Accidentally Turned My Backyard into a Bird Farm 😅🐤

In this video, Pipi finally joins the flock. After a little fight in the aviary, peace is restored and more zebra finch babies are hatching. They seriously look like tiny caterpillars. I also found exactly four female finches I needed for my four single males. Now the aviary feels complete. But I've got to admit, I couldn't keep up with everything and somehow I ended up with even more budgie babies. It's turning into a full-blown bird farm over here. Also it's a heat wave, but no worries. We've got a fountain bath to keep everyone cool. Even when they're not outside and it's hot, they're still singing happily indoors. A great sign they're feeling good. And just look how many there are now. In just 30 days the flock has grown like crazy. This aviary is starting to feel more like a tiny cage for all of them. And look who showed up again. Little baby Nimbus. Ready to join the older ones. Flying stronger every day and already munching on seeds like a pro. But still a bit scared of the millet. That's okay little one. I'll give you some time. You'll get there. And now only one little chick remains in Lena's nest. Probably just a day or two left before it joins the rest of the flock. And I can't stop looking at the Nimbus. Is it just me or do you feel the same? It's a little cloud with wings. Every time I pass by I stop. I stare. I smile. Okay, okay, okay. Moving on. Pickles is ready to join the others again after a little fight a few days ago. She's feeling much better now and the good news is there are no chicks around that she could hurt. And this scene is mind-blowing. What have I done? I should give some budgies to my friends but but they're so cute and they're loving their new aviary so much. And here's Pickles's partner. A beautiful rainbow budgie. But his genes might be a little weak. All their babies turned out blue. Finch mama is doing an amazing job with her babies. She's been keeping them warm every single moment. Even when we had a storm a few days ago and the night temperature dropped to just 10 degrees celsius, she didn't leave them. Not even for a second. She stayed right there keeping the eggs warm and the chicks safe. And somehow she still managed to feed them well too. You can see both black and pink skinned zebra finch chicks here. The black skinned chicks will grow into darker colored adults. The pink skinned ones, they'll most likely become white, fawn or other light colored finches. But just to be clear, skin color doesn't tell us if they're boys or girls. The last gray budgie has left Lena's nest. Lena did an amazing job. Every chick is healthy, strong and full of life. And what's even more special, this was her first time breeding. It's day three since the baby finch hatched. And honestly it still looks like a tiny hairy caterpillar. No feathers, no noise, just sleeping, growing and wiggling around. They're so quiet it almost feels strange. But that's normal for zebra finch chicks in the first days. This is all completely new to me. I've never had zebra finches before. So I'm learning as I go, step by step. Next morning, straight to the finch aviary. They grow super fast, usually leave the nest in about 18 to 21 days. And by one month they're already independent. Budgie chicks on the other hand are a bit slower. They hatch almost completely naked, take more time to feather up and usually fledge around day 30 to 35. And even then they still need up to six weeks to become fully independent. And I finally found them. And what's even more fascinating, I found exactly four female finches. Just the right number for my four alone males. No more chasing, no more loneliness, everyone finally has a pair. And the male finches, they didn't wait even a second the moment they saw a female. And I think everything is complete now. The finch pairs are settled, the chicks are growing and the aviary feels alive and balanced. All that's left is to wait for autumn. That's when I'll add more natural branches, maybe bring in some fresh textures and colors, just a few little cosmetic updates here and there. And that's it. The grand aviary will be fully ready for the colder months. Breakfast time for the budgies. It was a very hot night but they're all doing great this morning. Chirping, stretching and ready to eat. Already grown up? I mean, I knew it was possible but not this fast. And honestly, I don't like this. The budgies are already trying to breed again, right after their first clutch has just grown up. That's not okay. It's too soon and it's not healthy for the parents. The nest boxes should have been removed right away, but with my recent travel I couldn't do it on time. They need a proper break. All the other nest boxes will be closed probably until next year, when their hormonal craziness starts again. It's not just about stopping breeding, it's about giving the parents time to rest, recover and enjoy life in the aviary. They've done an amazing job raising chicks this season. Now it's time for peace, for flying, for play. No more nesting stress for them or for me. I've been getting a lot of messages about colony breeding and honestly I wish I didn't have to do it this way either, but this is their natural behavior. If I don't give them nest boxes they'll still try to breed. Last year I learned that the hard way. Some females got into dangerous spots, squeezing into tiny gaps, even trying to nest in unsafe places. I lost a few, including one that fell into a bottle of water while looking for a nesting space. It was heartbreaking. So now I try to give them safe options, even if it means managing a full colony. It's not perfect, but it's the safer way. I'm always learning, always adjusting, doing my best to keep them happy and protected. My favorite fountain for the birds, finally back in action. This is the first time we're using it this year and of course they're a bit shy at first, so I'll help them out a little. Just a few dandelion leaves in the water and that usually does the trick. I don't know any parrot or any bird really that doesn't love to bathe. It's one of their favorite activities, especially in summer. It's refreshing fun and they just go wild for it, but every time I watch them I keep thinking they need a much bigger bath. This little fountain, it's actually a cat fountain. But never mind, it works perfectly for budgies. Mooncake is already fighting for the fountain like it's his personal spa. He's flapping, squawking, making sure everyone knows he needs more space to bathe. And off to the sun to dry off. If he spent one more second in the water he'd soak his feathers and wouldn't be able to fly. And obviously he does not care. And I just noticed a baby budgie chasing a butterfly. And another scene like capture the flag, but instead it's capture the dandelion. And my cockatiels. I don't talk about them often, but they're like the queen and king of this aviary. True royalty. This aviary, it's like a tiny micro world. So much life, so many stories happening all at once. Today I found one baby chick outside the nest and it didn't make it. I don't know if it wiggled out by accident or if another bird threw it out. It's hard to say. Today is day five since they hatched and I now have three baby zebra finches. I'm watching them closely, hoping the rest stay strong. And doing my best, learning with every step. Thank you members for your amazing support. It means so much to share these moments with you. See you in the next video.