FINCHforum

I had planned on switching to egg feed after they hatch because of that. For now I wanted her to get as much protein in her as she would eat because of the egg laying taking so much out of her. I know she's eating the calcium because I see some white bits occasionally on her beak so I know she's getting the extra I wanted her to to replenish her needs/supplies in her.

Okay yeah that’s good just start the egg food a few days before so she learns how to digest the new type of food

Yep, but first we need to figure out how many more eggs Mama is going to lay lol

ElsiesCCs

I've never had a finch lay more than one egg a day. But if I see even one egg I load them up with boiled egg sprinkled with shaved cuttlebone-with crushed egg shells on the side.

She will need them for her offspring, but more importantly for her own health while laying.

Let us know how it goes.

Yep, I'm well aware she needs the extra calcium. She's been getting it since the day we brought them home because I was positive she had eggs in her. Thanks though!

And then there were 6! Mama laid egg #7 this afternoon before we left for my birthday day out. I'm hoping she's done (again) or at the very least stops tomorrow!

I do believe it's official, no new eggs today. We have officially passed day #1 of incubation watch! Mama is sitting on 6 eggs with Proud Papa helping now and again.

ElsiesCCs I hope you get some nice chicks and u have a very healthy hen

Thank you! That's all we hope for. Any new eggs for any new clutches will be removed from now on and replaced with a dummy. For now Mama and Papa seem quite happy and proud of themselves. Both are doing great.

Well I went to candle the eggs and I think 2 had some cracks in them as when I gently tried to pick them up 2 broke. So we're down to 4. Mama is back to sitting on them. But the other 4 have nice yellow yolks inside.

ElsiesCCs okay hopefully they are fine before hatching they shid go a pure white colour instead of an off white

If you mean the actual color of the egg shell itself, I've never heard of egg shell colors changing before hatching. I'm not sure what else you mean? For now, the 4 I was able to candle looked healthy with good yolks inside. All 4 are starting to darken (just by looking at them, I only wanted to candle them the one time so as not to bother Mama too much) in color like they are all developing well. We'll be day #5 of incubation tomorrow. It's quarter to 11 pm here now.

Okay well hopefully they are good

Bring on the next 5 days of Baby Watch! Today is incubation day 13, the eggs should hatch between 13 and 18 days (as best as I can tell). Now we keep our eyes and ears open for tiny babies/chirps!

Well it looks like none of the eggs were actually fertile. It's been 19 days and Mama and Papa are sitting less and less. In a couple days I'll take the eggs out so I don't induce Mama to lay more infertile eggs.