FINCHforum

Hi Everyone. I am new to this forum and am excited at the opportunity it presents to ask other Lady Gouldian owners questions that just can't be figured out! I have a bonded pair who raised a successful clutch of four babies shortly after I brought them home from the store! They were great parents and did everything right. I didn't even know they had laid eggs. The four are healthy fledgings now and are going through their first molt. The problem is ever since that first clutch all successive clutches laid have not hatched. The mom and/or dad will sit on them forever but they are not fertile. They are happily sitting on a clutch now but I suspect the same result. What could be causes? I have improved their diet since first purchasing them and they are healthy. Why are these clutches turning up infertile when they are being provided even better care then when I got them? I gave the hen a brief rest and took the nesting box out a couple months ago but felt bad for them because the cock wanted to build a nest so badly so I put the nest back in. Any help is appreciated. JT

Hello! Welcome to the forum from Flight Feathers Bird Home! Congratulations on the gouldians fledglings! I can’t help you with your questions as I don’t have gouldians but lovezebs may be able to help you!

well it appears they were fertile once so they must hit the jackpot again. prior to your purchase they may have been house outside with a good source of direct sunlight and vitamin d3.....now if you have them outside already this is not going to help you and they may well be just out of breeding condition and no longer in sync.
if breeding inside however it may not help much either as i'd say your breeding season would be near over BUT there is next year and this is what you do for indoor gouldian breeding if not running lighting system. buy yourself vetafarm soluvite d follow the instructions and mix with water and add daily for 4 to 5 times per week. over a period of time this will boost their fertility and the cock bird will be bouncing about
only a couple of months ago I had the same drama on some very expensive mutation gouldians shooting blanks and end result dud eggs and within 2 months both pairs now have young almost ready to fly. so it's worth the effort and gets results!

jlt1960 is it only one pair in there I got told by a experienced breeder that if there is more males the female can get distracted and it causes her eggs to be infertile

Thanks all! Just one pair. The cages all have full spectrum lighting - I just moved from Fla. to Georgia so I think this could have something to do with it. Will try all suggestions!

jlt1960 if it’s there first breed since the move then they will lost likely be infertile getting use to the new surrounding

in that case different location of the country and quite possible a different environment as well and that is the reason the birds have gone into a molt. you can buy gouldian from different areas of Australia and there could be a big swing in temp in the aussie breeding season.
they arrive at your place keen and ready to breed and a few week later go straight into a molt and that's it for them for the year. happens all the time. this may have been the start of your problem at the change of location and its always a good idea to give as much info as you can to help track down a problem

jlt1960

Hi, and welcome to the Forum,

Sorry to hear that you are having Gouldi problems.

As was already mentioned by Wildbill and Fraza, a move, a change of environment, and a new home, can all be contributing factors to what's been happening.

If you say that they are going into a moult, then you need to remove the nest from the cage. Moulting birds, or birds not in perfect condition should NEVER be bred.

So remove the nest and all nesting materials.
Offer good quality Finch seed mix.
Hardboiled eggs daily, for protein.
A variety of fresh greens every day or second day.
Spray millet for treats.

Order some Feather Fast and follow the instructions on the container. It will help them molt faster, and grow new feathers.

Allow them enough rest and quiet time, without any stress (which may cause them to become stuck in moult).

Once they finish their molt completely, you can re introduce a nest, etc.

Now just a quick note:
Gouldians should only be allowed to have 2 to 3 clutches per breeding season.

Good luck.

Hi Elana. I'm not sure the parents are in a molt but their fledglings are for sure. I have one live baby today so they are fertile and the problem must have been environmental to an extent. Please clear up some confusion with the clutches...are they supposed to be allowed only to lay three clutches max a year or RAISE three clutches per year? In other words if they lay eggs and incubate but no babies hatch for them to rear does that count as a clutch or only the clutches that actually hatch and they have to raise? I've been wondering this for awhile. Your information has been very helpful. P.S. also it's hard to tell when my hen is in breeding condition because her beak always seems to be dark charcoal grey. The boy, Sparkle, is a pistol and always ready for a romp in the nest!

Elana......over to you

jlt1960 it’s the bringing up the chicks that takesbit out of them they can keep laying and laying if they have enough calcium and they aren’t bringing up the clutches for example if u had society’s brining up all there chicks then they could have more

But still they shouldn’t be exhausted over it don’t breed them too much they need a rest sometimes I’d make a max of 5 if they aren’t raising but they can have more than 3 a yr without raising

Thank you!

Thanks for sending to Elana, I am not really sure how to post and am trying to figure out who responds, etc. and haven't had time yet to figure out! All I do know is so far you all are a great group of people!

here's what you have to look at when breeding gouldians. 3 lots of nests with young would be a good return for the year. by the time they are on nest 3 they are getting a bit on the tired side of feeding and looking after their young and are a bit run down side - after all by this time they have been at it for several months
best quality young are usually in the first and second rounds but not always and that will depend upon the size on their nests. I breed rare and highly expensive mutation gouldians in outdoor aviaries and these can sell up to $1800 each so I have a bit of an idea how to breed them
I don't class a clear egg nest as a nest at all but if I got say two or three in a row- out with that male and a change of partner for the rest of the season.
last year even I had a bad breeding season with just 50 young for the year. this year it looks good and roughly 105 out now so my thoughts are towards the 200 mark
it would be in your best interest to have birds that feed their own young and don't rely on fostering. fostering can lead to problems further down the track....well it certainly can my way.
on a happy ending note...here's a nice site

Thank you. I knew nothing about this when I first got the pair the middle of last year. First clutch was a success - 4 babies and I didn't even know there were eggs in the nest!! I think the volatile aspect of moving up here from Fla probably threw them off. Since my initial post on this site this latest clutch has hatched and I have two babies! They are wonderful parents. I only intend to create magnificent aviaries for viewing pleasure and enjoyment.