Too many eggs?

[cranberry]

One pair of gouldians I have are sitting on 7 good eggs, the first is ready to hatch any day now. This seems a rather big number to me for one pair to look after. Will they be OK with this many young (assuming all of them hatch).

[E Orix]

No problems
I have known of a pair fledging 9 from the one nest.
Not sure if they were all their own eggs though.
If they hatch that many give them plenty of soaked seed to help the parents.

[cranberry]

Thanks. I've been giving them soaked seed for the past 3 weeks in anticipation. They seem to love it!

[JohnP]

the first is ready to hatch any day now

How do you tell that eggs are at this stage. I have now been keeping birds for twelve months and apart from a surprised hatching of three chicks from a red faced parrot pair have never had hatchings even though there have been several batches of eggs none of which have ever amounted to anything. What should I be looking for or doing differently?

[E Orix]

With White or single colour eggs it is quite easy to tell the ones that are fertile especially close to hatching.
A fertile egg goes a chalky white and has a darker look to it.
Infertile eggs look similar to a fresh egg. tend to be pinkish incolour and semi clear.
If you look at a clutch of Gouldian eggs say a week old if there are fertile and infertile eggs you will see the difference easily.
At times birds will continue to sit on infertile eggs and also lay again without tossing the infertile eggs out.
Look at the blunt end of the egg and if it is infertile you will see the air sac and it will be quite large.
While fresh eggs look similar the air sac is quite small(maybe under match head size)
with a little experience it will become easy.
The other part of your problem about eggs not hatching except the surprise with Red Faced P/F.
How often do you check nests or go near incubating birds?
One of the reasons could be too much interferance.I know you can nearly bust wanting to see what is going on but try and limit inspections.
Some species will not tollerate any inspection, period. The majority do not need inspection,they know what is going on,it's our curiousity that
pushes us to inspect.Don't worry we all do it occasionally me included.Actually happened last Tuesday,pulled a box down to clean it out and nearly lost an eye as 4 fully feathered Red Face barrelled out.Luckily I didn't have the hassle of catching them up and convincing them to stay in their nest box.

[JohnP]

EOrix, thanks for the response, it all makes sense. I don't usually inspect nest apart from external of the aviary , as you say best to let them do what they are best at witout interferance. I guess it is more a timing thing that if you know they are sitting how long after the 14 day hatching time frame before you look to see if they are duds and need cleaning out.

[Mickp]

some species wont tolerate you getting too close to their nest site, have found waxbills to be the worst for this.
I now spend time looking for new nests from outside my aviary before I will enter to do anything at all. some areas are no go zones.
the only species I have that dont seem to worry about me are gouldians and emblemas

[Misso]

Just had a pair of gouldians lay 8 eggs, hatch the 8 eggs and all 8 fledged these last 2 days. It's the biggist clutch iv had a gouldian pair have. So I can say your gouldians are capable of raising 7 babies. Jarryd

[E Orix]

Jarryd
Well done,not only the birds but it shows your management process is good.
Without that the parents would struggle to rear that number in one brood.

[cranberry]

Well I had a sneek peak this morning and 6 have hatched - woo hoo! Now to get them to fledge. I have given them some Johnson's grass seed heads which the parents love (but I have now run out of) and they wont touch the soft food. Any suggestions on what else I can give them?