Yellow-tipped beak, Black head feather structure

[Tiaris]

The Blue mutation of the Gouldian is weaker in Australia than most other countries due to the greedy, hasty & irresponsible manner in which they were established here. I would bet that the majority of the physical problems/reduced immunity were exagerated and enhanced if not totally induced by the total disregard shown for the health and quality of the bird when it was being initially bred up.

[Marek]

hi.

11 breeding pairs (blue /blue). Breeding season for 140 blue chicks. 3 chicks died

my blue motations photo:

http://www.facebook.com/Gouldianfinches.eu

http://www.facebook.com/Gouldianfinches ... =1&theater



marek

[Marek]

Hi.

In terms of the blue mutation of Gouldian finches breeding, I specialize to such breeding. In the last breeding season I had cca 140 chicks from 11 breedings pair. Of 140 chicks died only 3, because they were hurt in the cage.

I breed the ninth generation and now I start with the tenth generation of blue birds after blue parents. In my breeding there aren´t any green birds, weakening of imunity I haven´t seen yet. Fertility of eggs is about 95% and hatchability is about 90-92%. Brands have 5-8 eggs. I leave birds to nest 2 x, but in extra cases 3 x per season, too. Temperature in breeding establishments is about 23°C and the humidity is about 55%.

If you want to see their quality, visit my website on facebook http://www.facebook.com/Gouldianfinches.eu or look into the photogalery at my website.

Marek

http://www.gouldianfinches.eu

[Finchy]

They are wonderful Marek. Of course being in Slovakia you breed them in temperature controlled indoor setups. Many have success with that in Australia too. Yours look really great though! The problem begins for those in Aus who try keeping blues with other Gouldians in outdoor aviaries, without the use of excessive drugs and extremely clinical management of the environment. Most of them don't survive.

Some people are successfully developing aviary bred blue Gouldians in Aus, but not in my area. I really hope those spread good genes around the country, but I am not confident. Literally the only adult Gouldians who have died on me in the last 20 months or so were blues! Out of dozens of birds, only the blues die - all of them.

In NSW (my area) blue Gouldians are fragile and oddly stupid birds, like they not only have physical but also mental deficits. They cannot adapt to any change. Most people believe this is because too many are bred in controlled indoor setups (so no Darwinian pressure) using Bengalese Finches as foster parents (so they lack normal Gouldian instincts and are damaged by early Cochlosoma infection).

Sorry, I am sidetracking your thread. I will start a separate one about Euro blues versus Aus blues... Back to YTB BH feather structure!

[Craig52]

Well Finchy,i think you are living in the past,most blue gouldians are bred in out door aviaries now and are just as strong as normals.I have quite a few friends in NSW that are just doing that,breeding out doors with no real special attention or drugs.
I was one of the original breeders of blue gouldians who was breeding them in outdoor aviaries and that was over 10 years ago and my birds were well sought after.
Most of the members on this forum in Victoria birds originated from me and i had very little reports of them dying. Sorry to hijack this post,but i get so annoyed with some peoples comments that are going oversea's. Craig

[finchbreeder]

Here in WA Macca has very healthy outdoor avairy bred blues, and so does a non forum member breeder up here in the midwest who's breeding mumbers are quite high.
LML