Aussie Finch Forum

hi everyone, i have only ever bred gouldians in Aviaries in a colony setting.

I managed to get this breeding cabinet for $90 a few months ago. and i would like to try and breed 2 pairs of gouldians in these cabinets, 1 pair on the top level and another on the bottom.

I would like everyones thoughts on how they may go? the cabinet is outside undercover and still get morning sun and il have all 3 sections open so they still have room to fly, how have others done when breeding in cabinets? anything i should be aware of ? or any tips ? if they don't breed, i will just use the cabinets to bond pairs before releasing them into the aviaries.



Jarryd

Hey Jarryd, nice set of cages you got, i haven't breed any in those type of cages so i can't coment, i have only breed in aviaries, but they should breed for you.

you wont know until you try it, have seen that type of cage used successfully before.
if you are leaving the cage in its present position though there would be a couple of things to keep in mind. can the are be enclosed so that if a bird escapes the cage it can be caught, traffic flow through the area disturbing the birds, where you have it presently the nests will have to be inside the cage so no nest checks will be possible, also you wil need to be careful of where you position the feed & water dishes make sure that a divider can be used to keep the birds out of that section while doing the chores.
hope it all works for you

Hi Mick,

thanks for the reply, i do have the deviders so il be sure to use them when changing food and water, i have attached the nest boxes on the outside, when i do nest checks i will have to wait till both parents are out, put the devider in, then check on the chicks, u are right with it being open so if a bird escaped id be in abit of trouble i will have 2 have a net close buy, il let everyone know how i go breeding them. should have the birds in on monday.

Jarryd

hi page0044

the chap i brought it from said he had gouldians in them. so hopefully it will work for me, i would love to breed them in the aviaries, but because they already have so many pair nesting, rearing etc, i don't want to disrupt the colony's.

this cabinet also allows me to breed for some specific colors which come in handy.

Jarryd

Jarryd, is there any way that you could hang plastic sheeting on either end of the area where you have the cages. that way you could just lower the plastic down any time that you need to open a cage or nestbox. being able to close the ends of the area would give you a little extra time for recapture if any did escape.

mickp wrote:Jarryd, is there any way that you could hang plastic sheeting on either end of the area where you have the cages. that way you could just lower the plastic down any time that you need to open a cage or nestbox. being able to close the ends of the area would give you a little extra time for recapture if any did escape.

Its a good point u bring up Mick, Il have to have a think 2moro. the only times il need to be careful is when im putting the goulds in, and once they finish breeding, back to the aviarys, soo hopefully on those 2 occasions everything will be alright, i might put something up tempory for those 2 occasions.

thanks

Jarryd

I have most of my gouldians set up in cabinets like that and they are breeding well. As Mick mentioned, I would be careful of escapees, not only through the wire door but also while doing nest checks. Some hens are reluctant to leave the nest until they try to fly out the top when the box is opened.

Matt wrote:I have most of my gouldians set up in cabinets like that and they are breeding well. As Mick mentioned, I would be careful of escapees, not only through the wire door but also while doing nest checks. Some hens are reluctant to leave the nest until they try to fly out the top when the box is opened.

Hi Matt, I will only try to do nest checks when both parents are out of the nest and il put the devider in so i know the parents can't escape, but il most likly put a thin peice of clear plastc sheeting over the nest box, so when I lift the lid off the nest box i can see through the plastic without birds escaping. some friends of mine did this with there cabinets and it worked well. anyone else done this before?

Matt how big are your cabinets/cages? im trying to work out a good perch arrangment, any ideas? what have you done

Jarryd

My cabinets are 1300 x 500 x 450 with a central divider. I just have the typical one perch at either end scenario. I know some people will say to put one high, one low to give them exercise etc. but mine will go into separate sex holding aviaries at the end of the season until they moult.