finches!

did someone on here used to keep zebra finches? my pair have decided they like laying eggs, so layed one in their seed box! they then put some feathers in bits of lettuce and layed 2 more! They have thrown the first one out, they didnt actually sit on that one just kept admiring it. But they are sitting on the other 2 have been for about 10 days, Do you think they will rear them in a seed box hanging inside their cage?
ps the seed is now in a tray on the floor!

Hi, Yeahh I Keep Lots Of Finches The Incubation Duration Is About 10-14 Days For Zebra Eggs So Anytime Soon You Should Have Chicks .. Zebras Really Are Not Fussy Where They Raise Chicks And They Usually Do It Well As Well. They Fledge At About 3 Weeks Of Hatching And Then The Adults Will Then Raise Them Out The Nest During The Day For About 2 Weeks. After This You Can Either Chose To Keep The Babies Or Sell Them Once Their Beaks And Mature Colours Have Developed.

Hope This Helps Liz

Bless that sounds so cute - "admiring it"

of the 2 eggs left in the nest, one is dark but the other looks orangey? I have explained to the finches that they might not hatch. Must be something in the air my lone female budgie has now got 2 eggs and is sitting on the floor with them threatening me if I go near the cage!

The Dark One Is Probably Fertile And Should Hatch Soon

Aww pics if you get a baby birdie!

I dont think they are any good, the male keeps trying to throw them out of the nest and the female still wants to sit on them!

Well, where are we? from May 31st... 4 months down the line. All through the summer they have layed eggs thrown them out of the nest and generally messed about. Quite happy though. They had 5 eggs in the nest at the weekend, the female was trying to eject one egg, and when she moved it ,it rattled. So I took it out and it was no good. So 4 left, hardly any nesting material as the male keeps rearranging everything. The 2 finches had a real argument late last night, going at each other. This morning all was quiet so I climbed on a stool to look in the cage. Up on a high shelf in the conservatory. and there were 2 wiggly little pink things, just hatched by the look of it. The finches were so excited. Well they are still there, look a bit more like baby birds now, and the parents are both sitting on the nest. So fingers crossed they might rear them!

Awww you need to climb up there with your camera.

Oh Wow Liz. That's fantastic news and congrats on your babies. Fingers crossed they do well and we can see some pics when they're a little bigger

Yay, babies! Can you get in to feed the parents now or will they try to fend you off if you go too near? Are you having to put anything special in for them to feed to the chicks?

So cute!

Pretty awesome! I'll be looking forward to some photos when they arrive!

no the parents are very sociable. They seem to want me to admire the chicks. I have put egg food in the finches seed and making sure they have lots of extra bits like apple....the babies are so ugly...only a Mummy finch would love them...

Haha! You'll learn to love them if you already don't!

I think one of the babies is dead. Does anyone know if the parents will just throw it out of the nest?

Probably, that's what happens in the wild as they won't want it starting to decay or attracting flies.

can you cross your fingers for the one remaining baby please x

I'm keeping everything crossed for your baby Liz. So sad about the other one

Fingers and toes crossed for you x

my finches have got to be the daftest parents ever! The baby who died has disappeared, best not to think where it has gone, will probably find it at the back of cage somewhere. This morning the female finch jumped out of the nest and dragged most of the nesting material with her (taking into consideration the nest is not stuck together, hardly anything there, and the guinea pig could have done a better job) I peered into the nest and the baby was sort of sitting on the plastic with the 2 eggs so far unhatched. I went for a shower thinking the parents will move it. Came downstairs 20 minutes later thought I will just take a peek. Finches were kicking up a fuss, no sign of baby nor eggs. I quickly put the cage on the floor and took the "nest" out of the tray! The poor baby was under neath hardly moving. I put the 2 eggs and the baby back in the nest and popped it back in the cage. I didnt like moving the baby it was all squishy! So far the baby still seems to be alive, but I am a nervous wreck. This is why I dont attempt to breed bettas!

Oh how awful Liz. I would be a wreck too, so you're not alone. I hope the little baby makes it. Do you think the parents are just not experienced enough to raise their babies.

That's awful Sue. Hope the wee baby makes it but they're so fragile at that age. Fingers crossed!!

When I had finches before the male one flew into a friends kitchen. We think it had come from an aviary so when that bred it knew what it was doing. My 2 haven't a clue although the male does seem to be better than the female. They did exactly the same this morning they rearranged the nest! I had to rescue the little bird. It is now making a tiny cheepy noise. I just gave them a quick clean out and the first baby had been thrown out on the floor. 2 eggs still in nest I will leave them a bit longer but don't think they are any good.....phew exhausted! forgot how tiring it was bringing up babies...

Is this a 1 off thing or do you breed birds regularly? If you do it as a hobby then it might be an idea to invest in a wee candling lamp. Brinsea is a good brand. My dad breeds shamo's and I got him a candling lamp as part of his birthday package last year. Probably the most used pressie I ever got him!