Feather Plucking/ Zebra Family of 4!

[skong]

Hello!
I currently have a cage of 4 zebras, mom, dad, and 2 fledglings that are about 5 weeks old.
I noticed recently that my male is desperate for nesting material but I took the nest out in effort to get them to stop breeding. However, he is beginning to pluck the feathers of the babies. Is it time for them to be separated from the parents? Also, any advice on what is best for the parents? Do I bring a nest back in and allow them to breed again or do I make an effort to get them to stop? I bought fake eggs just in case but I want to know what is the most ethical way to keep zebras.

Thanks everyone!

[Raleighwheels]

If the chicks are eating on their own, you could remove them from the cage. I typically don't allow them to breed back to back. I'll allow a bit of a break in between. I had a pair that acted just like yours. The male would almost immediately start plucking the chicks, even with the nest removed. I would always remove him from the cage and give the chicks more time with the mother, that way she could take care of them some more and teach them more about being a zebra finch.

[Fraza]

Raleighwheels I agree and let the chicks leave at about 8 weeks old usually at this age they can go on to their new homes able to defend themselves

Then wait a little before breeding again the parents unless he isn’t having it then just make sure she has a lot of calcium

How many clutches this year ?

[Raleighwheels]

Raleighwheels I agree and let the chicks leave at about 8 weeks old usually at this age they can go on to their new homes able to defend themselves

Then wait a little before breeding again the parents unless he isn’t having it then just make sure she has a lot of calcium

How many clutches this year ?

I usually wait to sell my birds until after the adult molt. Molting is stressful enough, I don't want to add transportation to it. I usually let them breed twice a season, maybe three times if they've had small clutches or one clutch were all duds.

[Fraza]

Raleighwheels yes and you do know if they have a clutch that is all duds then the female can have more that year they can lay upto 5 clutches of eggs a year if only 3 of them are fertile it’s the raising of the chicks that take the health risk of the parents not the laying of the eggs ,
Just needs calcium and hey can lay alot

[skong]

So far my zebra parents have laid one clutch of eggs. They started with 4 eggs but one egg fell and the other one hatched and died. The two healthy birds are doing well, I will plan on separating the babies from the parents soon since they are pretty independent.

Also, I am pretty sure the babies are opposite sex, is it safe to leave the babies together for now or will they have to be separated?

[Raleighwheels]

So far my zebra parents have laid one clutch of eggs. They started with 4 eggs but one egg fell and the other one hatched and died. The two healthy birds are doing well, I will plan on separating the babies from the parents soon since they are pretty independent.

Also, I am pretty sure the babies are opposite sex, is it safe to leave the babies together for now or will they have to be separated?

You could leave them together once you take them away from the parents. I would just make sure not to put a nest in the cage.

[Fraza]

skong they can’t beeed until three months of age anyway