|
Topic |
Description |
Authors Experiences |
| Scientific Name |
Erythrura Gouldiae |
| Common Names |
Australia Yellow Gouldian
Yellow Gouldian
Australian White Breasted Yellow
Australian Recessive Yellow |
| Origin |
Australia - The mutation first appeared in 1981 from a
pair of normal looking Gouldians owned by Don Crawford in his aviary
located on the North Coast of New South Wales. For more
information and an insight into the history and the development of the
Australian Yellow by Don
Click Here |
|
Size - |
|
Gouldian Cock |
Approx. 130-140 mm |
|
Gouldian Hen |
Approx. 130-140 mm |
|
Australia Yellow Genetics |
Recessive -
more Information |
| Life Span |
4 - 5 years |
| Status in Australian Aviculture |
Secure |
|
Note - the following
information is provided as a guide only. It has been compiled from the
owners personal experiences and from information provided from fellow
Gouldian breeders. |
|
Breeding Season in Australia -
North Coast of New South Wales, Australia |
Aviary - January to August
In the wild - January to April |
The Gouldian breed past August if allowed. I restrict my birds to a
maximum of 3 nest per year and usually stop the breeding in June. |
| Pairings |
I have had the greatest success breeding
the Gouldian with a single pair per aviary. My Gouldian Aviary size is
Height of 1.8m by Length of 1.5m and .9m wide. (6' x 5' x 3')
Leg ring colors and leg ring numbers are
recorded for all Breeding pairs. |
| Nest Type |
Gouldian prefer a wooden nest box. |
| Nesting Material |
Couch and November grasses are preferred.
My birds predominately build their nest from Couch grass. |
| Nest Location |
Nest boxes are placed approximately 300mm
(1 foot) from the top of the aviary. |
| Nest Construction |
Couch Grass is formed into a dome towards the back of the with the
nesting box. No feathers are used in the nest. |
Some Gouldian Finches are often lazy in building a nest so I normally
half fill the nest box with couch and pre-form a dome for them. |
| Eggs |
4 to 6 |
| Incubation Period |
Approximately
14 days |
The hen spends most of her time sitting
on the eggs. Cock bird will normally sit on the eggs when the hens
leaves the nest for feeding/bathing |
| Fledging |
Approximately
21-24 days
|
Young
birds fledge the nest fully feathered. They return to the nest box
each night.
At this stage I ring my birds to record what pairing they were
produced from. |
| Independence |
Gouldian's are normally independent around 21 days after fledging. |
I
leave my young in the aviary until the next clutch have hatched as
they do not bother their parents. |
| Nests per Season |
Generally 3-4 |
I
restrict my birds to a maximum of 3 nest per year and usually stop the
breeding in June. |
| Food Requirements |
Good Quality general Finch Mix. |
I
also feed freshly sprouted seed and green vegetable leaves when there
are young in the nest. |
| Food Supplements |
Cuttlefish, Eggshells, Charcoal and Grit |
I put these ingredients through a meat
mincer and refresh the supply on a fortnightly basis.
Cuttlefish is always available |
| Subsequent Nests |
Gouldian will re-use the same nest box for the entire breeding season. |
At the end of each clutch I remove the nesting material, clean and
spray for mites and then introduce new nesting material. |
| End of Breeding Season |
At the end of the breeding
season I separate the cocks from the hens until the next breeding
season. |
|
Transporting by Air Freight and Long distance travel |
Preparation - To reduce the stress provide birds with Spark-Electrovet
for 3 days prior to transportation.
Receiving - recommend the recipient of the birds also do the same
for a couple of days after receiving the birds. |
|
Transporting Boxes |
The box size I use is approximately 110mm
High x 294mm Wide x 200mm Deep with a small opening at the front for
ventilation. |
