How old is too old?

[Gracie85]

Finally have space to add some bengalese/societies to my flock. Since I already have a bunch, I thought I'd just let them make some new ones themselves.

But the birds I most want to breed are older. Male is probably 7 years, maybe possibly more. Female is probably 3, maybe 4, but no more. First round, all eggs are clear, no development at all. Parents are excellent at sitting, male would sit on a rock if it looked like an egg, and they were taking turns, but the instant the female would come out, the male would go in and take over, so those eggs weren't uncovered for more than 15 seconds at a time.

Could it be that he/she are just too old? Do Bengalese lose fertility in a few years like some others?
He's my pied crested fawn, and she's a very pretty pied chocolate with really good markings, so I wanted to get more crested and keep the pretty pied thing going.

Male has always been willing to nest, and sit on any eggs he could find, thought it only fair he finally got to raise a batch of his own. But with all clear eggs, wondering if his time for his own offspring has passed. In which case, I will let him co-parent with other bengalese, because he's just such a good father, he deserves the chance.

[Fraza]

Gracie85 I saw an thing on the internet about zebras saying that zebras loose fertilitaly at a certain age

[Icearstorm]

Gracie85

The first clutch is often infertile due to inexperience. If the female is laying eggs that look normal upon candling (normal-sized eggs with yolk present, air pocket visible, no stripes on eggshell indicating mineral deficiency, etc), she's probably safe to breed.

The male could be infertile at that age, but it shouldn't hurt to give him another try. If he is infertile, you could let the female mate with another male and then put her back with her mate. Finches can store sperm for several days, which would give the female some time to build a nest and settle down before laying eggs.

If both of your finches are infertile, you could try getting a clutch of fertile eggs from someone else and letting the pair raise those. Add a fake egg to their nest each day until there are six or so, then swap those out with the fertile eggs, and your finches should raise them as their own.

If the female just laid an entire clutch of infertile eggs, you could substitute them for some fertile ones, instead. This would be a bit more difficult, as you would need to wait a few days to determine that her eggs were infertile before substituting them for fertile eggs of a similar age.

[isobea]

I have been wondering about this "How old is too old?" question as well. I have a male blue cap cordon bleu who I bought last October and have been trying to find a female for him since then.
Now, yesterday I talked to a gentleman who has a female for sale (lost her male). BUT he has had her for 4 years already and he said she was mature (fully colored, wild caught) when he bought her. So it would be safe to assume she is at least 5 years old.
Does anybody know if that's too old for a female? I do want them to breed. That's the only reason why I am looking for a female.
Iso

[Gracie85]

Can anyone who has bred societies tell us what were the oldest birds you successfully got chicks from?

[lovezebs]

Gracie85

It is a possibility that they are too old, but I would give them another chance. If they had never bred before, then they simply may not know what theiy're doing yet.

How long did you give the eggs before candeling them?

[Gracie85]

13 days of sitting. Was pretty sure they were no good earlier, since they never started looking darker or any different from when they were first laid, but as the male sits so determinedly, in order to get a look I'd have to chase him off the eggs, and rather than just flee as I poked little flashlight neck and mirror in to the nest, he'd stay and fight, and I was afraid he'd damage them thrashing around like that. So, I left them alone, but not seeing the change in color shading, I caught my chance when male was out eating and female was sitting alone, she flees when challenged, so I poked the flashlight and mirror in and saw pale white eggs with yellow yolk settled and now larger air pocket. No good, not developed at all, obviously infertile. Poor little eggs.

Have added a second male to the cage, he's well crested but not pied (not obviously, there's one tiny white feather under his chin so he might be carrying pied). He's a couple years younger. Since it's recommended that when fostering with societies you put two males and one female in, so the second male can help feed, I figure this way there's more chance of fertile eggs. They are rebuilding the nest and getting used to each other again (they were all in the big flight together prior to this.) If I get a second round of clear eggs, I guess it's time to change females. I have this female's sister, who is nearly identical chocolate pied. I only have two other females, neither pied, and a bunch of other males, only one pied and none crested. So, really hoping my pied & cresteds get their act together.

[lovezebs]

Gracie85

Wishing you the best of luck .

[Fraza]

Gracie85 to be honest I’m my opinion I think if they was in the wild and they was active enough to make a nest and want to breed then they would so just leave them and if they want to breed let em