They also enjoy greens and sprouts as well as certain fruits however fruit should be limited due to it's high sugar content which can be damaging to their digestive system. Sources of occasional protein are also nice, Such as mealworms, Or crushed boiled egg. They should always have access to fresh clean drinking water.
Taming: Taming society finches is really simple. All you need is a slightly hungry bird, Patience, And spray millet or seed! Some individuals will tame way quicker than others so keep this in mind- It can take as little as a few days or it can take weeks. You need to go at the birds own pace and don't force anything- Or else you will lose the bird's trust and have to start all over again. The first step is to remove whatever food they have in their cage for about an hour. You CAN leave food in there but if they aren't hungry they will have not have much reason to try and overcome their fear of your hand. Once this hour has passed, You'll want to take a spray of millet or a small handful of seeds and rest your hand on a perch close to the cage floor or the floor itself. Stay as still as possible like this for as long as you can. I prefer to use millet and let them try and nibble from the perch without having to hop onto my hand yet. This helps them get used to your hand a lot easier in my experience. Do this for about 15 minutes at a time and several times a day if you can and always return their food after the session. If you were using millet leave a little bit of that in there too. Once they eat from the perch if you can start moving your hand away just a bit so they have to hop onto your hand to get to the food. The first few weeks they will likely spook easily when feeding on your hand so keep movement minimal.
Sexing: They cannot be visually sexed, However males will sing and this can be seen by playing videos of society finches to encourage him or simply watching the bird within the flock for awhile. The song type also varies between individuals. Sexing using normal calls is also not accurate as both genders mostly sound the same and Humans cannot generally tell the difference. Even if you could, It's much harder to tell who made a a certain peep than it is to watch the male perform his song.
Breeding: Please do not breed unless you have at least a year of experience in caring for your current birds, Preferably longer. These finches are on the easier side of birds to breed however you should not suddenly decide to let them do so when you’ve barely cared for the parents long term. There are always things that could go wrong and it is important to fully familiarize yourself with them first. You also should not breed unless you are willing and ABLE to keep the resulting babies- Rehoming may be easy sometimes and nearly impossible other times.
Society finches are quite easy to breed and are great parents. Keep in mind, First time parents will likely only raise a small clutch and will become better parents with experience. Society finches are also very often used as fosters for other similarly sized finch species.
Males will sing basically year round to announce their presence and court females. When available they will hold a piece of grass in their beak as they sing and turn back and forth while hopping. Sometimes they drop the grass and continue without it or don't use it in the first place. When the female lands near the male or crouches beside him he will drop the piece of grass if he had one and jump on her to mate.
First things first: Make sure any breeding birds are at least 7-8 months of age and in good health. Before and during breeding it is important that all birds are in proper breeding condition. They should be provided with good quality egg food, As well as being supplied with mealworms and sprouts which will also give them better health in preperation for egg laying and baby raising. Another important thing is making sure they have access to some form of extra calcium such as a cuttlebone.
Nests & the breeding process: For nests typical finch nests can be used however I prefer to use a standard sized budgie box as it is easy to clean out and allows me to easily check on eggs and chicks. Some sort of grass should be provided as nesting material. Grass clippings outside can be safely used as long as there aren't any pesticides being used on them or very close by. Certain grasses found in craft stores are also safe to use, And places such as amazon also have options specifically for finches. The hen will normally lay 4-6 small white eggs which take 12-16 days to hatch. Both parents (and other flock members) will incubate the eggs and care for the chicks. They are naked at hatch and will fledge at 20-25 days of age and the parents will normally continue to feed them until around 6 weeks of age. It is important to moniter the chicks during the birds first clutches, And while many finch species are prone to abandoning babies when checked on too often Societies are fine with occasional checkups, Hand tamed birds even more so. They should not be allowed to raise more than 3 or 4 clutches a year. Laying eggs puts a lot of strain on them and overdoing it will lead to deficiencies which can kill the bird.
Note: If housing King quail with breeding society finches make sure fledglings have plenty of opportunity to leave the ground and clamber up higher as curious quail may peck at an early fledged baby and injure it. If a chick happens to be very sickly or passes away on the floor for some reason the quail are also likely to eat it but please do not mistake this for the quail purposefully killing a healthy chick.
(Society chick at about 13 days of age)
(The same chick around 22 days old)
(Day 28, Late fledge)
(The chick no longer a chick- One year of age)
