FINCHforum

My red-throated parrot finches had been sitting on their third clutch of eggs when I noticed they were doing it less and less....I didn't pull the eggs for fostering, but gave the parents more time. They had already hatched one successful clutch, failed at a second, and this was their third. I finally pulled the eggs this past weekend because I knew it had been too long, and there were two eggs with chicks inside that didn't make it I'm not sure what's going on with my pair...they were the best parents ever with that first clutch, but then they started laying eggs for their second clutch when their babies hadn't fully weaned, and those didn't make it, and now this clutch didn't. Does anyone have suggestions I could try?

slwatson

Hi Stacie,

No expert, but with this being their third clutch, I would pull the nest, and give them a good long rest.

Three clutches per season (whether hatched or not) take a lot out of your girl.
Just my opinion

I would second that advice. While separated give them a good variety of low fat food and reduce egg food. Give any preventative treatments e.g. deworm etc. While they seperated. Make sure male can't see hen and wait a good few months before reintroducing.

Do you know when they moult for you?

I'm actually giving the hen calcium supplements and waiting a little bit, then putting a different nest back in. My pair are VERY healthy and in TOP condition, so I know they can handle having another clutch. They've only raised one, and that's more stressful than laying eggs. I'm just wanting some advice on what to do to make them more willing to sit on this next clutch. I think a lot of it has to do with privacy...maybe adding more greenery. The male put so much coconut fiber in the nest, the eggs were all the way up to the opening. I think I offered too much fiber.

slwatson Stacie they do build elaborate nests. Mine use Gouldian boxes or nests made for Budgies. This allows them to make it extravagantly full without overfilling the nest.

If they hatch out young you could try pulling the male and let the hen rear the clutch on her own. This may help to allow her to finish the clutch to maturity. Sometimes the males are just too eager to get the next clutch going.

I always keep a few extra hens in my flock for this reason. Some males take two hens per season and help rear both clutches. Keeps him too occupied to harass the hens.

I agree with the above comments. They could use a rest or, at least the hen could by separating her from her mate for a while. Most pairs that start another clutch before the first is weaned are due to over eager males. Giving them both a break can increase their chances of sitting and rearing the next clutch. Good luck.

monotwine

The first nest they built wasn't that big....I used a new version of the same nest for this third clutch, and just kept throwing in coconut fiber, and he just kept filling and filling and filling! It was to the top of the opening, so I'll be using a larger nest this time.

finchmix22

It's been a while since they had that second clutch. They had a third clutch, but just stopped sitting, so I know it's not because of an eager male. I really think the hen didn't feel protected enough because her eggs were basically sitting on a very thick layer of coconut fiber that had reached all the way to the opening of the nest, so I'm using a larger nest this time.