Ready for nest boxes?

[Redwing]

Sounds like everyone is starting to put their nest boxes in for Gouldians. My adults have finished moulting and looking really good and now just waiting for juvenile male to finish colouring up before I sell him. Do I wait until he and his 2 sisters are out of the aviary before putting in the nest box? The young male is spending most of the day practicing his song to an attentive Dad so presume he would be getting ready to breed and don't want to cause any conflict by putting a box in when I only want the parents to use it. Also don't want him to start looking at his sisters as potential mates.

[natamambo]

I'd move him out (even to a holding cage, they spend long enough in them if isolated for breeding purposes) and put the box in. Take his sisters out too, just in case dad changes his allegiances ;) .

[Bgould]

I am interested in when other forumn members put their nest boxes in for the Gouldians. I normally put my boxes in the 3rd week of Feb. I have found that if I place the boxes in ealier than that I get a lot of clear eggs as it is to hot in my area. Even though they are ready to go now, I hold them back and have had better breeding results. I understand there is varired difference in climate in regions across the country, Just Courious, how/when do other members manage their Goulds at start of breeding season.

[Misso]

when i first started out with the gouldians, chistmas day to new years was when i put nest boxes in. for the last couple of seasons iv held them off till feb, not so much having infertile eggs but more so the heat in late jan through feb would fry my the early clutches that were laid.

last yr i put nest boxes in on Feb 5th, when most hens had black beaks, still waiting on majority of hens beaks to turn black this yr, might aim for 2nd week of feb to put them in?, may pair my birds up over the weekend.

i think each yr you have to adapt to where you think the gouldians are at and weather to determine when might be a good time to put nest boxes in and start the breeding season.

Jarryd

[finchbreeder]

Was down in the avairys this morning and the RH cock is looking in a nest. I look at him and say "You aren't in condition yet you still have a few pinfeathers" He looks in the nest, back at me and starts singing. I give in.
LML

[Matt]

I pair them up as they are ready. This season I paired a few mid December because hens were laying on the floor. Already got young euro and aus yellow young in the nest and plenty more with eggs. I much prefer to take on the risk of breeding in the heat than breeding into winter so I do pair my up as soon as they are ready to go.

[Mickp]

I put the nest boxes back the aviaries a fortnight ago.
gouldians are already sitting tight, seem to be averaging 6 to 8 eggs per nest.
most appeared to be fertile, but I didn't handle any to do a close check.
While I will look into the gouldian nests occasionally I don't touch unless there is something obviously wrong in the nest

[BENSONSAN]

Im the same mick...get to scared of any of them tossing them or abandoning them.