By George, I think they've got it!

[KarenB]

It was killing me, not knowing if they'd even hatched yet. I knew it was getting really close to being time. I got a brainstorm and decided to put in some bathing water. Out pops Lady, and in went Gent. Dang. Then I thought, well, he's only pinch hitting, anyway, so I threw caution to the wind and opened the back of the box and quickly snapped the pic. Gent came out of the box going, "What the..." I never see Lady out of the box these days, so I had to snatch that opportunity. The first two clutches she laid, she never sat on at all, which is why they ended up in foster care. This time they appear to be getting it right. What a concept, Gouldian-raised Gouldians........

[MiaCarter]

Oooh, clever move on the bath water!

Very cute!
I'm glad to hear they're getting it right this time! Third time's the charm, I suppose!

How exciting!

I just pulled nearly 20 eggs out of my gouldian nest, probably from the past couple months!
I need to pull out the 4 juveniles from the cage in order for them to breed again. They've got no problem laying, but seems there's too much disruption with all the kids kicking around to incubate consistently. The kids are all mid-moult so waiting until they're done -- hopefully before the parents go into their moult! I guess we'll see.

What do the parents look like?
Do you know the parents' genetics or do you have some potential surprises in there?

[KarenB]

Definitely third time's the charm, I think. I'm cautiously optimistic. It is exciting, though. I'll be glad not to have to foster them out. As it is, the societies I would have fostered them with now are weaning the second clutch of gouldian beauties from this pair, and they are sitting on a few of their own eggs. Oy vey.

Judging from the first clutch of theirs raised by the societies, and what little color I'm seeing in them right now as they are going through their first molt, I definitely have one yellow head, so the parents are both split for yellow head. I think one will be black headed as I see no red in it (a female), and two others are definitely red like both parents (one of them a male for sure). The fifth one has yet to molt a feather on the head, so I don't know about it. So really, the yellow head was definitely a surprise. I was expecting nothing but normal red heads. One I thought was going to have a white breast now looks to be very pale purple or I guess lilac or whatever they call it. I'm not sure if it will be lilac or just pale purple for a female.

This waiting game of seeing the colors is making me crazy. After this first clutch colors up, then I'll have to wait and see what the second does. So far of those, there is one definitely darker overall than the others, maybe a male and the others female?

[KarenB]

Oh, speaking of your 20 eggs, Mia, this clutch is laid on top of about a dozen eggs from the second clutch that remained after taking out seven for fostering.....five of which are now pretty little green fledges. They just piled nesting on top of them that they stole out of the parrotfinch nest.

AND I saw the parrotfinches having a good time earlier, so I think it's time to replace some of that nesting for them. I was just afraid to do it earlier, because I was sure the gouldians would overbuild their nest with it and smother their new eggs. (both pair in the same flight) Now that the gouldian eggs are hatching, I'm thinking I can safely put the nesting in for the parrotfinches?

[lovezebs]

KarenB
Beautiful babies, Karen. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
They look healthy and well fed .

By the way, what is that little green ball (or whatever) in the nest?

~Elana~

[Jen]

Those babies look fat and happy! Keep the pics coming. Enjoy your new family!

[KarenB]

The green ball is actually a perch, but you are seeing the very end of it. It extends through to the outside. It is just below the nest hole. The opening I am looking through here is the back wall of the box that folds down, so you are looking toward the front just below the hole.

[Sam007]

Cute babies. Congrats!

[KarenB]

And it looks like the fifth egg hatched this morning. Both parents left the nest to refuel, so I snapped another quick pic. Sneeky me.

[MiaCarter]

Awwwwww.

How cayooot!

Yay for stealth mode!
(Speaking of stealth mode, I remember you told us about using your binoculars to spy on the finchies once. I can still picture you in your tan jungle trekking outfit, crouched behind the couch and binoculars peeking out through a couple potted plants....."Crikey! That's the rare Lady Gouldian Finch! Isn't she a darlin?" <-- said in an Aussie accent, of course.)

That little guy is yelling at you, by the way!
And look how tiny the baby is next to the yelling guy. So tiny and little and new! I bet he's the newest squeep!

[KarenB]

MiaCarter, I think you're right, the one in the front there in the photo is the newest.

Yes, I still keep the bins on the coffee table in the living room to spy on the African guys. They always get a bit jumpy if I go stand up next to the flight and look at them without having food or water in hand. The male RCCB sounds the alarm and all go nutso. But I don't wear the khaki gear all the time.

[delray]

[Rox]

Yay! So glad they are finally getting it right

[KarenB]

Yay! So glad they are finally getting it right

Me, too, Rox!

[KarenB]

And the first baby just fledged first thing this morning. Dad is so proud, you can tell