Question: How to ensure a small clutch

[pidgepudge]

So this is my first time breeding zebra finches even though I've owned them for a couple of years, and so far my pair is doing spectacularly. I introduced them just over a week ago, they accepted each other super easily and the male got a really nice nest going and everything. At the moment, I have 2 eggs in nest from them.

However, since they're a young pair and are going to be parents for the first time, I don't want them to get overwhelmed. As such, I'm kind of wanting to ensure that their first clutch here is pretty small (2-3 eggs, which I understand could only result in one chick or none at all). That way, they'll only have to spend their efforts making sure two or three chicks are cared for as well as possible as opposed to kind of spread thin over a larger clutch. I feel like this is better for the chicks AND the parents.

I've read places that a way to do this is to gently put a couple of dummy eggs in the nest, tricking the female into thinking she's laid more eggs than she has so she starts incubating earlier/stops laying eggs. I have dummy eggs on hand, and thus far they haven't started incubating so it'll be easy for me to pop a couple in the nest without disturbing the parents.

Am I correct in assuming that if I were to put say 3 dummy eggs in the nest now, with the two others, she likely already is in the process of making a third real egg that she'll probably lay tonight? And that (hopefully), after that egg is laid, she'll think she has 6 eggs and thus isn't likely to lay any others?

I just kind of want to double check that my logic and understanding of this situation is sound. And of course, if this is a bad idea entirely for whatever reason, please do let me know!

[lovezebs]

pidgepudge

Personally, I wouldn't mess around too much with the nest or the eggs of a first time pair.

Even if you put in dummy eggs, you have no way of knowing how many eggs she will lay, and no idea how many if any will be fertile or not. If you end up with only one chick, the parents very often will abandon the baby, and start laying another clutch .

[finchman101]

I have a first time pair of zebs breeding too. They currently have 4 babies and all are doing fine. All birds have big well fed crops and feathers are starting to come through. Personally i would just leave them be and let nature sort itself out but ultimately its up to you if you feel like its easier on the parents with reduced stress etc. Zebs are bred to breed so its in their instincts to be great parents. Hope this helps a little.

[ac12]

I would leave them to their own.

The main thing is to provide LOTS of food during the egg laying phase and after the chicks hatch. If the birds feel that there isn't enough food, they may stop feeding the chicks, and save the food for themselves.

- egg laying phase; egg + crushed egg shell
- chicks; chopped up hard boiled egg (they will eat more as the chicks grow so you will have to provide more and more often)

This is in addition to your usual seed mix.

Birds may change what they eat and feed the chicks as the chicks grow. At a certain point, some of my birds will stop eating/feeding egg and switch to seeds. So you need to monitor what food is being eaten, and how much, so you can replenish.

[pidgepudge]

Fair enough! Plus it ended up not being necessary- they stopped at three eggs and are incubating them just fine (unless the hen is slow at laying a few additional eggs).

Thanks for your advice guys!