FINCHforum

Today has been a rough day for me and my finches. I don't know how it happened but my female finch hadn't laid an egg all day. I was worried so I waited for her to lay and watched them for part of my day. It is night as of now and I realized she went in the nest. She tried pushing and couldn't pop the egg out and finally it came out. It was jellylike and squishy. I left her alone. As of now she is very tired. And an hour after that her mate died suddenly. He was puffed up today badly. I assume he collapsed and died. But, now my WORRY is that will she be okay? Is she going to be okay that she passed that jellylike squishy egg, and lost her mate? I don't want her to die too. So, is she going to be okay? Since she passed this egg will she pass more jellylike eggs and die? Please God I pray for help. I give her egg food every day maybe she just doesn't eat it. What to do oh, what to do.

You may have an environmental contaminant present, otherwise the chances of both birds falling so ill at once is very small. I would recommend moving them at once and checking if anything toxic could be in the air.

Your hen was egg-bound and could not form a shell on the egg. Always make sure birds get lots of calcium-rich veggies like broccoli and I /always/ make sure all of my birds have constant access to a cup of eggshells. I've never seen a finch eat cuttlebone, but they eat these all the time and need the calcium to lay eggs.

So what do I do to make sure the rest of the eggs come out fine? I mean I don't have anything calcium rich besides the boiled eggs I give her. I have Liquid vitamin drops. Sheather

Since the first one came out fine does that mean she will make it through the night?

I'm sorry about her mate.
It seems to me that your female is very young. You really shouldn't be worried if she lays an egg, they may not want to breed, or they are too young. If you can, you should get her another friend, maybe not a male zebra. You seem to worry so much about them breeding more than just enjoying having them.

Your female seems very inexperienced with laying and breeding. I would say take her nest away now and let her enjoy herself, and soon get a friend for her. That's just my opinion. Good luck

She should make it through the night. She just layed the egg, so she won't be laying anymore tonight.

I also agree with what Dylan said

delray If I took the nest away from her tonight will she sleep on the perch? Also will it make her stop laying. Like for example if I take it away tonight will she not finish laying the rest? What will happen to the rest of the eggs inside of her then? Thanks so much.

Don't take the nest away tonight. It takes a little while for finches to get used to things based in my birds. Maybe in the morning take it away, it SHOULD halt the egg laying, unless she decides to lay it in some random dish lol

Okay. Ill try to get her a new friend tomorrow. The only pet store close by that has finches has only 3 white Zebs. They only sell Zebras because where I live they are the most abundant. I plan on getting a female for her. That is if they have a female. Ill try to get her a friend tomorrow. That is if my mom takes me. I don't know how to break the news to her. She is going to kill me. She loved the boy Zeb so much. If she doesn't take me is there a chance the female will die of loneliness?

She will be fine, just for now, I would make sure she has a calcium rich diet, make her happy. At this point s female might be the way to go to avoid all the breeding drama. But you will have to keep a close eye for egg bound hens.

Btw, how come your mom doesn't know about the male?

delray She is at work. And your saying since she was egg bound just today she is going to try to find a way to avoid all breeding?

No, I never said that. I said that by getting her a female friend, you won't have to worry about the male and female breeding.

Females still lay, it's their nature. You always have to keep a close eye on them and give them a nice diet

Okay. So, I have this Vitamin Supplement for her called Wild Harvest Muilti-Drops. Its a high potency vitamin supplement. Its supposed to be water-soluble. Each fluid ounce (29g) contains Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine, Niacinamide, Pantothenic Acid, and Choline. Would this be okay to rub on the sides of her beak and add a drop to the water a day? delray

Yes, you just have to put a drop on her Beek, no need for rubbing as far as I know. Also like Dylan said, calcium rich veggies like broccoli. If you ever have time to make some for her, that would be great

Will it hurt her to swallow this liquid its a darkish yellow color. i mean it will change her droppings color? Is it okay if I do it tonight then rub some more tomorrow and give her some in her water? delray

delray Okay I rubbed some on her beak and am putting more on her beak tomorrow morning and in her drinking water as well. I plan on taking extremely good care of her.