www.mygouldianfinches.co.yu

   DIET       YOUNG       MEDICINES       PHOTO          INFO       E-MAIL         HOME         TEXT

GOULDIAN FINCHES BREEDING

 Breeding of Gouldian finches (gouldians) does not only imply giving food and water, but continuous suppervision and presence among  birds as well. I do not opt for the situation in which birds are bred and serviced by somebody else and not the breeder himself. I have seen cases in which a bird owner engages somebody else to help him in feeding and tending to birds. This does not suit me since it looks like lack of love and an industrial approach to bird breeding. My birds are aware of my love and every day they greet me joyfully with immediate and loud chirping when I enter with my everyday sentence: ''Where are you runts?'' My birds bring me back piece of mind after a hard day's work in the firm. I almost completely dedicate Sundays to them. During weekdays they are under my care because the birdhouse is  in the room next to my study. I have personally convinced myself numerous times that gouldians cannot be successfully bred unless you keep in constant touch with them. They are very whimsical and unpredictable birds. They are perfectly capable of leaving their eggs for a completely unknown reason, without any intention of going back. Unless you observe it immediately, all your effort can be wasted. I have solved such cases several times by planting eggs under other pairs of gouldians. Almost all birds are good parents except for a few which I have bought and have to keep them because I need that particular line. Those birds only lay their eggs and it never occurs to them to enter the nest. I think this is because they instinctively feel they would not physically survive feeding their young, since their body has been formed on the food of inadequate quality. All my birds spend their time during the year in several aviaries, which they leave only during mating, which I do not force for several reasons. The basic reason is that I do not want to have exhausted birds , and why should I do that when my breeding flock has about 100 birds. It is also by the shape of cage that my way of breeding is quite certainly considerablydifferent from the standard approach. I have no cages of standard shape and size  which are normally bought in specialised shops and which are made of sheet-metal and wire. My cages are actually wooden and glass aviaries made by hand. As I see things it is a real shame to keep gouldians in small wire cages. I remind you that gouldians are popularly called 'Queens of exotics''. As soon as they begin to eat on their own, I transfer the young to aviaries so that they could better form their chest and wings. You will admit that they do not have  an opportuinity for this in standard wire cages. Gouldians are excellent fliers and they especially like vertical flight.

Gouldians are exceptionally intelligent, with an excellent observation power and interest in averything around. I found myself passing the aviaries several times while holding some objects that they had never seen before. That would cause a real panic and confusion in the aviaries. They already know well a big leather-bound notebook, where I write all data about them. And they react to it by flocking into a corner, as close to me and the notebook as possible, so that they could thoroughly observe it. In doing this they make their well-known curious chirp. Quite a few hover like a hummingbird before me, as if they were trying to read the letters. Very impressive, but I have unfortunately not been able to record that scene with my camera. It is possible to tame gouldians and in each aviary I have at least ten birds who are ready to eat from a little dish that I hold in my hand. Continuous attention and care are essential for successful breeding of these birds. Once I experienced dying of a very important bird, which I brought from another location, since I had not noticed in time that it had been tragically confused by the shape of a water dish, which eventually caused its death. Quick response is also very important when separating the young from their parents. As soon as I notice that a young bird cannot cope with the new surroundings, I immediately put it back. I have to mention that blue gouldians are exceptionally sensitive, especially in the stage of becoming independent from their parents. Cigarette smoking, coughing, sneezing, noise and approaching aviaries are not allowed at my place. Real breeders can understand that.