gouldians go slow

[branchez]

I live in the Geelong area and myself and friends are having a very slow season with Gouldians.
The mortality rate with young birds is very high,usually found with full crops dead in the nest.
We don't know if it's due to cold weather but dead birds were found Feb March.Is this happening
elsewhere and has anybody got some reasons what could be the problem.

[kenny66]

I dont know about others but i havent had any issues with mine that I know of. I have lost probably 2 or 3 chicks out of 20 or so. Its not cold up here though I think today was 27c.

[Diane]

I sympathize, last years breeding season for me was a real low note.
This year Ive been going really well but just in the last couple of weeks Ive had a couple of nestlings die, same thing, big babies, attentive parents, full crops, just dead in nest, but we have had low temps and or rain just on evening, and just before we get rain here the temp drops rapidly and that unfortunately has always seemed to coincide with the time that gouldian hen stops roosting in the nest over night.

According to the weather wigit on the computer temp this morning @ 6.30am was 6.4C with an expected 15C and showers.
Just checked the aviary temps. Temps in the aviaries range from 7.6C to 8.4C depending on their position in the garden

The birds are slowing down the breeding now and I have been taking out the nest boxes as they are vacated, but there are a couple of die hards that are waiting for eggs to hatch.

[rip64]

I'm in Torquay and I have had a great season. All hatched Gouldians have fledged. I have lost 3 painted and 3 star hatchlings though.

[Pete Sara]

over here in perth I had a bit of a slow start, got a few out now and more in the nest, the cold can be a bit of a problem with goulds , but will be taking the nests out after this round.

Plus I have a had a few suprises and found ground zero from where my white chested young have come from....pete

[Dizzy]

I had a bad year also because out of my 15 young that fledged only2 remain.
Even some of my adult gouldians have died.
We are having cold days and nights in the last few weeks in Adelaide.
Cheers Dizzy

[vettepilot_6]

I had a bad year also because out of my 15 young that fledged only2 remain.
Even some of my adult gouldians have died.
We are having cold days and nights in the last few weeks in Adelaide.
Cheers Dizzy

Sorry for your losses but Gouldians can survive very low temps...are you sure its not drafts that is taking them? especially that many,I would be doing something to fix the problem like plastic or such against the prevailing wind, to give them somewhere to hide from it? is the aviary Damp? that to is a major no no for them...Hope you find what the problem is..

[vettepilot_6]

I live in the Geelong area and myself and friends are having a very slow season with Gouldians.
The mortality rate with young birds is very high,usually found with full crops dead in the nest.
We don't know if it's due to cold weather but dead birds were found Feb March.Is this happening
elsewhere and has anybody got some reasons what could be the problem.

Are they dying in the nest around the 10day mark? if so this is when the parent stops nesting with them for warmth? you may have to limit their breeding or artificially warm the nest boxes at night or take them inside each night when parents are not there...

[Dizzy]

It is not the wind factor because i got plastic around the front to keep the wind out.
I do have cement floor and does get wet when it rains so it might be the damp floor.
Cheer Dizzy

[tony thresher]

I live in the Geelong area and myself and friends are having a very slow season with Gouldians.
The mortality rate with young birds is very high,usually found with full crops dead in the nest.
We don't know if it's due to cold weather but dead birds were found Feb March.Is this happening
elsewhere and has anybody got some reasons what could be the problem.

I live in Colac not far from you and i have had exactly the same type of season as you.