Updates...Questions...Confirmation

[MarlonLionheart]

I started with Goulds exactly 1 month ago and my first couple has 3 eggs...as you can guess I'm SUPER excited, but with my excitement comes some concern...the male is moulting and from what I read you should breed a moulting bird, the egg laying came a surprise since I only gave them a nest box less than 2 weeks ago. What course of actions should I take ? should I just leave them and let them work things out ? I'm thinking that they can use this clutch for the experience regardless if it is successful or not...advice anyone ???

Also, I need help identifying the sex of this bird (on the right)

Pet shop owner said it was a female and the signs that I know of points towards a female, but I still have my doubts

Thanks in advance for your help !

[lovezebs]

MarlonLionheart

Regarding your pair.

One really "shouldn't" offer a nest or a nestbox to birds who are showing signs of molting. At this stage however, it is a moot point.

Both molting, and raising chicks, takes a lot out of a bird. Doing both at the same time, will be hard on your boy, possibly causing him to get stuck in molt.

I would make sure that you offer the best of the best diet.
High quality finch seed mix, spray millet.
Lots of hard boiled eggs, to which I would add pulverized freeze dried mealworms, and crumbled spray millet.
Lots of vegetables and some fruit, such as:

Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, Romaine, Carrot greens, Grated carrots, Beet greens, Cucumber, Corn, Peas, Parsley, Red Swiss Chard, Apple, Orange, Grapes, Banana.....

Good luck

[MarlonLionheart]

Thanks

MarlonLionheart
One really "shouldn't" offer a nest or a nestbox to birds who are showing signs of molting. At this stage however, it is a moot point.

He wasn't showing any sign of moulting when I put in the nest box and it seems to me that he only started moulting as the eggs came...he's only just started loosing feathers. I'll offer him a good diet (as I was doing) and we'll see what happens

[lovezebs]

MarlonLionheart

Well, good luck.

Maybe the thought of having a family, is making him pull his feathers out Hopefully things will turn out alright, as long as diet is really really good and plentiful.

Regarding your pretty unsexed Gouldian. Have you seen any singing or dancing with this bird?

I would think female, but not an expert on mutations. debbie276 , might be able to help you with this.