Last time breeding gouldians for me!

[cranberry]

Well this feels like deja vu. I've had 2 gouldians drop off the perch in the last week for no apparent reason. I learnt from my mistakes last year and protected the aviary from drafts. I've given them fresh water every day, treated them for cocci using coccivet along the way and now this. The only thing I can put it down to is a bit of moisture in the ground as I have been using clean straw as bedding and quite possibly the water does not run off as well as it could. But it's still warm in Adelaide and the cold has not started yet. My main concern is that the mother of my current hatchlings is not looking too flash either. Will the father continue to feed them if she goes?

I don't want to buy anymore only to see them die. I don't want to put any more birds through that again. Any suggestions?

[karl]

If you over feed then they will drop dead too

[Diane]

Sorry to hear about the problems, hope things pick up for you.

I had a single parent raise 5 babies for the last week before fledging.

[cranberry]

I just have a terrible feeling that they will all succumb sooner or later. I'm going to keep a couple of pairs inside the garden shed in the next few weeks in their own cages.

[finchbreeder]

Cocivet prevents coccidiocis, it does not cure it. If you have cocci in your avairys, and warm wet soil is the ideal medium. You need the cure not the preventative. Sorry don't know the name but if you ring Marshall's and consult with the man he can
send you what you require. If you don't have a good avian vet local. Removing them inside sounds like a good idea. You may not have cocci. Good luck.
LML

[E Orix]

Gouldians are a favorite of many and all those that keep them will/should tell you they are not a long lived bird. That along with being heavily preyed upon in the wild is why they drop off the perch.
From memory the last Save the Gouldian count showed how few adult birds survived after the second season.
Unless you know the breeder or trust the seller you should only buy Gouldians with still a little young feather colour.
If you buy adult birds, it will be the young you breed that will carry you on the following year.
It's frustrating for novices and experience breeders alike.
Apart from needing extremely good shelter from the weather and air movement in particular they are very very easy to keep.
All mine get is dry seed,water,baked egg shell and grit and charcole is available in the non breeding season,then in breeding season they get a large amount of soaked seed as well.Prior to the breeding season they are all treated with Scatt to clean up any possible airsac mite infection with a follow up dose 10 to 14 days later.
I do not clean out their water dishes daily but thats up to the individual.
The key in my opinion that will save females from dropping off the perch while feeding young or just after is soaked seed,it is not a cure it simply helps the female to feed her brood far far easier and she doesn't simply get run into the ground.It is a huge work load feeding a brood to fledging.
In my opinion the best birds for a learner is the common Canary.They seem to be able to eat anything,are reasonably tough but the main point is they are cup shape nesters and much can be learned by watching a breeding pair go about their duties.

[cranberry]

Thanks E Orix, many wise words there. I have been feeding soaked see for the last 2 months. It is very frustrating to watch them healthy one day and then dead the next. I might have to go back to zebs or something less fragile. My zebs were breeding like flies in this aviary only last year. Goes to show how different each species can be, even those from the same region.

[Jayburd]

Shame that's it's going so badly
Hope it picks up.

Maybe try one or two of the parrot finches? they're pretty hardy, breed well etc.

[cranberry]

I heard that about the parrot finches. Don't they require live food though?

[jusdeb]

Its hard to know what is right and what is wrong , you keep them draught free and feed them well and still no luck .
I had mine in a very large breeding cabinet on rollers so they could be put in the garage in bad weather , feed them the best , kept them parasite free and mine went down hill very fast .
They started out going through a moult that they never seemed to come out of , I was at my wits end and kinda decided if they were going to die least they can spend their last days in the suspended aviary which had more room.
Long story short the little shits now look the best they ever have , they have finished moulting and are healthy ( touch wood ) . if you had of asked me 2 months ago about putting goulds out in a suspended aviary I would have said NO.
Its all a bit of luck and if you feel like your bashing your head against a brick wall then maybe another choice of breed is the best idea , we do this for fun hey not for stress and worry.