Breeding Advice for goulds

[melly_star]

I just got a pair of goulds bout a month ago (red heads).
They are kept in an aviary about 1.5x1.5m by themselves with 2 breeding boxes, one wooden and one made of grass and sticks.
I have laid nesting material throughout the bottom of the cage, inside the box and hanging from the sides. The nesting material is small twigs, grass, feathers anf fluff which i purchased from a pet store.
The finches are fed seed, spinach and occasionally fruits and vege's
They are my first finches however i have had budgies, a range of parrots and many other breeds.
I have only tried to breed budgies and have been unsuccessful.
What else can you guys recommend to ensure good breeding ?

Thanks

[Mickp]

most members here provide their gouldians with the wooden nest boxes to breed. as a nest builder the gouldian is pretty hopeless (usually).
all I do with the nest boxes I provide my birds is put some coconut fibre in base, gives the birds something to start fromor if they are inclined they can just lay eggs on the coconut fibre.
I get my coconut fibre from el cheapo shops, the stuff they sell for pot plants.
millet sprays and green seeding grass are a popular food source.
I'm sure other members will add more info

[craig]

Female beaks will go dark when they are ready to breed. Just gotta give em time to partner up and all that.
From my knowledge i wouldnt go over board with spinach. While its a very nutritious form of food with lots of vitamins and minerals
I read somewhere it also strips them of calcium aswell. So you need to balance that.
My gouldians are fed a softfood mix, sprouted seed and various greens like parsley, bok choi, spinach (in lesser forms) and carrot. Plus grit mix with some extra eggshell added in.
Highly recommend having a go at sprouting seed if you havnt already.

Just from my experience it took ages for me to get my gouldians to eat new food. ie sprouted seed etc, so start in small quantities.

Oh and they hate the cold.

[Will_36]

Prety much all that has been said. Mine do like lots of geens and sprouted seed.
Even with my large planted cage they took 8 weeks or so to realy settle down.
Good luck and give them time.

[finchbreeder]

Only thing I've got to add is give them cuttlefish for calcium and grit if you have access to a beach where you can collect it. Mine like seeding grass best, and wooden boxs that they put grass into.
LML

[BENSONSAN]

Im same as mick i put in cocconut fibre and a handfull of november grass. They usually move it around how they want it i also leave some november grass out for them to add extra if they want.

And yea bok choi sprouted seads all seems to send erm a bit nutty and they get stuck into it. Ive never seen mine go near ostritch feathers or white feathers like my painteds and other birds tho they dont seem to wanna line there nest at all just grasses.

Ben