FINCHforum

Lately I am such an idiot, I go to my aviary and check to see if certain eggs has not hatched yet. I then go back inside and check on Finch Breeder database and see there is still 4-5 days before they hatch. A few days ago I removed 2 infertile eggs from a RFPF nest and was disappointed because there was only 1 chick in the nest. Why I don't know? I knew there were 3 eggs in the nest and 3 minus 2 = 1. Why I magically expected there to be more chicks, I don't know. I just wished I could nudge things along, the eggs can't hatch fast enough and the chicks can't fledge fast enough for my taste. Maybe it is a sign of approaching old age? They say you become like a child again?

I think you sound like a typical finchaholic. Maybe you can pick up an alternate hobby on the side to avoid obsessive tendancies from getting in the way of your enjoyment. Pick something that gets your mind off the birds long enough so you don't get frustrated when everything isn't happening right away. I have been having a very dry spell lately with zebra breeding, but thanks to my running and other hobbies I haven't yet attempted to physically squeeze eggs out of them LOL.

Ha! You sound like me!

I'm the most impatient person ever!
I wish I had patience. I just don't. Never have. If I could magically get one personality trait, patience would be it!

I've found the easiest way is to not hope for eggs/chicks/etc. Then you'll get them --- and fast! A bit the same way that you take a shower when you're expecting a call and they ALWAYS call back when you've got shampoo in your hair! LOL

MariusStegmann
It's just human nature . When we wait for something to happen, it seems to take forever. Like watching the kettle come to a boil.
While waiting, take up Boerboel breeding. Make sure they are brindle, and I will be your first customer.

afinch
You sure gave me a chuckle. Had mental images of you trying to squeeze a beeping Zebra like a tube of toothpaste, with eggs popping out. Oh God, that's funny.

It is purely a sign of your passion for these little birds! (Not old age, that is only a state of the mind)
You know the saying: don't count your chickens................. Well with the finches it goes something like: don't count your chickens before they have fledged.(and even then be careful)
I also was like that until certain pairs abandoned their nests after I peeped. That more or less cured me from doing nest inspection. (Not totally though)
You know, the nicest surprises I got when I did not even know there were breeding going on ( except for increased activity at the termite tray) and then all off sudden new babies in the aviary. The frantic excitement and tail flicking of the parents is an absolute joy to watch -- it is almost if the what to say: come look at what we got for you!

Enjoy every moment my friend! ( we are just human!)

MariusStegmann

SO I just put this pair of Red Billed Fire Finches in one of my 2x2x4 breeding cabinets. Figured I'd give them one more try as they loved to toss their chicks in one of those 30 breeders. They laid with-in days, the love to lay eggs, those little bastards. The hen shows up after two weeks and I think, well here we go, hopefully this time they get it right After about a week the male starts building a new nest and I'm like, aw SH*T. here we go again,. I give the nest the old quick finger test and sure enough, a live heart beat and a fleshy body. So thumbs up,right? I think so until they spend the next four days and never get near the nest. OK I think, they have fooled me once again and just stopped feeding and were to lazy to toss. I give up while calling them every name I can think of and give the nest the old finger test one more time. AND...... feathers! Really? feathers? I guess they fooled me more then I gave them credit for. So at this point I have no plans to go near their cage except for feeding and water until I need to band whomever is hiding in the nest. Here's to hoping that at least one little chirp comes out of the nest.

MY point, Magnus, your not the only one who cant resist the temptation to see what's going on on a daily basis.

If I could have kept my hands out of my nests this season I'd have around forty chick instead of the 20 ish I have gotten this summer. It's hard not to want to see how things are going but if you can resist the temptation, your success will be incredibly better!!

Rob

lovezebs But they are so incredibly ugly and huge. And those huge slobbering lips that that saliva is continually drooling from. Just imagine the size of the presents that they will be leaving on the lawn for me to pick up. No thank you, no boerboel breeding for me. I have 2 Jack Russells at the moment, but I am actually a Belgium / German Shepherd kind of a guy. I think that I will start watching my mealworms grow, very interesting.

cjkrit I believe in don't count your chickens until they are weaned. I took all the slangbos out of my aviary, because mice got into my aviary and they were hiding in the slangbos. There was one waxbill nest with eggs when I took it out. I used to get nice surprises when the slangbos was still there. I didn't know that there were eggs until I saw the chicks flying around.

Wow, we all relate to not peeking and being inpatient when it come to finches and babies! Right now, I am "patiently" waiting for three Forbes eggs to hatch. The parents abandoned them in the nest, so I put them under my great Society fosters, who raised a Forbes and weaned him too! I know the eggs are due to hatch any day now and I desperately want to look inside the nest. So far, I haven't, but today I might as I just remembered I had to supplement the other chick the first two days. So, hopefully, they will do it again.

@MariusStegmann
I wondered if my memory and old age were taking a hold, but I compensate by keeping an egg/nest log in my datebook. As soon as I see a hen sitting, I document the date and count forward 12 days. Then, start watching around day 12 for eggs and I give more eggfood. If I keep track, I don't keep trying to guess "when are those eggs going to hatch?" You'd think two weeks is a short amount of time to wait, but it seems like an eternity!

MariusStegmann

I guess patience does pay off some times. or at least that's what the chick in bottom of the cage this morning is trying to tel me!

Rob

lovezebs wrote: afinch
You sure gave me a chuckle. Had mental images of you trying to squeeze a beeping Zebra like a tube of toothpaste, with eggs popping out. Oh God, that's funny.

Yes, that's exactly how I feel right now lol...

MariusStegmann
Boerboels, ugly??? NO WAY! THE ARE ABSOLUTLY BEAUTIFUL. Best dogs in the world. Yes, they are big, which means there is more dog to love. Yes, they drool, but thats a good skin conditioner for your hands. Yes they leave presents on the lawn, but that's what you have children for, gives them a job and teaches responsability.
But to get back to our feathered friends. I hope your babies hatch soon. In the meanwhile, good luck watching those mealworms growing.