Second clutch of Gloudian eggs

[a_gouldian]

Our Gloudians have been sitting on their second clutch of eggs and we candled them this morning. There are six eggs and three are fertile! The first clutch in early March were not fertile. We are thinking they should hatch sometime between Tuesday and Friday. Hopefully everything will go well. We think they are first time parents. The last three days we never saw her come out of the nest box and were wondering if she was alright. This morning she came out to eat, stretch, and preen a little.

[Jamm972]

a_gouldian Does she have dad feeding her wile she sits in the nest ? I have a pair of canaries but dad wasn't feeding her and if he did he did it wile I was not in the room. But once or twice I did catch mom out of the nest, but when I came in she immediately went and sat on the eggs to protect them. Some birds are very protective. Id she is getting out and stretching that's a good sign,. most moms will require a batch every 3 to 4 days and they use the bath to moisture the eggs wile sitting on them so they don't dry out.

[a_gouldian]

a_gouldian Does she have dad feeding her wile she sits in the nest ? I have a pair of canaries but dad wasn't feeding her and if he did he did it wile I was not in the room. But once or twice I did catch mom out of the nest, but when I came in she immediately went and sat on the eggs to protect them. Some birds are very protective. Id she is getting out and stretching that's a good sign,. most moms will require a batch every 3 to 4 days and they use the bath to moisture the eggs wile sitting on them so they don't dry out.

I have never seen Dad feeding her. He sits on a branch right outside the nest box and waits. He eats mostly when she comes out to eat. She is used to us so she will stay out when we come into the room if she is out. If she hears us put out new food sometimes she will come out then to see what the new food is.

[debbie276]

Gouldian males do not feed the hens in the nest like canaries do.
Good luck, keep us posted

[a_gouldian]

An unfortunate update. Two of the eggs hatched yesterday and this morning the mother was chirping away and not going in the nest. I checked the nest this afternoon and one of the chicks had died and the other was still alive. Then later in the afternoon we found the dead chick on the cage floor under the nest box. We removed the unfertile eggs and left the chick, but it appears she doesn't want anything to do with the chick. It almost seems like she is alarmed that there is something alive in her nest. I doubt the chick will survive now. If it does die we have to decide whether to remove the nest box and all nesting material. They are about 1 year old. The first clutch they had in March was not fertile and after the eggs were removed she started laying eggs again about a week later. Not sure if it best to let them try again if they want to or discourage it and wait another 6-8 months before the nest box goes back in. The male is molting now, but the female is not.