Breeding Gouldians

[Babs _Owner]

Icearstorm

Think I see another egg (possibly two) buried in the picture lower to the egg on top of the tommy hay.

If she's molting, take the eggs out and replace them with fakes so she doesnt just keep laying over and over.

With her molting and laying, a good calcium/vitamin D supplement would be a good idea daily .

Im sure you are already giving her boiled egg. I'd shave some cuttlebone powder on top of it.

Baby looks strong and alert.

[Icearstorm]

Ricardo Ronsini
They seem to be.

[Icearstorm]

Babs

The two others are infertile ones from the last clutch.

She hasn't lost any more feathers or grown in pin feathers after around the first day, so I wonder if she's going bald. I haven't been able to find an iodine block and am suspicious of liquid vitamins; I could mix up a batch of eggfood with spirulina and powdered vitamins instead. I have a few fake clay eggs if need be.

They mostly ignore boiled egg when they can't see other birds eating it, so I've been giving them dry Quiko classic egg food. They eat ground oyster shell for calcium.

[Babs _Owner]

Icearstorm

They like eggshells? I haven't seen a finch yet that doesnt go for them.

I get nervous about iodine due to thyroid. I have powdered kelp and I sprinkle that only twice a month lightly.

The reason I suggest fake eggs versus removing the nest is my gouldians will mate in ANYTHING. Foliage, ledges and any seed cups that are high-up in the flight.

I have to strip it down and put all the food on the bottom to get everyone's jet's cooled down so they can rest for the off-season.

If I want another clutch, I replace with fake eggs in the nest until the kids are weaned and then I remove the nest, clean it and let replace it after shes had a nice rest and the juveniles removed. My best hen will take incredible care of her kids, but if she lays again on top of her chicks before they wean and the chicks hatch in her nest before her juveniles are weaned.........she will MURDER her juvies to drive them out. I haven't had a fatality yet, but I've stayed on my toes.

We all know every gouldian pair is different. ;)

[Icearstorm]

Babs

They seem to eat the eggshells on the occasion they go for fresh egg, but I haven't tried offering it alone.

My female is reluctant to mate, so it seems unlikely she would breed in anything other than the nest box.

It turns out I've lost my fake eggs, so I'll have to make more.

[Icearstorm]

The baby has fledged, so I removed the nest and remaining eggs (of which they have eaten three). I need to get some more branches in so the baby doesn't just crawl around on the floor.

[lovezebs]

Icearstorm

Congratulations on the fledgling, that's always an exciting time.

A few branches that rest on the bottom and angle upwards will be helpfulto the little one, until he/she is more comfortable with flying (which should be by tomorrow).

[Icearstorm]

lovezebs

There's one curved branch like that in the front right corner. Another one near the back left may encourage it to climb up, as that side is more sheltered.

When do the feather sheaths come off? It looks like it still has a few remaining on its secondaries.

[lovezebs]

Icearstorm

Usually baby pin feathers are gone by the time babies fledge.

Your little guy might have left the nest too early.

He should be looking like this...

Not like this...

If he left the nest early, he technically should be put back, but seeing as the nest has been removed, you could make a little bed for him at the bottom of the cage, to keep him warm and comfortable until he's a bit more mature. Hopefully the parents will continue feeding.

[Icearstorm]

lovezebs

I think you may be right; it's still got a headful of pin-feathers and doesn't exactly seem coordinated (it mostly gets around by butt-scooting). I'll see what I can do tomorrow, as everyone's asleep now.

The parents seemed reluctant to feed it in the nest this morning, but it's crop was full this evening, so they must have fed it since then.

[Icearstorm]

I added a stick to the side and a small open box with torn up paper towels to the bottom. I also moved the feeder down so the parents should go to the floor more often. The baby's crop is full.

[lovezebs]

Icearstorm

If his crop is full then that's good news .

[Icearstorm]

It now flaps a little and hops after the parents, but still doesn't fly. The feathers sheaths are gone from its wings, but still on its tail and head.

[lovezebs]

Icearstorm

Definitely popped out of the nest too early.
Usually they are managing some flight on the second day after fledging, if not the first day.

Give him time.

[Babs _Owner]

Icearstorm

Congrats ! I'm hoping the parents take the little guy all the way! Do you have a picture of him. He does sound too young to be out. What a little handful for the parents, with him jumping out so soon.