FINCHforum

I really did say no more chicks. I have seven zebra finches that have just fledged about a week ago, two clutches. A few of us were joking on a post about how "never" never means never! This really is a great surprise! My 10 year old male zebra, stopped mating. He was....lets just say, very prolific but stopped mating with his last mate who died. I got him a new mate a couple months ago but he still showed no interest. A few times I saw him try, but for one thing she wouldn't have it. Then it was really funny, he would start the process and then forget what he was doing. He would get distracted and look up at the ceiling right in the middle and stop. Mind you, there's nothing on the ceiling. In his prime, he wouldn't give up until he was successful. Now, once he forgot...he forgot. Well he got the hang of it again and there are three eggs in the nest that he and his hen are laying on. We shall see. Maybe nothing will come of it. I will really be glad to have a chick from him and also from her because she is the offspring of my beloved hen Phoebe that drowned suddenly. He has the most beautiful song I ever heard form a zebra finch. This is not a great picture of him. The hen is his previous mate.

Wow, that is really something. At ten, he may not be able to fertilize any eggs, but you never know. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Keeping fingers crossed for you.

Sally, I thought the same thing. It will be very interesting to see what happens. I will be happy if it does, but I'm not going to get my hopes up.

Well, I'll be interested to see what happens!

Can I ask how did Phoebe drown? Is there a thread?

Good Luck to the old man, LOL. If he is fertile still, it will be a special clutch!

Thanks! He's looking all proud this morning with a giant piece of paper towel pulled up to the nest opening. I never saw a nest builder like him! He sometimes tries to lift a paper plate and pull it into the hole. We could watch him for hours. He's a crazy bird!

Wow 10 ?!?! You are doing a great job keeping finches obviously lol. That would be so cool if they got fertilized , good luck.

Yes, he and his sister are 10 years 3 1/2 months. I think it was good breeding by their previous owner I got them from. I'm blessed! It would be cool! I just candled them but I think it may be too soon. One looks like a possibility. The other three look like no one's home.

Corkysgirl

I sure got a good chuckle over the process and your poor boy forgetting what to do in the middle. I can just imagine his mate rolling her eyes. LOL.
Well, I hope something comes out if this.

It was really funny lovezebs! I was so surprised too because he really loved...to love on his mates. I had no idea birds get senile. It was very obviously that that is happening. It happened on two occasions that I saw. Today there were four eggs. His poor wife is just under a year old. She really is probably wondering what's up. He really looks good for an old man. This picture is from last year (a clearer shot) but he really hasn't changed at all in looks. He's just a little bit slower. His sister shows her age with her fawn colored feather turning white like grey hair.

MiaCarter I just saw you asked how Phoebe drowned. I'm not sure exactly but I have two theories. Both could have been the cause at the same time, or either. She was one of the fostered chicks that was tossed and fostered by my 10 year old zebra. She was always small. She also did this "thing" that I later...way later after she drowned, realized must be seizures. I realize this because her offspring does the same thing only worse and it's definitely seizures. It's hard to explain what she does....sort of stares off into space and shakes her head a little. She's not "here" in the present. I always wondered why she did that and now with her offspring doing it, I know. So...one of her fledglings used to always ride her back. I don't know what his issue was but he would land on her back and stay there flapping his wings. I think she was in the bath and he got on her back and she had a seizure. It wasn't a deep bath but deep enough if a seizure happened and she was held under, or aspirated at the same time. It's my theory anyway. It was a shock! I really loved her so much!!!

never say never,,,,,,

and how sad about the drowning

Yes, never! I was absolutely heartbroken when I found her! She's the cream colored bird in the front.

such a pretty finch,,,,,,,,what kind is she?? (pardon my ignorance)

CommaHolly Don't worry about ignorance. I could put what I know about mutations in a thimble. This is what she is.
The Dominant Silver (DS) mutation is most often combined with the Fawn mutation to create dilute fawns or (Dominant Creams).