Aussie Finch Forum

Anybody ever had young Gouldians start moulting this time of year, I've got a clutch of 3, independent for about a month, 2 of which have already started to show colour. Any ideas? Will try to get a photo tomorrow.

Mum's first batch of the season are already starting to break out in a couple of feathers. While my last of last season has only just "got his face". Must be the difference in our setups, because we are only a couple of kms apart. Hers always start ahead of mine, and mine always end after hers. (naturally)
LML

Perhaps the young had been subjected to some kind of trauma, i.e. bashing into the wire or getting plucked and they are new feathers growing back rather than a moult?

Cheers Ian

Nope, coming through on chest back & head.

From my experience young Gouldians fledged early in the season can colour that same season but young fledged late in
the season will at times not even colour fully even the next season. They seem to get caught out.
Currently I have a fully coloured hen Gouldian mated to a last season male, I released the pair in the aviary quite some time ago and
the male was just sexable even today he wouldn't be 15% coloured yet he and his mate last week fledged 5 young all the same size and
all on the perch the first day. he was fledged September 2013,she was fledged March 2013.
I still have possibly 10 young Gouldians in my birdroom which are just sexable which were late bred in 2013.

I have a late season hen from last season, still not fully colored. They do get some feathers early but the usual moult is from late october and on wards. Lucky you to have chicks on the perch, I have nothing, sick and tired of see one day old chicks on the floor. My first chicks out are stars, but even they are just, I reckon, under baked. I am having a terrible season. That many eggs on the ground between the painteds, stars and goulds I could make scrambled eggs each day.


Ken.