4rth Baby Gouldian tossed ?!?!

[lovezebs]

Sandra
How are the infants?

[Sandra]

MiaCarter, a lot easier to hold babies in my hand. They are under light now as parents weren't incubating properly.

lovvezebs, I'm not experienced. its my first time hand feeding birds! The babies been under the light for 4 hours now and they being handfed every hour or so. So far they are hanging on. Im feeding less times at night. So am hoping for the best.

[dutch]

Sandra....how's it all going?

[Sandra]

smaller baby died last Thursday, day after my son's birthday and the other one died overnight to Sunday.

[Ginene]

Sandra...you really did everything you could for your little ones. I am so very sorry for your loss

[Sandra]

Thanks, I try to think positive. I really did all I could. My family thought I was crazy to feed my babies this often and at night. Funny how I had high hopes yesterday, then oop... he just dies.

I had to take babies as the parents dont know they had to feed babies
So they were handfed literally from 2 days old.

[Ginene]

Many times, first time parents toss babies or simply do not feed them. Hand feeding is a huge commitment that many people will not even attempt, so take comfort in knowing you did all you could for these little ones. Will you give your pair a nest again, or are you planning on taking a break?

[Sandra]

I placed clean nest already because the female lays eggs even if no nest...plus male was already courting her. I know the suggested time is 1 month before placing nest again but I dont want to lose eggs.

Im not a breeder. I just have a couple family birds and I so want them to have babies. Esp now since I handfed the babies and I am ready to do it again if needed.

[KarenB]

Oh, I'm sorry you lost those babies, especially after trying so hard to save them. It really is hard, and it does hurt losing babies, because it's your nature to do everything you can to save a life. But if you have finch pairs that have babies, it's going to happen, unfortunately. That's just the way finch keeping is. The more experience you have with clutches, the easier it is (most of the time) to take those negative experiences in stride. It is inevitable. At least that's my experience.

The hardest thing for me is to let a baby die when I know I could probably help it.......if I were home all day to do it. I have super long days during the week, and I already know that if there is a major problem with a clutch, I'll have to just let nature take its course.

I hope you have better luck the next time. It sounds like it won't be long before they try again.

[Airlyn]

This is my first clutch too so I am no expert at all just pointing out some things with mine that might help yours too. When mine had babies they wanted more varied food. Before babies they would not eat mealyworms at all. The hen would peck at egg food but papa wouldn't touch it. They wasn't fond of a LOT of things
Now that they have babies they eat everything in sight. Egg is changed twice a day they eat so much of it. I added three different kind of seed mixes in small containers and their regular seed is in a big container. They eat lots of meal worms (dried), spring veggie mix, papa bird likes quicko too. Maybe try parents with more food types??? Mine also have access to a crushed insect blend, a powdered food etc. Whenever I add something to the cage mama immediately scopes it out. One of the seed mixes is a treat style coated in honey. Another is coated in vitamins. They mostly eat their main breeding blendcbut will go over evert now and then and eat some of the other. So maybe your birdies feel they don't have enough varied food available?

[Sandra]

Thank you for your reply Airlyn.

However the food variety isn't a problem. They have 4 dishes beside the main bird seed hopper ..... Plus they have greens on top of allllll those dishes. I have the insects that they don't touch at all. I even cook eggs for them. Anything extra .... adds up another dish.

My birds sits on the babies as if they were eggs. They don't even come out of the nest. And when a babies dies, they simply take the baby out and keep on sitting on the other babies. I handfed babies from the nest for them to see but it didn't work.

[Airlyn]

awww, I just saw you lost the babies. I was on my phone reading posts and some how missed you lost them. I am so sorry! Maybe they will do better next time. You did all you could. I would not have a clue how to hand feed.

[Sandra]

Really, no worries. It happens to me too.

They sitting on new eggs now that is due any time from tomorrow, Wed! ..... that only if eggs are good.

[Sandra]

Really, no worries. It happens to me too.

They sitting on new eggs now that is due any time from tomorrow, Wed! ..... that only if eggs are good.

[ohboi_jc]

Sorry for your loss Sandra.

It was pretty frustrating with my Gouldians as well. They abandoned and tossed multiple clutches until about the 4th attempt they got it right. I always had societies nearby to foster.

I hope the new clutch goes well and they are better parents.