handfeeding update./ mom and dad are feeding again!

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Sun May 24, 2009 2:22 pm

Well I have bragged on my gouldians too much. My great luck has run out I suppose.

I have two nest with babies. One had six and the other had four. They are both close to three weeks old.

The nest with six babies is down to two. I am just not sure what is happening. This pair has raised three very successful clutches for me.
ever had a problem with them before.
The mom has stopped feeding all together.
Mario, the dad was feeding but not enough. At this point it has been very difficult for me to lhandfeed as they won't let me. I have managed to get a little food in them, but not much.

I could not put them with my society finches as they are taking care of owl eggs. What I have done at this point is put them into the other nest with the four gouldians. I see that set of parents going in the nest to feed. I am just hoping and praying they are feeding these other two at the same time since they are very close to the same size.

No adult birds appear to be ill in my aviary. All seems well with them all so I don't think it is an illnes of the parents. The cock to the babies not being fed is singing his head off for every hen in there. It just seems he want to breed again I am getting ready to pull him from the aviray and put him into a cage for a while. He sure doesn't need another clutch at this point.

lovemyfinch · Post by **lovemyfinch** » Sun May 24, 2009 2:55 pm

So very sorry for your losses Donna.

I am sure hoping that the other parents will take care of these 2 babes.

Pukasand · Post by **Pukasand** » Sun May 24, 2009 9:02 pm

Oh, Donna, that is so tragic. I hope you don't lose anymore. Good luck.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Sun May 24, 2009 9:09 pm

Sorry to hear that Donna. The trials and tribulations of breeding the more complex spiecies. I hope these ones make it for you.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Sun May 24, 2009 10:20 pm

Sorry to hear the babies did not fare well. It is so hard to loose any birds no matter what the age. I am sorry this has happened to you

I hope the others are adopted and fed well.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Mon May 25, 2009 6:16 am

okay.... checked on them this morning and all babies are still alive. The two I took from Mario are looking much better. Sunshine and Sugar are feeding them as I saw seeds in their crops. woo-hoo.... I have stopped trying to feed them as they just really will not cooperate so I am leaving it to the surrogates and letting nature take it's course from here.

One problem..... when I checked this morning Sugar has laid an egg.

I saw both of them in the nest box yesterday and I thought it was because they were taking care of all the new babies.....

obviously they had other agendas.

Any suggestion what I should do about these eggs she is about to lay?
I really want her to finish taking care of these babies......

lovemyfinch · Post by **lovemyfinch** » Mon May 25, 2009 7:47 am

I am so glad to hear that they took in the new fosters.

No experience in the rest, so I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for the response, just in case.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Mon May 25, 2009 8:21 am

I would think it's okay that she is laying eggs (it will also tempt / remind her to go into the nest more too) as they won't hatch for over 2 weeks from now and the babies should be fledged by that date. Then you can worry about what to do with the eggs.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Mon May 25, 2009 8:56 am

L in Ontario wrote:I would think it's okay that she is laying eggs (it will also tempt / remind her to go into the nest more too) as they won't hatch for over 2 weeks from now and the babies should be fledged by that date. Then you can worry about what to do with the eggs.

Thanks Liz..... but these babies, especially two of them should be fledging in about 4 days now. So I am just hoping that she doesn't start sitting and not feed the ones out of the nest. Goodness, what problems

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Mon May 25, 2009 9:15 am

What about Sunshine - he's still around and helping out? He should be able to help feed the little ratters.

Finch Fry · Post by **Finch Fry** » Mon May 25, 2009 10:00 am

I hope the little guys make it !!!! GL

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Mon May 25, 2009 11:18 am

Very sorry for your problems with them but I am sure you will make the right decision good luck hope it all works out well

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Mon May 25, 2009 1:30 pm

I would probably leave things just as they are since all the chicks are being fed. Are the eggs being laid in the same nest as the youngsters? If so this will probably make the hatching unlikely.(due to trampling or being pooped on) If they are being laid in another nest then the only solution would to be to remove the nest...and I think that would be impossible to do with a mixed aviary with other species breeding. If the female starts to sit on the new eggs (in a different nest) then the older chicks will have fledged and the male should continue to feed the younger 2. If the male doesn't then the chicks will be older and handfeeding becomes easier the older they get

So if that becomes nescasary then the chicks will probably eat a handfeeding formula mixed thick.
You could also just dispose of the eggs and give this pair time to get the ones they already have in the nest out. Then let them start a clutch afterword. In the long run it is better for the health of the breeding adults to have few clutches that survive as oppose to lots of clutches with losses.
We give our birds the best.... but with plentiful food, perfect temperatures, great nest, it kind of encourages them to breed, breed, breed.
I hate to toss eggs but do sometimes for the wellbeing of the pairs that simply refuse to stop breeding...... thankfully most stop with the removal of the nest. But like I said before that is almost impossible to do in a mixed open aviary. One advantage of cage pair breeding is that you have control over nesting, diet, etc. Good luck with whatever you try.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Mon May 25, 2009 3:06 pm

Thanks Caydance! The egg are in the nest with the babies. I am leaving things alone for now. The parents are going into the nest about every hour to feed. These babies should have already fledged to be honest. It has been 24 days for the oldest pair (their pair) and about 22 for the ones I put in. But..... the two I added yesterday are very small since they weren't being fed.

I THOUGHT about taking them all, putting them into a cage and removing the babies from the nest. .. . .. I thought then maybe they would concencrate on feeding them.

I don't know.... it is funny how you sit around and try to think of what you can do that will be the best thing to save the babies. That is my goal right now if possible. I am not too worried about these eggs.

Thanks again!

Post by **Sally** » Mon May 25, 2009 11:38 pm

So sorry you have been having problems with your Gouldians, Donna. You said that the one pair has successfully raised three clutches already--is that this year? Could it be that even though they still will lay eggs, they aren't willing to raise any more? I would try to get these last babies fledged and weaned, and then let everyone have a rest for a while.