Gouldians first year birds poor breeding results

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Krebsj
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Joined: 12 Aug 2014, 07:02
Location: Wagga Wagga

I have two pair of first year Gouldians one pair bred 4 and 2, the other 3 young which they stopped feeding. Should the later pair be retired or persisted with for next season ? I am hoping their poor result was possibly because they are first year birds.
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Shane Gowland
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Mine don't even go into the breeding aviary until their second year. They breed years two, three, four, and then enjoy retirement.
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Finchnut
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Joined: 31 Dec 2017, 12:13
Location: Miranda

First year with few few pairs of Gouldian, found them easy to breed.
As we are now in August when do all put next boxs back into aviarys
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CathyCraftz
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Joined: 14 Apr 2018, 12:21
Location: Sydney, NSW

Yes finches breeding for the first time can be very confused and don't know what to do. Hopefully next year they will learn proper finch behaviour from the other finches. Meanwhile you can either hand feed the abandoned chicks or find another Gouldian with babies and place the babies in their nest.
Have a nice day!
Sincerely, Cathy
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Albus Dumbledore
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wagga
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Joined: 24 Apr 2010, 22:08
Location: Port Macquarie NSW 2444
Location: PORT MACQUARIE NSW

Hi James,

I would think that the gouldians might be disturbing each other during courtship, hence small clutch sizes and low fertility / hatch rates. I used to breed my gouldian's in an aviary slightly smaller than yours (gouldian only colony) with about a dozen same sized nest boxes for the birds to use. I had 3prs and a spare cockbird who was placed in the aviary to keep the other cockbirds on their toes. My original colony would produce 30 plus chicks per year pending the weather conditions. After the season finishes compare the amount raised and the sex ratio of the chicks per pair. If the trend continues as is then sell them off to the pet shop and start again.

Al
(I used to live in Wagga and Yes it gets freezing cold during winter and oven hot in summer.)
Life in Port Macquarie is the ultimate Aussie sea change lifestyle.
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Tiaris
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Location: Coffs Harbour

If you are happy with the quality of the the pairs and, more importantly, the quality of their progeny then you should keep the pairs for next season. Results often vary markedly year-to-year & it is often very difficult to identify the reason for loss of young in each intance. Many times losses of young birds occur without it being the result of poor parenting. 2nd year breeders are just starting to benefit from their own early breeding experiences too. Whether to keep pairs or not should be guided primarily by the quality of progeny bred IMO. This is the path to breeding really good birds.
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Rod_L
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Joined: 05 Mar 2018, 15:30
Location: Mandurah WA

What are you feeding them?
Make sure they have a good seed mix at all times. Give them fresh green feed each day including green grass seeds. If you can't get green grass seeds then feed them soaked or sprouted seeds. If possible give green grass seeds and soaked/ spouted seeds.
In addition to the seed, they need access to clean water, mineral grit and cuttlebone at all times. And egg biscuit mix also helps. Make the egg biscuit mix, don't buy one. Boil an egg. Crush up 1/2 cup of cornflakes. Crush up egg and mix with crushed cornflakes, then feed to the birds.

What else is in the cage/ aviary with them?
Blackhearts and some other finches can stress gouldians and cause them to abandon nests, as can mice, rats, cats, ants and even cockroaches.
death to all cats & ants
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Hvfinchy
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Joined: 18 Dec 2014, 18:41
Location: Newcastle NSW

I bought some awesome yellow heads this year, all young birds and my season has been very slow but some years i find i have brilliant years and other years no so good, so i take the good with the bad.
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