Goulds flying around house breeding freely

[RH/WB]

Hi all~!
I have some goulds, several pair, 6 pair and they have the run of the house and they stay in one room by the cages. They also like to buzz my face. I had poor luck last year breeding in large sized cages.
Now, I've simply let them have their freedom, with all the precautions necessary and have placed nest houses in several places high up around the room and they're all being investigated with much enthusiasm. Some hens have staked preferred territory and the males are hopping with Joy.
Anyone ever tried this free flight in the house method before? Of course giving some to society to raise.

[Love Of Finches]

Good luck with the breeding!

I let my Finches Ree Fly around my room. I have a Spice and a Society and A White Zeb I got today.

I do hav problmem when the blinds are left open or lights left off as my birds can't see the windows and they can't see in the dark. But I usually leave the cage open so they can go in and rest or sleep then I close it later at night when my birds are all back in. Though to avoid stress they won't be let out for a few days to let the new bird settle in.

[RH/WB]

Thank You~! for your reply.

My old Goulds are mating far better than I ever expected, in what I was told is a "colony" breeding method doing it this way.
Every bird has paired up and bonded well. They're actually choosing like colored mates.
This years birds, just now coloring up / molting, males are trying but, the hens don't care for their advances.
What's odd to me color wise, and my very limited knowledge with Birds, I have a yellow, red head with an extremely light, definitely Blue breast with distinct blue line into the yellow belly from this years brood, his head is bright red. I have yet to see a picture of this color.

The Societies I definitely need after seeing more than 40 Gould eggs just die, the males are driving me insane with all that singing, I like quiet birds.
I have them caged individually to see which sings, they're all making some noise and 5 out of 7 are really singing away. The one Java I took in, seems to have gotten into a foul mood and is aggressive, very moody bird~!

The newer birds - Goulds and the Societies are my only difficulty. The old birds have settled in and as I said, doing far better than I had ever hoped for at this point this is.

I may just have a good year for a change.
Finches are really a nice delicate bird that brings life into any home.
My Colony type, or my way is working out great. They have their Freedom and I get to enjoy them as close as possible to how they are supposed to live, in a house that is flying as they wish---mostly into my face constantly buzzing me for some reason.

Thanks and Best Wishes and Luck. Happy Birding~!

RH/WB---Mike

[EmilyHurd]

Sounds like a pretty awesome set up. My finches are all in cages, and then I have one huge aviary. If I had the room though, I would dedicate one room to finches and just let them free fly all the time. What do you do about the floor and poop?

[RH/WB]

Good Question~!!
Antique meat wrapping paper on the floor around the edge of the table, strategically well placed branches and it's all Tile.
room is 28' X 32' with large windows but they're roaming more of the house, which now presents a new poop problem I have to figure out. Small but still there.
They're very good strong fliers and I think I may have too many when they scatter about. 10 AM to 2 PM is peak flying time, then they get a burst of energy at 13-15 hours of light.
Heads are shaking, tails are wagging, beaks are scraping branches, males are jumping and they chose the "worst" sized boxes I made.
My new opinion is a huge Aviary that comes apart in 4 sections is the only way to go to address confined poop and space to fly. I'm tempted to screen the 2 doors, very tempted~!
I worry about doors opening far too much this way. It's quite the sight seeing so many flying freely, but very worrisome too. Very hard to keep tabs on them all with doors, they can be sneaky and extremely fast.
Once the breeding season is over with, this method will cease.
Had I know that Finches would infest that room, I would have placed a floor drain in it. I raised P-cocks before, outside of course and Canadian geese.
Now there's some serious poop to deal with.....LOL

[RH/WB]

Found something of interest happening in this colony setting, they weren't nesting and thought I should add it.
So, I got out some cages and put the nests certain birds have already picked and were sleeping in--mean me-and stuck them into the cages.
4 out of 4 pair went into the cage with the nest box the chose and immediately went to building a nest.
I'm concluding they need a specific territory to defend before nesting and free flight may not be a great idea during breeding season after all. BAD IDEA~!
While one male is dancing his little dance - free flight, another will fly by and peck his butt, then a fight is on to rival any dogfight in WW1 history and nothing gets accomplished.
Have them pick a nest box and provide all they've ever known as a home, a cage to defend with their box in it.
Something I thought worth sharing........and would end the topic. It works great to pick a mate, then cage them.

[RH/WB]

Wanted to report in on how this breeding has been with letting them fly.
Now it's mid December and I'm having rather good success with the free flight, or colony breeding, actually it's far better than ever expected. All but one 8 M/O hen is on eggs and 2 on their second clutch of 4.
I have an odd situation with 2 Yellow males sitting on 3 good eggs. I've not noticed male goulds to be good feeders and I'm a bit worried if they will feed their 3.
These 2 yellows-They're definitely / were singing, hopping up and down, red tipped beaked Roosters for sure. Yet, I've yet to see any hen enter their nest. Perhaps the hen was sexually frustrated singing, jumping while the beak is still not dark in any way, don't know.
Tonight we had a baby just fall from a ceiling fan, or that was the only thing besides a white ceiling up there and then die. There are no goulds in that room or not even a hen of any sort and no evidence whatsoever of any sort of minute nest. Very Bewildering.
All are and have been out, go in at will etc and there's 8 pair nesting in various spots. Oddest spot was in an egg carton about 3' off the ground on a deep shelf. Another was high over the dryer nestled into some peacock wing feathers I had in a box and another was in a tonka toy truck bed high on a shelf. Most have boxes and many to choose from.
They like the spots where the heat comes out from above them.
For my first time using this method, my success thus far is exceptional. Birds are also sticking with who they paired off with to begin with. They can be rather sly birds on the loose and productive.
Hope this helps somebody have babies, who like me has had little luck picking their bows and using cages. Tile floor or linoleum is a must have for the area you intend to have them remain. 2 good well placed branches serve well.
Thanks~!

[Gunnar]

Can you tell me a little more about this blue breasted bird? Do you have any pictures?
Thanks,
Gunnar

[RH/WB]

I don't know how to add pictures.... It's a RH All Yellow with a pastel blue breast that I've never been able to capture the true colors of. One of the two yellows males with the eggs. He's not vivid blue as with normal brilliant blue and came out of a white breasted clutch I traded for before he colored up.
Book Gouldian Finches by Matthew M. Vriends, Ph.D., Barrons page 28 top right is what he looks like but all yellow-"diluted yellow"--no green.
The blue is a little bit darker than the one pictured. I got no genetics with him, just a trade for new blood. He's just an unusual colored bird and very healthy