Why Gouldians:
Why not! Gouldians are for sure amongst my favorite birds. Not only am I attracted to their striking colors, but I also enjoy their character and curiosity.
If you
are looking for a spunky, agitated finch that rarely keeps on a perch for more
than one second, then Gouldians are definitely not for you, for they my friend,
are aristocrats...They
know they are gorgeous and they give you the time to admire them before moving
on.
When I first started with Goulds, I had in mind that it won't be long before I faced the bitter fact that they are lousy parents and often kill and eject their babies.
I was way off because given the right environment and care, most of them are the perfect example of dedicated parents. I have learnt not to directly blame the birds, sometimes, the breeder is to be blamed too.
I am
not saying that all Goulds are perfect parents, but most of them manage
to raise their chicks after few failed attempts. I had numerous couples breed
successfully from the first time. And to be fair, some will never raise any
chicks at all, but they are a very tiny percentage.
How do I keep
them:
I keep my Gouldians in a large flight and I do not separate sexes. Come breeding time, I isolate each couple in a cage with a nest box. I breed for quality and specific colors so colony breeding and shotgun coupling is out of the question. The birds have access to clean water, fresh seeds and a daily bath when appropriate.
Feeding:
Gouldian
finches need mixed varieties of dry seeds found in all pet stores, as well as
fresh greens (some contest that, but I never had any trouble with it). Spray
millet is welcomed all the time, but I give it mainly for juveniles and parents
with babies. I sometimes hang millet in a difficult to reach position in the
flight to exercise the birds and stimulate them. You should see how acrobatic
Gouldians could get, when they want to devour those millets. Egg food is most
often ignored but some of my hens would eat it when they have babies.
My birds used to ignore the commercial type egg food, but they eventually got used to it and they eat it readily now.
I also supply my birds with crushed egg shell and cuttlebone in a separate dish. The females, come breeding time consume large amounts of this mixture to increase their Calcium intake. I also provide them with grit, and granulated charcoal from time to time.
Breeding:
Male: He has to be in tiptop condition, singing and displaying to the females.
Female: She has to be in great condition, a bit plump and with a darkening beak.
I put the birds together; give them all sorts of nesting material and let nature do the rest.
Well… no, it is not that simple, but it is a start. If you
see both partners displaying to each other with this dance they do, and watch
them go together inside the nest, then your chances are high.
Some facts about breeding:
- Both parents brood the eggs and feed the chicks, so
do not remove the male like some canary breeders do.
- Do not disturb brooding birds annd shoo them out of the nest every time
to check on the eggs or chicks, unless it is necessary. If the birds are tame,
you can check more often.
