FINCHforum

Hi there everyone.

I had a pair of grass finches that laid a clutch of 5 eggs. The male died (I believe night fright as I found him dead on the floor in the morning). The female abandoned the 5 eggs after his death and after about a week, I removed the eggs.

After this she laid 2 eggs in a Zebra nest, and another single egg in an orange-breasted waxbill nest. Then she went back to her old nest and laid 6 eggs. All of these unfertilised off course as her hubby was gone. I know some people buy fake eggs to prevent the hen continuously laying eggs and so I have left her with her eggs. She is diligently incubating her "fake" babies.

It is about 10 days now and I am starting to feel that it is really cruel to leave her incubating like this. If I remove the eggs though, would she not lay another batch? My gut says to let her be with her eggs until perhaps her broodiness/ breeding seasons passes?

Anyone with some insight and views would be appreciated.

Kyra

Keep her sitting as long as possible so she stops laying eggs.

Remove her from the zebras. A zebra male may be mating with her and stimulating her into laying infertile eggs. And she will keep going on & on.

She sounds like if she had a proper mate, she would be a dedicated hen. I would never take eggs from an inexperienced & good hen early (even if infertile). It may throw off the timing for hatching.

And I would keep her housed with only her mate. Try breeding in a few months after she has had a nice long rest.

Let us know how she does with her new mate!