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Much to my surprise spring is HERE.. Ms maude starting tearing the paper... I added nesting string... she got aggressive...then added cut cotton strips... she completed an has it packed down...I beleive they mated mid morning... I noticed her standing in the nest this afternoon looking around... Zjohn Claude has been teaching her to beg..

Is this not a little early...

Not really early, indoor birds can breed in any season. You may want to invest in the felt pads for canary nests, the nesting string can lead to amputated toes and legs.

Thank you for the note about the string... For this nest... it is well packed with cotton...

The first egg was laid this morning.. I could tell she was labored in the nest....as I talked to her...she grunted.. lifted up.. looked between her legs.. an plop... there it was.....How amazing is that..... an she looked at me..... I almost felt sorry for her..

Is the first egg always a dudd...

Does hand feeding work...

I"m in Oregon.. with plenty of gray days... the lack of light has not seemed to bother them..

No, first eggs are not always duds. It sounds like she was straining though, does she get enough calcium? Do you have cuttlebone in the cage or have you ordered liquid calcium for the water?

Handfeeding is dangerous with such small birds. There is a book on the lady gouldian finch website that talks about how to handfeed in emergency situations, but with a tiny bird like these, it should only be done if there is no other choice. One bird can and will keep a chick fed if needed. If they are handfed, they will need fed as often as every 30 - 60 minutes, and each feeding can take up to 20 minutes. This is around the clock, so unless you plan on not sleeping for several weeks, I wouldn't reccomend it.

Since you are in Oregon, do you have a UV light (that is bird safe) to help your hen absorb calcium? Living things need vitamin D to motabalize calcium, so if you don't have one, I would invest in one, and get liquid calcium which has vitamin D in it.

Do your birds get fresh foods? Is this your first time breeding?

Ty Christie for the speedy reply...

They have cuddle bone an grit.. Birdie egg bisquit... which they love.... I plan to be up early...camped by the cage..I hear about egg binding... an it scares me....I don't know what to do..

They like apples an lettuce..

No extra lighting..

Thank you... I will be a frequent flyer in here now... gaining comfort an knowledge..

Toss the grit, they don't need it. Canaries like finches hull their seeds. Many first time parents (birds) will overfeed the grit to the chicks or themselves causing crop impactation and death.

Egg binding is deadly serious. They need a vet ASAP. If it happens at night, liquid calcium, extra heat and a call to an emergency vet are in order.

Without the extra light, your hen can't absorb enough of the calcium from the cuttlebone, I'd invest in the liquid.

The second egg has now arrived... promptly at 7:45. less time an less stress on Ms Maude. It is lighter in color an more egg shaped..compared to the first one which is fatter.. more pear shaped..

She certainly puts on a good show of display of affection.. she does however spend alot of time in the nest.. Gets up..eats alot.. an then begs alot from Zjohn Claude. The grit has been dumped into flower bed... could not find liquid calcium.. only multi- vitamins..

She has not bathed yet... nor taken flight while the cage door is open.. They offer so much comfort an have given me reason to get up before they do... Yikes... that is breaking retired cardinal rule..

Here's hoping for # 3 in the morning ...

Thank you so much..

I order my liquid calcium from the following site:
http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_calciumplus.mgi

Ty.... third one got here this morning... I have some dummies eggs... or do i just remove a few to keep from over crowding...

Makes me almost want to but a cam corder.. to take video... Buts it's invasion of privacy... her breathing changes... an the beak opens further.. she looks at me.. I can see the stress in her eyes.. I read some where about some kind of oil to put on her .. is her gets in trouble..

Getting up early is not so bad after all... look what I get to watch... nature..

I booked mark yur site... thanks..

No, no oil, that is an old theory that doesn't work. If she gets in trouble, get her to a vet ASAP.

I wouldn't worry about overcrowding until 7+ eggs. My Gouldians routinely hatch 5-6 chicks with no problem.

4th egg is here.. I notice that the labor is ezier...and quicker.. also noticed... that after the egg... she sits there a bit to rest... she then went to her fav perch..an quickly had a watery dropping.. slick...slime.. kinda..sorta clear... HE then went directly to it...
few pecks... an flew off... ( after birth ) ?

How are at least 4 babies going to fit in that tiny store bought nest.... I see an upgrade coming..

What kind of bird is Gouldians..

It is amazing how well they will fit. I wouldn't mess with the nest now since she is laying and sitting, if you do, she might abandon the nest.

A Gouldian is an Australian finch, one of the babies I bred is in my avatar. They are on the endangeres species list and are notoriously hard to breed. Recent studies even show that the hens in this breed choose the sex of their offspring!!

Here are some photos of my birds:
Adult hen


Fledglings (a day or so before really flying)


Adult males



Chicks just a few days old, your canary chicks won't look much different


Chick about 5 days old. Note the crop looks huge and surrounds the neck, this is normal.



And here is a photo of my prize girl, she ended up having a blue breast because her father is a melanistic bird (his colors are darker and a bit richer than normal)

ty again...

What is the nesting material... I seen something like it in cage. mine is nesting string...( which I have since dumped )...an topped off with cotton..

Gouldians don't make a nest like the canaries do, they are a cavity breeder like most hookbills are. They look for a hole in a tree and bring in grasses to pad the nest. In captivity, breeders use a nestbox. Mine is filled with Bermuda grass that I purchase for them to use. I have also used alfalfa or Timithoy hay in the past, but the Bermuda grass has been the easiest on me! Most canary breeders purchase felt pads for the nests, no mess, no fuss.

I wouldn't use grass or any bedding in a cage. It is way too hard to observe the poop to make sure that your birds are healthy, and bedding can grow mold, which not only is harmful to us, but the birds as well.

[quote="granymontana"]4th egg is here.. I notice that the labor is ezier...and quicker.. also noticed... that after the egg... she sits there a bit to rest... she then went to her fav perch..an quickly had a watery dropping.. slick...slime.. kinda..sorta clear... HE then went directly to it...
few pecks... an flew off... ( after birth ) ?
[quote]

I almost forgot to reply, what you saw was just a watery dropping. There isn't any "afterbirth" since the egg contains all there is needed for the chick to form outside the hen. While gross, it is common for birds to take a peck or two at droppings. If it becomes a habit, it could mean something is missing in their diet and should be checked out by a vet.