Breeding the Linnet

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colour Variant Linnets Click here

The Linnet is a flighty bird always on the go but they can be steadied, with each successive generation bred the birds do get steadier,  and sing beautifully aviary bred Linnets never attain the colour of the wild bird in full spring colour, but are still a very attractive bird

 

The pictures on this page were parent reared in a cage by both parents,

 

 generally you can leave the pair together this strain of linnets are very steady so do not require an aviary, wilder birds probably would,

Above is the cage where my linnets are bred it measures

6 feet long x 2 feed high and 15 inches deep note there is a gap in the centre of the cage, which can be very useful to spit the cage especially if the cock causes trouble or at the time when the young need to be rung or caught this causes less distress to the hen as she cant see anything going on.

 

After young are reared and they and split from the parents they are put on intradene until there moult is complete to help prevent going light,

 

Young Linnets suffer with stress so do not move them from cage to cage and avoid sudden movements and noise

 

Feeding this species when rearing is not difficult although you will find that they take very little soaked seed, greenfood or softfood and rear there young mainly on hard seed, at this time I add extra wild seed ( threshings) they seem to relish this I personally use a good wild seed added to my mix these used to be called threshings ( these were wild seeds that grew in the wheat fields removed when the wheat was harvested) this seed can now be purchaced comercially  sprinkle seeds with multi vitamin powder or add liquid vitamins to the water,

there are no rules and each pair must be treated  individually

 

Sexing linnets see picture left hens wings top, Cocks wing below, also the hens are darker with more pencilling on the chest  and when colour fed do not show a red chest.

Above left: 3 young Linnets these are 2hens left and middle and cock on the right

Above Right: Linnet Cock notice the markings on the chest these are called tannings

Left Linnet Hen: note the chest has more lines these are called striations

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