FINCHforum

Hi everyone! My chicks just fledged (there are four of them). This is my first time breeding. I'd like to see them start living outside the nest with their parents, who now sleep on top of the nest due to lack of space in the nest. When can I remove it? Will the mother still feed the chicks outside the nest? Thank you!

Hi
General rule 'the nest is removed 48h after the second or rhird chick has fledged'

I remove the nest ASAP, to prevent the parents from starting another clutch, which zebra tend to do.

So, I remove the nest the instant that I see that ALL of the chicks are out of the nest. The problem is that some chicks will go back into the nest during the day, so sometimes it is hard to catch them when ALL the chicks are out of the nest.

Mine is an outside mounted box nest, so it is easier to remove the nest than an inside mounted nest, where you have to reach into the cage to get the nest. Though with an open basket nest, reaching in to grab the nest will probably cause the chicks that have gone back into the nest to leave the nest.

That evening, the chicks will scramble looking for their now missing nest, but they will get over it and perch with their parents.

Yeah if you don't want your zebras nesting again i would remove the nest here quickly. The chicks look nice and healthy and all feathered up so removing the nest won't harm them at all and the parents will still feed the chicks until they wean in a couple of weeks.