What to give breeding birds

[sparrowsong98]

So my pets recently laid 4 eggs, and they are sitting like champions. First, should I candle them? I am afraid they will abandon the nest. Second, what should they eat? Hard boiled eggs? Extra veggies?

[paul-inAZ]

Eggs, either hard boiled or the commercial dried eggfood for protein and calories.
crushed eggshell or some source of calcium to replenish calcium mom used to make eggs and for the chick's bone growth.
+/- whatever greens they are used to.

Candling satisfies your curiosity and impatience but contributes nothing to the process. It can spook some parents. No need to do it.

[Dave]

As well as what paul-inAZ said--finch eggs are so fragile that getting them out of the nest, candling them and putting them back in the nest is bound to damage some of them.

The oils on your fingers can clog up the egg shell pores, too. The pores need to stay clear so the chick can breathe.

[lovezebs]

sparrowsong98

I wouldn't bother candling at this point.

Hard boiled eggs and veggies, and egg shells, you got it.

Pay attention to when they begin sitting tight, then count your days as to when the eta of chicks might be.

Other than that have patience and wait, lol.

Congratulations on the egg babies

[sparrowsong98]

lovezebs Problem is, I have no idea when the eggs were laid. sometime last week. Thats all I know. I was away, and I came back, and the eggs were there and the birds were sitting.

[lovezebs]

sparrowsong98

Well, then it will be a nice surprise for you.

One day you will start hearing a very faint cheep-cheep-cheep sound, which will get louder by the day, then you'll know, lol.

[ac12]

You need to get them used to new food BEFORE they breed.
Introducing new food when they are breeding may not work.

I give mine a LOT of chopped hard boiled egg. And they eat MORE as the chicks grow.

However, you need to watch them. I have had birds change what they eat, shifting from mostly egg food to mostly seeds. So be prepared for a diet change, and don't let the dish run out.

As for candling, that depends.
- Some birds, like some gouldians, will abandon the nest for the slightest reason. So for my 1st time parents, I do NOT candle, nor do close banding. I do not want to give them a reason to abandon the nest.
- Other birds like societies and zebras (at least mine), will tolerate candling and me removing the nest to close band the chicks.

[Icearstorm]

sparrowsong98
If you decide to candle the eggs, I find that a book light like this one works well: LED Reading Light
Just remove the hood and hold the bulb up against the eggs. That way you don't touch the eggs, but can still shuffle them around a bit while you candle. It works better when used in a dark nest box. The bulb should not get hot.

[sparrowsong98]

lovezebs I think they abandoned it. They were doing so well, but for the past 5 hours, no sitting at all.

[lovezebs]

sparrowsong98

Patience.

[Babs _Owner]

sparrowsong98

Congratulations!! Glad to hear the parents are sitting tight!