genotypes

11 Jan 2011, 18:25

You're right. They didn't. I turned the heater on last night so temperature was not under 15ºC. this morning they were perched together at the very top of the aviary.
The chick that has been fostered by societies, still goes back to the nest every single night (societies too) and he fledged over a week ago!

12 Jan 2011, 07:02

Well that a case of nature versus nurture.
I think societies like to return to the nest of a night, where gouldians dont, so your fostered baby is doing as his parents. I read that its a good idea as soon as the young have been weaned and are totally independent its a good idea to put them with birds of their own species so they learn how to be whatever they are!

12 Jan 2011, 16:03

Lovely looking youngsters.

12 Jan 2011, 19:22

I was thinking of puting him in the aviary with the other chicks/parents once he was weaned, but I really don't know how long it takes for a gouldian chick to be weaned. I know that societies are not feeding him as much as they used to do (he fledged 10 days ago) but I guess that's normal. And I do see him nibbling at eggfood, seeds and spray millet, so I guess he already knows how to feed himself.

Also, I think last night he did not go into the nest with the societies..

If I put him in the aviary .. will he have any problems with the other chicks parents?

12 Jan 2011, 19:35

I think I read that societies feed their young for a shorter time than gouldian parents which is one of the drawbacks of fostering with them. I would watch the youngster for a few more days to be absolutely sure he can feed himself. He shouldn't have any problems with the other chicks, if you think there is a problem you could always move him back again for a while. Are the other chicks about the same age?

13 Jan 2011, 03:57

there are two chicks which are a week younger than him, that fledged two days ago, and there are another 4 to be fledged within the next 2/4 days
I removed the nest from the societies cage. The male seem to be trying to "mount" the gouldian chick, and today I watched them for a while.. chick begging for food and societies just ignoring him. I also saw the chick at the seed-cup eating (or so it seemed)
He fledged 10 days ago, so I hope he does know how to eat on his own by now..
How can I know weather he's getting enough food?

I'm not worried about the other chicks, but rather about their parents.. Will they show agression because he's a "stranger"?

13 Jan 2011, 11:10

He should be starting to get the hang of feeding himself by now. You could check by feeling his chest/belly area, if you feel a sharp bone protruding hes isnt getting enough yet. He will pick on the habits of the other birds and see what they are eating.

colorin wrote:I'm not worried about the other chicks, but rather about their parents.. Will they show agression because he's a "stranger"?

I wouldnt think so, he will probably be "just another face in the crowd" and he will naturally gravitate to the younger ones.

14 Jan 2011, 01:44

He knows where the seed dish is and also the spray millet, and he eats/nibbles at both, but I've never seen him drinking water from the"tube" but he does drink from the bath-dish the moment I put it in the cage (he loves bathing!)
I think I'll wait for the next clutch to fledge and then I'll put him in the aviary (with so many chicks maybe nobody there realizes there's a "visitor :-D
If he's not eating enough ... could he die?

14 Jan 2011, 08:11

Thats a good idea to wait till the next clutch fledges, it certainly wont do him any harm to spend more time in there.

colorin wrote:If he's not eating enough ... could he die?

I wouldnt worry too much as long as you have seen him eating and drinking, regardless where hes getting it from at least he is getting something, just give him a bit of time to get his bearings and adjust to feeding himself, the urge to survive is very strong.

15 Jan 2011, 02:46

I've been watching him closely.. I think he's better than I thought. Today he was no longer begging for food, but rather nibbling at the spray millet and the bits of things I put on the cage floor (as he likes searching for things on the floor, this morning I put some herbs, crushed eggshells, carbon and kelp, and some soaked seeds)
At noon he was having a lot of fun in the swing! He flew up to the upper perch and then to the swing, that , of course, started swinging back and forth, then he would fly back to the perch and then back again to the swing, which was still swinging. He did that about 7 or 8 times, so I guess he was having fun!
I thought that if he was weak and starving he wouldn't be feeling like playing with the swing, so I'm not so worried now

One of the chicks of the clutch that should be fledging by now, fledged this morning. I found him at the bottom of the aviary, in a corner. But his brothers and sisters were still in the nest and his parents were feeding those inside the nest but not paying any attention to him. After two hours not moving from that corner, I put him back in the nest. Maybe I should have left him there but I thought he'd be better in the nest with the others, warm and cozy.
I'll have a look later on, but I hope they don't fledge until tomorrow morning, so they have all day to learn to fly up to the top perches.