Canary not sitting on eggs due to been move down I think.

[Shakelly]

My canaries finally laid eggs and the female was sitting on the eggs nicely. Unfortunately we was going on a holiday booked over 6 months ago and eggs were due to be born day after we left, so I had to take both birds in the cage to a friend who is an experienced canary keeper. The hen stopped sitting on the eggs probably due to been moved and the eggs failed to hatch. They was fertile as I checked them a week after they were laid. Upon my return I collected them to find the female had laid a second batch but again probably due to the move again Is not sitting on them. It’s heartbreaking and w9nderex is there anything I can do? I know they don’t sit on them straight away but she seems not interested at all. Is there. Way to incubate them and rear them myself? Guess I will need an incubator and understand it will be hard work due to constant feeds but I feel guilty having to move them and causing this,

[Dave]

I've been told that Canary hens remember where their nest is. Not by sight so much as by location. So, moving anything results in the hen not sitting on the nest.

I'm sure their are exceptions; there don't seem to be many absolutes in this business.

[Sheather]

Canaries are really sensitive to disturbance and will abandon the nest if the nest either moves in the cage or the surroundings outside the cage change (if the cage is reversed or moved in the room.) I have had success moving bird by covering them totally with a light towel during the move and for a day after by which time they seem to accept the nest being in a new place (most likely, they forget the surroundings ere different before.)

Most birds will not accept a moved nest with eggs. The only birds I have which do are society finches. Some birds will accept a moved nest with babies, as their calls attract them - eggs don't cry though, so they are usually abandoned.

[Nipper06]

Maybe you can have someone come to your house, the next time you need to go away in the middle of breeding season? Or just don't breed them, when you know you are going away. I only breed my birds when I have a long stretch of staying at home.

[Dave]

Sheather, good idea with the towel!