I believe my gouldians mated last Saturday....

[Babs _Owner]

Everyone including Debbie & Elana and others have cautioned me to keep my distance ( but I still have to feed the rainbows), and I do this at night, they sit quietly together on a branch.

I rise in the morning at about 6 am, light auto-turn-on @ 5:30 am. This morning Bri (female) didnt come out of the nest until well after 7 am (eventhough her mate Audy was chowing down on fresh food laid out the evening before). This will be 5 days since I suspect they bred.

So in the dark of night (tonight) I lifted the nest and she has a FINE nest of tommy hay nestled with a deep bowl shape but no egg yet.

No sitting in the nest except in the morning?

So, for those gouldian experts......is this part of the ritual, or is the final espisode? Should I be expecting an egg soon?

[lovezebs]

Babs

Honey, keep those curious little paws out of the nest or I'll get Bubba to come over and spank them.

Patience, patience, patience !

If they mated (and if they got it right) there will be eggs laid soon enough.

I am not saying that you should not go into the room where the birds are, nor clean (vacume ), nor do everything that you would normally do in your living room, but lifting the nest out of the flight is a no-no.

I would not lift any of my nests out sweetie.

[spn1979]

Im confused in one paragraph you mention the hen doesnt come out till 7am then later there only in the nest in the morning? I have a pair that act like socites and sleep in the nest allmost all the time. I removed there 2nd bad clutch a few week ago with one dis. I did nest checks with a cell phone camera so i knew when eggs were being layed. I knew when incubation started when atleast one was in the nest at all times during the day. If you wanna stay away from the nest maybe you could look for this behaviour.

Hope this helps steve

[Babs _Owner]

lovezebs

Yeah I would certainly not lift their nest out. Its mounted on the OUTSIDE of the cage, and conveniently its right in the front. All I have to do is flip the top open, LOL

I just lifted the lid at night while changing their food and water and peeked (they were sitting in the dark on their perch)

[Babs _Owner]

spn1979

At night they sleep on the branch. When I wake up, the last few days, she is always in the nestbox in the morning for a few hours. (5am-7am).

Ill look for the alternating behavior, but I dont think I am brave enough to take any camera shots of her nest.

When I peek, its at night and its just a quick lift of the plastic nestbox while I do my regular food/water change.

Im also trying to schedule the food/water change at the same times every evening, so they know the routine.

[lovezebs]

Babs

Got you!

When you said 'lifted the nest', I had visions of actually picking up the whole nest and lifting it out of the flight to take a look inside.

Misunderstanding on my part, and I apologize. No hand smacking for you, young lady.

Hopefully some eggs will make an appearance in short order, unless your your young fella hasn't quite perfected his....uhemmmm, technique yet.

[Babs _Owner]

lovezebs

No need to apologise !! the way I wrote it, it did look like I removed the nest! I scared ya! hahahahaa

Just putting your mind at ease

Yep it would be their first mating, so that is a possibility. Oh man.......I hope he knows what hes doing ;)