Aussie Finch Forum

Hi first season breeding Gouldians, I put nest boxs in around Australia Day and have done okay. In Sydney should I remove nest boxes and when, do they sleep in boxes as winter is now hear and the cold will set in, aviary is well protected from drafts.
Thanks.

There are nearly as many answers to this question as there are Gouldian breeders..... but some options are:

*Leave the nest boxes in and let them do their thing. Wooden nest boxes in an enclosure should provide adequate insulation for Sydney winters. In colder climates unfeathered chicks may be lost if the parents leave them unattended for lengthy periods.
*As chicks fledge, remove that pair's box. This will cause increased competition for remaining boxes.
*Remove any eggs as they appear and withdraw the box(es). Some discilpined breeders are advocates of this.
I will be facing this situation shortly and, as I only have three breeding pairs at this time, will see how it pans out..... it is up to the breeder, and circumstance.
Gouldians are not typically nest roosters... although if harassed or ill, some birds will use a nest box for stress relief (personal observation only).

If your birds produce a couple of rounds of young before the coldest weather arrives I would recommend taking out the boxes immediately after the final 2nd clutches fledge.
This is mainly to preserve your breeding hens. Murphy's Law is far more likely to strike when breeding birds are a bit fatigued from a couple of rounds of successful breeding & they have the opportunity to extend themselves further into when the serious cold weather hits.
Gouldian breeders are extremely lucky this year in Eastern Australia to have had a very late run of warm weather well into Autumn. If this has coincided with some productive breeding, it may be the perfect opportunity to have good season and spell your valued breeders before the inevitable cold stuff hits.
IMO the earlier round young are nearly always better specimens than those bred when things are more challenging and losses in both young and old birds breeding right through are virtually guaranteed.

It is best not to remove the nest boxes for winter as they need insulation but can do without it.

My Gouldians roost on perches. From my experience with Gouldians, apart from incubating or brooding parents, only sick birds roost in boxes.

gouldians do not sleep in nests unless they have eggs or chicks. The adults and newly fledged young will sit out in the open at night time.

Thanks all very helpful.