using zebra finches as fosters for gouldians

Ask your questions about breeding finches here.
Post Reply
werty

my Gouldian's are constantly producing large clutches, 6-10 eggs per nest, eggs are 99% fertile every time

I have had a zebra pair raise a single Gouldian chick last year, they did a great job

now I have decided to only let the Gouldian's raise 6 chicks per nest, so I have taken the extra Gouldian eggs and placed them under zebras

I now have a zebra nest with 3 zebra chicks and 3 Gouldian chicks, the zebras are doing an incredible job, the Gouldian chicks are huge, they are being fed so well that they look like they are going to burst

do you think the Gouldian's raised under zebras will pick up the zebra traits and maybe brood their own chicks when they have them at night?
User avatar
matcho
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1298
Joined: 25 Jan 2011, 08:18
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Werty,
Would not be concerned with picking up the Zeb traits, would be more concerned that the goulds being dominant and larger the zeb chicks will fail. Suggest in future replace all zeb eggs with goulds. Same as using Bengos as fosters.

Ken.
Image
werty

matcho wrote:Werty,
Would not be concerned with picking up the Zeb traits, would be more concerned that the goulds being dominant and larger the zeb chicks will fail. Suggest in future replace all zeb eggs with goulds. Same as using Bengos as fosters.

Ken.
Not concerned, I want them to pick up the zebra trait for brooding chicks all day

I breed the bigger zebs, so the zeb chicks have no problem with gould chicks at feeding time
User avatar
Maurice
...............................
...............................
Posts: 26
Joined: 22 Sep 2015, 15:46
Location: Mandurah WA

Gouldians are excellent parents, they do not need fosters. I think you are going, unnecessarily, against nature. Somewhere down the line you could be giving unfortunate purchasers, of your birds, more problems than they deserve.
Last edited by Maurice on 01 Nov 2015, 18:10, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
arthur
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1995
Joined: 13 Mar 2009, 10:22

Bit judgmental there Maurice ?? :silent:
User avatar
Maurice
...............................
...............................
Posts: 26
Joined: 22 Sep 2015, 15:46
Location: Mandurah WA

Possibly, Arthur, but one can only judge on the picture that has been painted!
User avatar
E Orix
...............................
...............................
Posts: 2740
Joined: 29 May 2009, 23:30
Location: Howlong on NSW/Vic Border 30km from Albury
Location: Howlong NSW

As far as I am concerned Gouldian's are better parents anyway.
At least they are here.
Post Reply

Return to “Breeding Finches”