Breeding my precious Gouldian's again

[wagga]

Prior to moving to the mid north coast of NSW I was living in Wagga Wagga which is located in the Riverina area of southern NSW. Climatically totally different regions. My previous experiences with gouldian was to place the nest boxes and birds together around 1st of Feb after the Summer heatwave conditions would be expected to finish. Pending weather conditions through out the season would determine how many nest for the year, 3 or 4 nests on a good year, and of course the amount of chicks you might have 'on the perch'.
My 3 prs of gouldian's would produce 40 to 50 chicks a year, 70 plus chicks on the perch my best ever result. After years of boom and bust cycles in breed gouldians, including most winter breeding species of finches, in Wagga southern NSW. I lost faith in Wagga's winter weather patterns a number of years ago which forced myself to sell off my precious gouldians. The catalyist for this action was the heart breaking discoveries each day in throwing large numbers of dead chicks in the bin. The total of 37 dead chicks found in nests after frosty mornings with just 2 chicks surviving that year. Enough was enough maybe another time I thought.

As I now live in a better climatic region, Port Macquarie, I decided to venture into gouldian's again. This time I place just 1 pr of gouldians in my holding aviary in January and waited to see what would happen. They were given my special gouldian diet of water, dry seed and the 'whatever is growing in the area type' grass seed or green leafy plants. The exact 'no frills' diet I had previuosly used in Wagga.

The gouldians went straight to nest without hesitation, 5 eggs resulting in 5 chicks 'on the perch'. After 4 week the chicks were removed to another holding aviary. I had tried to stop them sitting on the 2nd nest as I had planed to move them to another aviary. I had thrown out the eggs from the nest box, unfortunately the new aviary did not eventuate. After a couple of days the hen started nesting again laying 5 eggs resulting in just 1 chick this time 'on the perch'. I was not surprised with this result as they were a 1st season breeding pair and the pair was also 'sharing' the very small aviary with a number of other birds at that stage. After the gouldians very disruptive season todate they are sitting again on 3 eggs, 3rd nest, which are due to hatch any day now.

I now can see why finches breed so well on the coast as the birds just love it.

AL

[elferoz777]

Welcome back to goulds mate.
Living on the coastand keeping finches is a good combo and lifestyle.

Now whilst you set your beach fishing rod up waiting for that big jewie you can comb the beach for cuttle fish. Beaches also have that dense tea tree growing near by in case you ever need brush.
Plus the weather aint to shabby either.


Enjoy!

[Diane]

Just rub it in why dont you, down here its usually although we are having a bit of an Indian summer with a week of 23C
Congrats wagga, always nice when a plan comes together.

[Brooksy]

I remember the cold mornings around wagga and Junee. The dams used to freeze over, you could see ducks running and sliding on top of the dam in winter on the farm.
All the best with the Gouldians Al, the weather is far kinder in Port Macquarie

[arthur]

Remember the 10 / 10 rule with Gouldians and Parrot finches

If it is going to be 10 degrees or less overnight and the chicks are less than 10 days old . . overnight the nest boxes in the house and return them in the morning

These birds stop brooding their young overnight at about 10 days, and 10 degrees seems to be about as much as the partly feathered chicks can bear

Err on the side of caution if you want to experiment

Comments welcome

[Craig52]

Remember the 10 / 10 rule with Gouldians and Parrot finches

If it is going to be 10 degrees or less overnight and the chicks are less than 10 days old . . overnight the nest boxes in the house and return them in the morning

These birds stop brooding their young overnight at about 10 days, and 10 degrees seems to be about as much as the partly feathered chicks can bear

Err on the side of caution if you want to experiment

Comments welcome

I do agree to a point Arthur,i don't think it does work parrot finches as most parrot build their own nests in the brush and i wouldn't be removing a nest box if thats what they used.For a start parrot finches are very touchy with nest inspections or removing their box.Parrot finches use a huge amount of feathers in their nests which is very good insulation and warmth where gouldians don't use any so i would back the parrot finches young would survive the 10/10.
Gouldians on the other hand are dumb birds,you can do the nest boxes in the house at night thing and they wouldn't even know it was gone till you put it back but this cannot be done if you have multiple prs with young at a similar stage in a mixed collection.
Cheers Craig

[arthur]

I had great success with this method with Blue Faced Parroties, (mine always used boxes) . . adopting it after heavy losses due to cold . . They didn't survive the 10 / 10

They are probably 'dumbos' as well but they were not a bit touchy about nest inspections . . and like Gouldians smaller youngsters that were getting 'left behind' could be transferred to other nests where there were young of similar size

No problem if nests are in containers ie boxes (preferred) or cans ( not preferred . .less insulated and subject to condensation) that are returned to the same 'hook'

[wagga]

Update of report concerning this pair.

The last nest of 3 fertile eggs did not hatch. These eggs were left in a week longer than their hatch date to be safe. Emptied the nest box of the old eggs and let the cycle of life begin again.

I noticed that during the day the hen was observed waiting near the doorway today and would call out to the cockbird when I approached their avairy. A sure sign that I should check the box again this morning, 6 freshly laid eggs found. So far this season the temperature appears idea for the Gouldians, 10/10 rule as discussed by Arthur and Craig has not come into play yet. My main problem here is stopping the high winds/draughts/storm fronts from entering the aviary. Cross finger that the juveniles will make it thru their moult?

I must thank my old friend, Tallwood, in Wagga for DONATING the YH cockbird. Thanks mate.

[Numo1975]

Port Macquarie ....... Best place to live and be involved with birds, they love it here
Numo

[wagga]

yeah it is, just like living finch paradise.