oops!

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 7:50 pm

I have a pair of gouldians that have been sitting on 7 eggs. I expected them to hatch either today or tomorrow. This afternoon when I took a peek one had hatched. But it is NOT a gouldian hatchling.

I do not know what it is. Since I have a mixed aviary it could be a number of birds...... so.....
My question is, do you think they will feed and raise this baby if the others hatch out and they are gouldians? I know the mouth markings are veyr different so I was wondering if mattered to them. :l
Haven't read any post here on gouldians fostering.

I am going to try tomorrow if the others hatch to get a picture. The cock will not move! I literally lifted him off the eggs today so I could look.

fairestfinches · Post by **fairestfinches** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:05 pm

We have had a Gouldian foster once for a Parrot Finch egg that ended up in the wrong nest. We didn't realize that the chick was a Parrot Finch chick until well after it was leg banded. Initially we just thought is was an ugly Goudlian chick.

I would check to see if the chick is being fed and hope for the best. Hopefully you have some fosters available should the Gouldians reject the chick.

Sean

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 6:48 am

Thanks Sean. I do have a trio of society finches that I am pretty confident will take it. They haven't failed me yet.

I am going to take a peek later this afternoon and see if anymore have hatched out. If so... hope their goulds.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:35 pm

Tried to get a picture today, but as you an see.... they are not moving!

I don't know if any of the other eggs have hatched or not. It is time so I probably need to candle them and see what is going on. But they won't move!

I guess they are not going to reject the one baby even though it is not a gould.

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:17 pm

Gouldians don't make the best foster parents... but they may. I would watch very carefully and hand feed if you have to. Once the others hatch, the parents may realize the first one is different and toss him..

atarasi · Post by **atarasi** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:56 am

Donna,
Gould eggs are usually quite large in comparison to societies or shaft-tail eggs. Do you remember if there were different sized eggs when you counted the 7 eggs? If you take the society chick out, they may abandon the entire brood. If you leave it in, they might toss it. I guess what I'm saying is that I would leave them alone and not worry about it until the time comes.
It's sometimes about compromises....
If you leave them alone, they might raise all the chicks successfully. If you continue to check on them, you might be making them nervous and may hurt the chance of raising their biological chicks in the next brood. Leave them alone and let them prove to you what great parents/fosters they are!

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 6:54 am

I do not think this is a society chick. I do have society finches sitting on four eggs right now that I can put this chick with if they do abandon it.
They have been great fosters before. I won't be hand feeding it. I have to return to teaching school next week.

The eggs all looked the same to me when I counted them. I believe it may be either a silverbill or an owl. I will try to leave them alone. It is hard not to check.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:02 am

Another egg has hatched. Can't get close enough yet to see if it is a gouldian.

update:
It is a gouldian! Both babies are doing fine so far. Parents are feeding well!

Post by **Sally** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:20 pm

Congrats! So now you have a Gouldian and an unknown, with more chicks to come. When you said you couldn't handfeed because you will be going back to teaching, wouldn't that be a great experience for your kids? Getting to watch a tiny bird being fed by hand. You could get a baby bird diaper bag, load it up with formula and all the misc. tools, and take baby to school with you.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 6:44 am

Sally,
It would be...... but...... I don't think so. It is hectic enough at the beginning of the year with kindergarten students..

I think I will just let the society finches take over that job if necessary.

update:
Two baby gouldians and one surprise baby so far.

Post by **Hilary** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:31 pm

Stop checking!

Even the most steady parents will eventually get rattled if you keep peeking! (Though let us know what the unknown kid is when he fledges!)

atarasi · Post by **atarasi** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 1:48 am

Hilary wrote:Stop checking! Even the most steady parents will eventually get rattled if you keep peeking! (Though let us know what the unknown kid is when he fledges!)

I tried to tell her!

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 3:26 am

LEAVE 'EM ALONE DONNA!!

There ya go......No probs.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 6:01 am

okay....okay......okay.....

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 6:35 pm

Sorry, but when I got home today I had the perfect opportunity to take a picture since both were out eating. The one with the wide mouth is surprise baby. There are three gouldians. All appear to be well fed and doing okay. There is quite a difference in the gouldians since they have hatched one each day. The last one is much smaller. I was always under the impression that gouldians all hatched out on the same day. Guess not.....