Anyone had this?

[matcho]

Cleared out 30 gould chicks about 6 weeks ago to try and get rid of some of the clutter. They are in a holding cage waiting for them to colour up. Left 4 or so in the main avairy because it was getting too stressful catching them up because of the sh..tload of stars and painteds in there as well. Wasn't too worried because there were a couple of boxes with eggs and thought that I would let them go through the last sitting before removing the boxes. Now I am in a bit of a quandary because I have a nest full of chicks that have been fathered by an adult male and a fully uncoloured hen who at the most is only 5 to 6 months old because the nest boxes didn't go in until mid Feb because of the hot weather. Everything seems to be going ok, she is very protective of the nest and feeding the chicks but is this normal or out of the ordinary given then hen seems so young? Anyone had similar experiences?

Thanks

Ken.

[Diane]

I have heard of young uncoloured hens having clutches before. As its a fait accompli you will just have to go along for the ride now....but I wouldnt be in a hurry to sell that young hen off, she has excellent future breeding hen written all over her!

[AMCA26]

Just your luck, hope all ends well.

[matcho]

Have been watching, she is a blackheaded hen, because I can see black feathers coming through, green back, but cant tell what breast colour is at this stage. The other thing is this, I am now finding eggs on the floor of the holding cage where all the other chicks are. Sheesh,...... am I doing something right or wrong?

Ken.

[finchbreeder]

Sounds like you have some very frisky younguns.
LML

[Diane]

Sounds like Nature is in a hurry this season, be interesting to note what kind of a Summer and following Winter we have to see if the birds would have anything to gain from such an early start to breeding.

[Craig52]

I tend to disagree with the frisky young tag,young gouldians should be removed from the aviary when they are self sufficient at around 6 weeks and fed the same diet as the adult breeding birds in a holding cage.
Of coarse they will be pressured into breeding by randy adults if left in the aviary,it also happens with most of the parrot finches,especially blue face.If you don't want them to breed,seperate them to the holding cage to moult out.
At the 2010 gouldian count,90% of the birds counted were uncoloured young which means they form their own crache? and seperate themselves from the adults.
Cheers Craig