Late season Gouldians

22 Sep 2017, 17:02

I've got a nest of Gouldians about to fledge. They've never bred for me this late in the season, so I'm wondering when I can expect them to moult into their adult feathers. The others are already starting to colour, so I imagine they're going to be a little late.

22 Sep 2017, 20:09

Shane,
I have exactly the same thing, but the funny part is that I put no boxes in this season as I thought I would give them a rest and laziness crept in. Lo and behold a few pairs built their own nests behind the brush on ledges and I probably have 10 or so young from this season. Everyone is starting to go into the moult and looking a bit scraggly but during the week I heard the telltale sound of gould chicks being fed. Observation confirmed this and the sound indicates they are not far off fledging but over the past couple of days have been seeing a painted hen as well as the goulds ducking into the nest on the ledge and feeding them. Have had stars raise gould chicks before as eggs were laid in their nest but painteds sort of throws me. They are gould chicks for sure and not painteds.

In regards to the issue of moult, it is a resounding no for these ones in my opinion. I have some from last year who are going into their first full moult because they were late fledgers. Goulds have a specific moulting season, if they are too young they will go into full moult next year but will probably get a few coloured feathers before then. If you decide to keep them just be aware just because they didn't moult doesn't mean they won't try to breed next season.

Good luck

Ken.

23 Sep 2017, 01:02

HI for me i found if late like oct/nov some will moult and some will 1/2 moult i still have 1 or 2 from last nov 2016 that only 1/2 moult buy most will when it hot up if leve boxing in them keep breeding till nov/dec then moult and start agen dec or jan but for me im taking boxs out now to rest them and u fine then will start to moult 2 or 3 week after take boxs out as i did a count and have 107 babys so far and still have more in nest

14 Oct 2017, 21:05

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

The clutch described in this post fledged yesterday. I thought I'd finally be able to take out the nests, but I found another box full of Gouldian chicks that looked like they hatched within the last week.

This is easily going to be the best breeding season I've had with these guys.

14 Oct 2017, 23:42

Congratulations. Maybe this crazy late winter is good for something after all.
LML

15 Oct 2017, 01:15

ShaneGowland wrote: ↑14 Oct 2017, 21:05 Thanks for the feedback everyone.

The clutch described in this post fledged yesterday. I thought I'd finally be able to take out the nests, but I found another box full of Gouldian chicks that looked like they hatched within the last week.

This is easily going to be the best breeding season I've had with these guys.

Nice one, well done Shane, hope all goes well and moult ok

Be lucky