Aviary Birds & Silkie Chickens Lovingly Raised & Sold
Madera, California

Birds

Here are descriptions and photos of the birds we currently raise and enjoy.   Visit our Home page to see what's currently available for sale.

Click on the type of birds or scroll down to browse the entire list.
Lady Gouldian Finches
Diamond Sparrows
Shaft-tail Finches
Splendid Grass Parakeets
Button Quails
Show Quality Bearded Silkie Bantam Chickens
Old English Game Bantam Chickens

In the Aviary...

Lady Gouldian Finches
Lady Gouldian males

"The Gouldian Finch was described by British ornithological artist John Gould in 1844 and named after his wife Elizabeth. It is also known in its native country as the Rainbow, Gould, or Lady Gouldian Finch (although Mrs Gould did not hold the title Lady). It is a member of the weaver-finch family Estrildidae, which is sometimes considered a subfamily of Passeridae." (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia)

Do you remember that story of the ugly duckling you read as a child? Well that's how it is with the Lady Gouldian Finch. From very humble beginnings, at about 4 weeks of age young Lady Gouldians emerge from their nests as plain tan or olive green birds. Then in the following months their brilliant colors begin to show up, until finally you have a bird so stunning that you just couldn't paint it more beautifully! Lady Gouldians have charming personalities to match their good looks. They are very quiet birds, making only soft whistles and chirps. They're active and curious, and their mating dance includes a little high-speed hopping ritual that is sure to make you giggle! :o)

GOULDIAN FACTS:
Lifespan: 5-8 years
Sexually mature: 9-12 months old
Clutch size: 5-8 eggs
Incubation: 13-14 days
Fledge: 22-25 days
Independence: +2-3 weeks after fledge

GOULDIAN PRICES:
Green Back, all Head & Chest colors ...$150/pair (singles $85)
Yellow or Dilute Back, all Head & Chest colors ...$170/pair (singles $95)
Mixed pair (1 Green Back with 1 Yellow or Dilute Back) ...$160/pair

GOULDIAN PHOTOS:
http://www.slide.com/r/OLDJuIo41T_J-hQB3ksGZdotDce9cxLo?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

Diamond Sparrows
Diamond Sparrows

These fascinating, bright grass finches are the newest to my aviary.  I've really wanted to add a pair to our flock since the first time I saw them.  They are big, strikingly marked finches with their charming black & white polka dots and bright beaks & tails.  The little males display with an entertaining little dance similar to that of the Lady Gouldian Finches, except that their song sounds very much like a soft, digital siren.  They do well in cages or mixed aviaries as long as they are not overcrowded.  Breeding is said to be challenging for novice and advanced breeders alike. :o)

GOULDIAN FACTS:
Lifespan: 5-8 years
Sexually mature: 6-9 months old
Clutch size: 4-5 eggs
Incubation: 13-15 days
Fledge: 21-24 days
Independence: +3 weeks after fledge

DIAMOND SPARROW PRICES:
Firetail (Red) or Yellowtail, 3+ months old ...$85
DIAMOND SPARROW PHOTOS:
http://www.slide.com/r/hAxkEF-fyj_fUBClivU7iLknDK9TDfbX?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

Shaft-tail Finches
Young Shafttail Finches

Bold & flashy, the dark, neutral coloring of these elegant finches adds a nice contrast to the rest of our colorful flock. My husband spotted them one day at a local pet shop and said how nice it would be to have them in our flights. So when a neighboring breeder had a pair for sale, I just had to add them to our happy menagerie. Shaft-tail finches are peaceful birds and breed well when kept as single pairs per flight. :o)

SHAFT-TAIL FACTS:
Lifespan: 5-8 years
Sexually mature: 6-9 months old
Clutch size: 4-6 eggs
Incubation: 13 days
Fledge: 4-5 weeks old
Independence: +3 weeks after fledge

SHAFT-TAIL PRICES:
Normal Heck's, 3+ months old ...$50

SHAFT-TAIL PHOTOS:
http://www.slide.com/r/LrBkazNW0D8zVteOKt6LEtut3loCydHc?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

Splendid Grass Parakeets
Splendid Parakeets

The first thing most guests that visit my aviary say is, "WOW! What kind of bird is that?!" I felt the same way the first time I saw a Splendid (Scarlet-Chested) Grass Parakeet. They are definitely some of the most beautiful birds in the world. They often appear to be too gorgeous to be real. Furthermore, they are quiet, easy-going, hardy, and are generally great parents. They are very gentle by nature and rarely bite. Splendids are bold, trusting birds and easily become tame enough to eat from your hand and crawl on you. While they are not especially active throughout the day, at dawn and dusk mine really come alive and fly around singing joyfully. They are small birds, yet they seem to do best in an aviary situation since they need to be able to fly and also spend a lot of time on the ground. :o)

SPLENDID FACTS:
Lifespan: 8-10 years
Sexually mature: 12-18 months old
Clutch size: 4-6 eggs
Incubation: 18 days
Fledge: 4-5 weeks old
Independence: 7-8 weeks old

SPLENDID PRICES:
Scarlet-Chested, 3+ months old ...$200/pair (singles $125)

SPLENDID PHOTOS:
http://www.slide.com/r/gM1SbwFmxD97zy0__Raz_CyR89Y2L4E8?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

Button Quail
Button Quail Trio

"This quail has become very popular to keep and breed. Numerous mutations have been developed. They are quite hardy once they have adjusted to their surroundings and will keep the bottom of an aviary spotless. The cost of purchasing and maintaining them is very little. They are hyperactive breeders, a female will lay an egg a day if kept on the proper diet. She will make a soft "crowing" noise to attract a mate. These quail take only a small amount of time to feed and water. They need only a two foot long cage to breed successfully, but three times the space is needed for them to really thrive and to avoid fights. Their eggs can be easily and successfully incubated. In some cases they have been known to become hand-tamed." (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia)

These active little birds stole my heart long ago. Button Quail are the smallest quails, measuring only about 4 inches long. They are beautiful, playful, and as cute as a button! They are mostly quiet birds, but yet they have quite a vocabulary and can be rather talkative. Button Quail can easily be tamed to eat treats from your hand and are known to be great little pets when raised from chicks. They are very prolific egg layers, laying an egg almost every day. Our quail live in the bottom of our aviary in a colony, but if they are kept in single pairs they will raise their own chicks and are great parents.  :o)

BUTTON QUAIL FACTS:
Lifespan: 2-5 years
Sexually mature: 2 months old
Clutch size: 8-12 eggs
Incubation: 16-19 days at 101 F

BUTTON QUAIL PRICES:
Fertile Hatching Eggs ...$5/dozen (ships)
New Chicks, 0-2 weeks old ...$2
Started Chicks, 2-6 weeks old ...$4
Young Quail, 6+ months old ...$6

BUTTON QUAIL PHOTOS:
 http://www.slide.com/r/bPdgkUuU1j-weUNM7sHhjDfTDfQFTwcE?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

In the Coop...

Show Quality Bearded Silkie Bantam Chickens
Splash Silkie rooster

"The Silkie is a variety of chicken believed to have originated in eastern Asia. Silkies generally have a fluffy appearance due to their feathers lacking functioning barbicels; essentially, all their feathers are very much like down. Their unique appearance and their quiet temperament mean they are often kept as pets. The hens easily become broody, laying only a dozen or so eggs before attempting to hatch out their clutch. They are considered excellent mothers." (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia)

These little pint-sized poultry are so fluffy! More like a "flock of kittens" than chickens -- they are soft, cuddly, and full of personality. We have been blessed with some lovely show quality bearded Silkies from Feather Acres, Sweetwater Poultry, and ChickEdee Farm, bred from the most highly recognized Silkie bloodlines available in the United States; HatTrick, Alan Stanford, & K-d Silkies. While we do not yet show our Silkies, it is our goal to lovingly raise Silkies that make excellent pets, but can also compete with the highest quality Silkies at the shows. We have hatching eggs, chicks, young & adult birds for sale throughout the year, as available.  :o)

SILKIE FACTS:
Lifespan: 8-9 years
Sexually mature: 6 months old
Clutch size: 8-12 eggs
Incubation: 20-21 days at 99.5 F

SILKIE PRICES:
Hatching Eggs ...$30/dozen (ships)
New Chicks, 0-1 month old ...$5
Started Chicks, 1-4 months old ...$10
Young Chickens, 4+ months old ...$20

SILKIE PHOTOS:
http://www.slide.com/r/eACdFL1Utj8dxdSKfPLnzvWgObqqO5D9?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

BLUE/BLACK/SPLASH GENETICS: BLUE BLACK SPLASH
BLUE x = 50% BLUE, 25% BLACK, 25% SPLASH = 50% BLUE, 50% BLACK = 50% BLUE, 50% SPLASH
BLACK x = 50% BLUE, 50% BLACK = 100% BLACK = 100% BLUE
SPLASH x = 50% BLUE, 50% SPLASH = 100% BLUE = 100% SPLASH

Old English Game Bantam Chickens
OEGB

"The Old English Game Bantam is one of the most popular bantams. This is especially the case in the United Kingdom, where it has its own specialist shows. The Old English Bantam is similar to the Old English Game in that it has long legs and it is fairly muscular. However unlike the Old English Game the English Game Bantam is docile and not aggressive. The Old English Game Bantam makes a good pet for children." (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia)

These little bitty chickens are smaller than a common pigeon, but BIG on personality!  They are very proud birds with their clean legs, low wings, and erect tails.  The rooster sounds more like a "kazoo" when he crows, but just like a toy breed of dog -- he thinks he's just as big as the biggest rooster in the yard and is quite willing to challenge any critter that steps into his space.  Our little flock of OEGB's has their own private pen under the shady Pepper Tree in our orchard.  :o)

EGB FACTS:
Lifespan: 8-9 years
Sexually mature: 6 months old
Clutch size: 8-12 eggs
Incubation: 20-21 days at 99.5 F

OEGB PRICES:
Fertile Hatching Eggs ...$20/dozen (ships)
New Chicks, 0-1 month old ...$4
Started Chicks, 1-4 months old ...$6
Young Chickens, 4+ months old ...$8O
OEGB PHOTOS:
http://www.slide.com/r/E0O2DiNS5z9oWgCQKw8mDb58Hd7JhjJ5?previous_view=lt_embedded_url

 

Learn More...