gouldian productivity.

[COUNTRY CAPITAL]

are they gouldians or rabbits!!!
maybe this is sour grapes with my gouldians efforts....
I wonder about Gouldian breeders when they crow about their breeders on their 4th batch of young.
lets say the moult is finished by xmas and the boxes go in in January.
a box is claimed and a nest is built....maybe one week
lay 4-5 eggs....4-5 days
incubate....14 or so days
hatch to fledge....25-30 days
wean.... 7-14 days
2 months minimum.
2nd round kicks off in March then May then July....do the maths....
maybe one or more clutch fail....??
I am happy to produce one healthy batch per pair in my aviaries, with a net increase covering losses overall being my goal.

will get back down off soapbox now
what do the Gouldian officianado's say?

[elferoz777]

Agreed.

I think running any bird passed three round is foolish.

By the time the fourth is complete they will be nearly ready to start again...thst plus the molt will ensure one of two outcomes 1. The loss of many parent birds ir 2. Poor quality young.

Mine only went once this yeat and go twice on a normal year. Ill leave boxes in for a third but I have not had many do this.

[werty]

are they gouldians or rabbits!!!
maybe this is sour grapes with my gouldians efforts....
I wonder about Gouldian breeders when they crow about their breeders on their 4th batch of young.
lets say the moult is finished by xmas and the boxes go in in January.
a box is claimed and a nest is built....maybe one week
lay 4-5 eggs....4-5 days
incubate....14 or so days
hatch to fledge....25-30 days
wean.... 7-14 days
2 months minimum.
2nd round kicks off in March then May then July....do the maths....
maybe one or more clutch fail....??
I am happy to produce one healthy batch per pair in my aviaries, with a net increase covering losses overall being my goal.

will get back down off soapbox now

what do the Gouldian officianado's say?

100% agree

mine tried a fourth and I closed up the nests

3 rounds only at my place

[Craig52]

I agree also,but there is always the prs that want to continue breeding no matter what you do. I have been surprised to see young produced in the most unlikely places,in old finch nest,under water dishes that are sitting on a couple of bricks with a gap between them,at the back of seed hoppers that are not fixed to the wall and under nesting grass that has been placed on the floor and any nook or cranny they can find. Also,you can take the last seven to fourteen days off as usually the hen would be sitting on eggs again as soon as the young fledge.
All this will only happen if gouldians are housed in a mixed community of finches and in a large aviary so the only way to stop them would be to separate the sexes by taking the hens out but not the cocks. Hens can hold sperm for quite some time and will attempt to nest and produce fertile eggs.Imo if they want to breed let them so long as you continue to feed the diet for raising young those young would be just as healthy as the first clutch.
The only disadvantage would be late bred young being half moulted to adult plumage.

Craig

[E Orix]

If you give your birds the same breeding diet all year round they will try and breed all year round.
You can control birds by what you feed them, NOT the quantity but what diet you feed to them.
Look at the seasons and conditions our own grass finches(inc Gouldians) are subjected to. Time of plenty and a
time of harsh conditions. Do they breed in the harsh times NO they rest and wait for the good conditions then feed up ready
to breed again.
Here in Australia we have such a varied climate so if you live where there is little seasonal variation weather wise you must
create a lean time yourself with a diet variation.
Late Aug. early Sept my birds have a very balanced diet, Red Millet and White Millet and that is it. After the 21/28 days there diet is stepped up
over 7 days then full on breeding diet, I am reasonably happy with my results.
At this time the majority by far are just sitting on a perch waiting for the breeding season, my breeding hens are not in danger and when the breeding
season does arrive they are or should be fully rested and ready to produce good size clutches and not a single chick.
I should also stress that my comments are based on birds housed in outside aviaries. If you cage breed then you are in control of conditions
and must plan accordingly.
The risk of the loss of a good breeding hen in winter is too high for me and I am happy to watch them just sitting out the winter.

[matcho]

E Orix,
I Find that removing my boxes until mid August works ok. But I do take out boxes that are not being used from July onwards. My hens tell me, lose beak colour. I have noticed this season I have the biggest bludgers of chicks, 4 weeks still begging and still being fed. Goulds are funny things, can breed like rabbits, but can also cause frustration.

Have had a pair in the past produce three broods, 5 5 and 7. This year, 3's couple of 2's but still have 15 on the perch. Can hear more.

Ken.