nesting preferences?

[paul-inAZ]

Put them on an 'austerity diet' of seeds only for a few weeks to cool her hormones down.
But, as long as she is laying she will need lots of calcium . Making egg shells uses a huge amount of her body calcium.

Open nests can be contributory to egg and chick tossing if they use them at all. Gouldians naturally lay in hollow trees etc and want the darkness, privacy and security of a closed nest. Either buy or make a plywood nest box. They aren't hard to make. I use paper strips from my document shredder as nesting material.
You don't indicate your location but around here Craigslist or bird shows often have nest boxes for sale. Some pet stores carry them in suitable size.
And maybe add your location to your profile?

[catherlee]

I have one of those boxes. They seem to be afraid of it for now. They did explore the closed nest basket (but then I did drape some greens over it!)

I did make a whole bunch of crushed egg shell for them. I offered that and egg food.

I guess I will be doing the austerity diet, following the directions that are online, after they molt. Millet seems to be easy to find!

Oh, and I am in Tampa, FL. We've had really nice weather outside on my covered patio, so even though many do not recommend outdoors, I've checked with the temperatures in their native habitat and think outside is very beneficial.

[catherlee]

LOL, for those following the soap opera on my back porch

Yesterday I saw the hen sitting on TWO eggs. She does not sit consistently, and I think she was sleeping on the swing.

What happens to eggs that aren't incubated? Do they eventually get rotten and / or break?

[paul-inAZ]

They will sit part time until she is finished or nearly finished laying eggs. Then she will sit 'tight'. You will know in a few days when/if a few more eggs appear.
If she doesn't sit, the abandoned eggs will either dry out, be eaten, or pitched.

[catherlee]

Wow! Yesterday there were THREE eggs (although the third egg is a very odd long shape!)

And just now, I saw the MALE sitting on the eggs! I didn't know they did that!

[catherlee]

So... after all was said and done, there were 4 eggs in the open nest. They were SO cute! Like little jelly beans! The parents sat on them, but not consistently. After a long period of time when neither sat on them, I removed the nest and eggs. The hen found the plywood nest, and spent yesterday exploring it and I finally saw her peeping out of the entrance!

So, according to everyone's advice, after they complete their molt, I will switch to an austerity diet, and then try again next year!

[paul-inAZ]

You don't say where you live. Put that into your profile.

Guessing that you may be in the northern hemisphere there is no need to wait 6 or 8 months to next winter to breed them.
Summer, with longer days and warmer temps is their ideal and normal breeding season.
Once feathered out, give them a bit of a rest, then start a breeding diet and give them a nest.

[catherlee]

Well, the pair have decided that it is NOT too late to try again! They have decided that they DO like the box and have laid 4 eggs in it!

After all that, I was really surprised that they are trying again! So I put out more egg food and calcium!

[catherlee]

6 eggs!

Pardon my excitement! This is the first time I've ever witnessed anything like this!

[catherlee]

Hello everyone, I need some advice. Until I can figure out how to upload a photo, I think one of the eggs is broken. What do I do about that? I took a quick photo, thinking that maybe something might have hatched by now, but now I see 8 eggs and a 9th looks broken with some clear jelly-like "albumin?" showing.

The pair are alternating being in the next box. Should I remove the egg? I don't want to disturb the eggs or the parents. Will the parents "clean" the egg by eating it or carrying it away?

[catherlee]

also, sorry, this may be a dumb question, but since egg food makes for more eggs, should I remove the egg food now? They have plenty of fruits and veggies and calcium.

[paul-inAZ]

Leave everything as is if they are alternating sitting. If fertile that will be a very large clutch. You will know soon enough.

I think that they somehow know if an egg is a dud and often break it.
They will eat the egg contents and the shell or sometimes carry it out.

[catherlee]

The egg in question is to the right, under the dried grass.

[catherlee]

oops, here is the photo.

[Fraza]

catherlee the eggs are defietly not unfertile because the air sac is growing in them however they haven’t changed white yet ???

Also you need to give them more nesting material if chicks hatch in that nest they will get bad legs because there isn’t enough nesting they will basically form on the flat wood


But that is a large clutch so hopefully some chicks will hatch !