Gouldian finch | basic breeding
Before deciding to breed your gouldians, you need to make sure you have allotted the space, time, and money it may take to set your birds up for breeding and to accommodate the young which they might produce.
You will need a separate cage in which to house the young once they are weaned, and you will need to decide if you are ultimately going to keep the babies or find other homes for them.
Once your decision is made, the following guidelines should aid you in breeding your finches:
Next, prepare the birds, add them to the enclosure, and observe them:
Clip the birds' toenails prior to introducing the finches into the breeding enclosure. This will help prevent the birds from accidentally puncturing any eggs they may lay. Add the birds as described above, and observe them. Separate any bird which does not seem to be tolerating the other(s). Some gouldians may need to be set up with a different mate or in a different breeding set up. Check the cage(s) once a day to refill the food and water dishes.
Once a pair has begun building its nest, keep a watch (from a distance) for eggs. Record the date that each egg is laid. Most gouldians will begin incubation either after the 3rd or last egg is laid--incubation begins when at least one bird is occupying the nest during the day as well as at night.
Some gouldians do not readily tolerate nest checks, Toenail clippersbut but if your pair(s) will, you may wish to candle the eggs (to check for fertility) on or after the 5th day of incubation. This is not necessary, however, and it may be better not to disturb the pair by checking their nest since unnecessary disturbances could frighten the pair into abandoning their eggs/young.
Finally, provide for the pair and their young:
Cuttle bone Many people wonder what they need to do to help their birds raise their babies once they have hatched. The answer is to provide a rich, varied diet which includes giving the birds an egg-mix 2-3 times daily, to resist disturbing the birds, and to keep a distant watch in case anything goes wrong (such as tossing or abandoning the chicks).
Only if something goes wrong should you step in and take action. Remember to keep detailed notes on the breeding progress of all birds. Lastly, when the chicks are weaned, they will need to be removed to their own cage if you wish to allow the parents to breed again.
References: gouldianfinch.info
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Cock (left) has more vibrant and more extensive coloring than the paler, less well-marked hen (right). |
- Sexually mature (and at least 6-9 months of age)4
- Of the same species
- Unrelated to each other (do not inbreed)
- Physically healthy (not too thin and not too obese, normal appearing feathers and droppings, appear bright and alert)
- Free of (potentially genetic) physical defects
- Bonded to each other
Next, bring the pair into breeding condition:
- Note: Gouldians tend to only breed during the fall and winter (their "breeding season"), so you may not have much success if you try to breed them during other parts of the year.
Begin feeding a flush diet that is high in protein. Hens will also require additional calcium, in the correct 1:2 ratio with phosphorus. One of the best ways to meet these increased dietary requirements is to feed an egg-mix (boiled egg chopped shell and all blended with finely chopped vegetables). You will need to provide this diet daily from before the first egg is laid until any babies which hatch finish their first molt.Then, set up an appropriate breeding enclosure:
Two of the most common set ups for breeding birds are the one-pair-per-cage set up and the colony breeding set up. Depending on your preferences and those of your birds, one of these two set ups will probably suit your needs:
Next, prepare the birds, add them to the enclosure, and observe them:
Clip the birds' toenails prior to introducing the finches into the breeding enclosure. This will help prevent the birds from accidentally puncturing any eggs they may lay. Add the birds as described above, and observe them. Separate any bird which does not seem to be tolerating the other(s). Some gouldians may need to be set up with a different mate or in a different breeding set up. Check the cage(s) once a day to refill the food and water dishes.
Once a pair has begun building its nest, keep a watch (from a distance) for eggs. Record the date that each egg is laid. Most gouldians will begin incubation either after the 3rd or last egg is laid--incubation begins when at least one bird is occupying the nest during the day as well as at night.
Some gouldians do not readily tolerate nest checks, Toenail clippersbut but if your pair(s) will, you may wish to candle the eggs (to check for fertility) on or after the 5th day of incubation. This is not necessary, however, and it may be better not to disturb the pair by checking their nest since unnecessary disturbances could frighten the pair into abandoning their eggs/young.
Finally, provide for the pair and their young:
Cuttle bone Many people wonder what they need to do to help their birds raise their babies once they have hatched. The answer is to provide a rich, varied diet which includes giving the birds an egg-mix 2-3 times daily, to resist disturbing the birds, and to keep a distant watch in case anything goes wrong (such as tossing or abandoning the chicks).
Only if something goes wrong should you step in and take action. Remember to keep detailed notes on the breeding progress of all birds. Lastly, when the chicks are weaned, they will need to be removed to their own cage if you wish to allow the parents to breed again.
References: gouldianfinch.info
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