Need help w/zebra clutch size, etc. Conflicting statistics.

[livinonaprayer]

Will somebody please help me with this.
I'm getting conflicting statistics regarding the size of the zebra clutch and the incubation period, etc.

The Finch Info Ctr states that the clutch size for zebras is 4-6 eggs.
Incubation period is 14 days.
Fledgling age is 18 days.

Elsewhere I read that the clutch size for zebras is 5-12 eggs.
Incubation period is within 5 weeks.
Fledgling age is 21-28 days.

She began laying eggs about April 3rd. There are 11 eggs that I can see.
When can we expect hatching?
I'm a bit bewildered right now.
Oh woe is me!

[Sally]

From my limited experience with Zebras, I would say the Finch Info Center is more accurate. The only time I saw a clutch size of around 12 was when they laid one clutch, then started with another one, so it was actually 2 clutches.

Incubation period within 5 weeks sounds way off. Each finch species is a little different with their incubation periods, but the norm is 12 to 16 days for various species. With Zebras, it was always about two weeks.

Fledging at 21-28 days would mean the babies didn't leave the nest for perhaps a month. Again, I never had them stay in the nest that long, it usually was just under 3 weeks.

If she has 11 eggs in one clutch, that is huge. If they all hatch, she may not take care of all of them, though I once had a Zebra pair raise 9 babies. Incubation starts when they start sitting. Did they start sitting April 3, or just lay the first egg then? Figure two weeks from when they started sitting tight, then at most 3 weeks in the nest, you usually have fledglings 5 weeks from when the parents start sitting tight.

[williep]

Sally is spot on with her stats, I've never had Zebras incubating for more than 14-16 days and fledging is definitely 95% of the time within 3 weeks.

[livinonaprayer]

Thanks guys, I sure was confused.

We got them on March 6th and the nest about a week later at which time the male started building for about a week or so.

There really are about 11 eggs. I'm not sure if she laid some at the time of the nest building or not, but we only noticed the eggs on April 3rd. That's when she began sitting during the day only.
It wasn't until this past week or so that she sat on them day and night.
So I guess we'll just have to wait and see if any hatch.

How long will she continue to sit on them if none of them hatch by at least next week?

[williep]

I usually only start counting the incubation date from the day they sit on the eggs day and night. Thereafter they should hatch within 16 days, mine are usually exactly 14 days.

If nothing has happened by day 16 I leave the eggs for another 5 days or so before removing them so they can start over.

[livinonaprayer]

Gotcha.
Let me see if I got this right......
She began sitting on the eggs day and night April 10th.
If nothing happens by the end of the month I should remove the eggs.

Should I use the same nest or just start from scratch with a new one?
It's a small twig nest and when they both sleep in it at night it seems a bit crowded. I was looking at pictures of the various types of nests and can't decide what's best.

[Sally]

I like the large hooded wicker nests for Zebras. Some people use them once and throw them away--I clean out the nest and scrub it well and reuse it. Another possibility might be the newer plastic nestboxes, since they are easily cleaned and reused. You need plenty of room with Zebras, as they usually have a good-sized clutch and it gets crowded in there!

[livinonaprayer]

I will get a bigger nest next time. With about 11 eggs in there I have no idea what might happen. I know they won't all hatch (if any).
I'm going to look for a plastic one. What about those little houses they sell for gerbils and such? Can those be used as nests?