2016 Gouldian Breeding Season - Australia

[lovezebs]

Nerine

Well, uhem.... he's obviously not a Gouldian, but I figure that a Gouldi that color would be kind of different, lol.

[wildbill]

lovezebs

Well I've been breeding birds a good 45 years on and off. - No-one took a stab at it but here's goes. I think you have bred a new mutation in the PARROT FINCH FAMILY! Nothing to do with me but you could call it the ALBERTA BLUE or if patriotic CANADIAN BLUE. Well I am just saying right. You breed it so it's your call. CANADIAN BLUE it is!
I am truly honored you were good enough to show me this very new mutation. Body size is good for a new mutation and the bird appears strong. I question the size and shape of the beak but with new mutation -one never knows what they will get. In all honesty I should be ashamed to breed such a poor example of a mutation but you have given me the inspiration and strength to try even harder....lol Well that's enough of the ......lol and on to today's log

Checking nests out today I had a look in a nest box in the - not too sure if they are any good aviary...lol These birds were the surprise package I decided to check out the nest where one pair first round fledged a Lime with the other greens.
Well this time things are not 100% with the 5 eggs she was setting on. All eggs hatched and she is now down to just 2 young. Surprise as all first round eggs hatched and the young flew.
Now I am not sure what she decided to let die but she has either a green or lime in there plus ONE BLUE!
This confirms their status had jumped from splits to double splits. Only problem I don't know the pair in question...LOL
Last year I actually saw the purple looking mutation hatch about 30 times in all abut they all died within 24 hours and were never feed. Those dead young inside the nest although dried out looked that particular colour. It is the main reason why I think the 2 new grey/blue bird is the new mutation blue.
Now another pair in the same aviary also hatched a Lime. those pair are on 6 fertile eggs too. The other pair of greenbacks has 2 blues and probably green. After that I have one pair left which has breed 2 nests of 4 green backs.
I have to some-how get into gear and get in and catch ring all the adult birds so I know who's who!...lol Then set up my camera on video to record ring colours entering the boxes.
So it appears if II don't open nest boxes at the right time to inspect there's a very good chance I don't see exactly what did hatch. So consider the final outcome -I am pretty lucky to have just 2 of the grey/blue birds flying. Not perfect specimens but at least flying and better than nothing

[lovezebs]

wildbill

So you like my little Canadian Turquoise Goulparrotlin, eh?

Good luck catching and ringing all those kids. I have to say, that's one job I don't envy you. Mind that you don't step on any blue-lime babies.

[wildbill]

3 young in total. very well fed too...lol appears they are just feeding them the mashed boiled eggs I put in plus the lettuce. nest is not 100% safe and after this peep I won't bother them just in case they fall out of the nest.

[lovezebs]

wildbill

They looked like little spring rolls

Funny how different pairs, feed different things.
I've had parents who fed primarily spray millet, while with others it's all eggs, and then some feed mostly greens and seed. Go figure.

In my limited experience, I've found that the chicks that get more egg, tend to molt quicker and easier, and colour up sooner, but that could just be a coincidence. What I can't figure out, is why some chicks in some clutches, colour up weeks and weeks before some of their nest mates.

[wildbill]

plus I placed them in the wrong thread...lol

[lovezebs]

wildbill

Not Gouldians, I presume (?) TEE HEE HEE!!!

[Jamm972]

wildbill Hey hen you clean and repaint the aviary what type of paint do you use? I want to paint some of my cardboard solid dividers but am afraid that the paint I will use will be toxic to the birds?
I read some of the labels and none say there toxic nor safe for animals so little confused

[wildbill]

I just use any water base paint . never had one problem but I never use the turps based paints. it takes much longer to dry and the smell would be hard on them...or that's what I think

[Sally]

Jamm972 They make low VOC latex paints, and those are supposed to be perfectly safe. I've used regular latex spray paints to touch up cages without problems.

[Jamm972]

ty wildbill and Sally i will go check out these paints today.

[wildbill]

I hit the 150 young bred for this breeding season mark yesterday I also have about 15 young in various nest boxes from 7 to 12 days old. plus a fair few of my breeding hens have started to lay again. so I think 200 young for the season is within an easy reach.
i'd probably have 6 or 7 weeks max to get there as my holiday trip to the north is planned for mid to late june. after that the daughter will take over with the feeding program etc and we all know - no-one does it as good as yourself they might give them feed/water once a day but if your serious and want results two or three good feeds per colony per day.
I think if there is always plenty of food on hand - there is no reason why they cant do the job or its either a bad lot of birds/inexperienced first time breeders or just a bad breeding season. this year some breeders here in oz are experiencing just that....a bad breeding season!
I experienced a few of those about 3 years ago. didn't matter what you did or how you fed them...disaster nests one after the other.

[Paul's Amazing Birds]

Hi Wildbill,

Been following your posts for a while and just wondering if you're doing open breeding in separate aviaries or you have selective breeding cages set up in a bird room?

Also, with that many pairs, I imagine you have quite an efficient way to offer food, water, veggies and nestling food. Can you talk a little about your breeding season maintenance routine?

Also wondering about wholesale and retail values for young birds in your area (USD equivalent).

Thanks
Paul (from California)

[wildbill]

all my gouldians are bred in flighted outdoor aviaries. tried breeding cabinets a couple of time - no luck at all and was flat out to breed any. all 5 gouldian aviaries have heated shelters. it's cold here in Oz winter is approaching and very close to 0C degrees overnight. heaters now run overnight on a timer and maxed at 14C. 7pm to 10pm -1am to 4am - 6am to 9am. reason for this - to stop egg bound hens and heat for young in the nest at the 10 day or more mark. without it those would fail to go the distance. cost to heat $300 a month

start of the breeding season or close to it I do an S76 for air sac mite but I've never had them anyway plus a worming run. after that -that's it. I clean all the aviary floor and disinfect the perches. after that I don't touch any seed which has fallen on the floor till the season is over. the reason for that if young jump the nest early the seed insulated the young at night from the cold cement floor.

I fill and compact all the nest boxes myself. I sometimes throw in a bit of grass on the floor but with gouldians it doesn't help that much. stuff their nest boxes with grass and they will or the cock bird will weave it across the inside so its pretty hard to see.

I just give them their feed twice a day or three times when breeding. mixed canary seed - egg shells microwaved - boiled egg mix when breeding -first this year- and lettuce and green millet. fresh water daily sometimes with a multivitamin and sometimes with raw apple cider vinegar.

mine are mainly mutation birds so I sell privately to mutation breeders. so you could say $50 US for the cheap ones or up to $700 US each for the rarer ones. Any of the green backs I have bred this year which I class as possible lime blue splits will sell for $50US ea. if I knew they were genuine lime blue splits or double splits they would be $300US ea but that's something I don't know.

Not hard to sell either as 25 uncoloured young are ready to leave the yard within days. this will give me more room or a bit more anyway. wholesale would be half the price and seold to petshops but here in oz if that was the case -you only sell the rubbish. not just my thoughts any breeder here will do the same.

if the birds breed are good -why sell for half price

[Paul's Amazing Birds]

Thanks for the detailed explanation.
Since I'm not quite retired yet, I'm continually looking for ways to make my routine bird chores more efficient and less time consuming so I can spend more time enjoying my birds from one of the three observation areas.

For 3 months of the year I have 14 pair of red factors set up in selective breeding cages. This time of year it takes an hour each day to feed, water and clean things up a bit. The rest of the year they all fly free in a pretty good size indoor/outdoor landscaped aviary. Food prep is done in my garage/shop where I have a fridge full of veggies and a good supply of eggs and dry nestling food.
I have a lap top with a separate monitor set up inside the walk-in
so I can keep track of my breeding notes and the whole bird inventory on spreadsheets. My work bench in the garage has a carving board, an elect. egg cooker and a food processor so I don't need to intrude on the kitchen anymore. A sink is close by - near the outdoor compost pit. My ICU and quarantine cage are also in the temp controlled garage. There is a second sink inside the aviary so I have a place to wash all the standardized porcelain dishes and plastic water tubes.

My hobby takes a pretty big effort to maintain properly so I can only imagine how challenging it must be to handle all your breeding pairs and off-spring. Impressive project!
Do you have any drawings of your lay out?

Paul