New Canary Hen Nesting

[6finchfriends]

CONGRATULATIONS

[ranchnanny]

This is so exiting I can hardly wait until morning I have been reading about removing the eggs and replacing with phony eggs but that scares me.
I don't have the proper equipment to store the eggs. I will just let nature take its course.
This happened so fast she has only been with the male for about two weeks or less. Amazing!!!!

[ranchnanny]

By the way Trish where is Southworth, Washington? I used to live near Olympia, Washington. Left the west side of the mountains for more sun in Central Oregon.
It was beautiful today still a bit chilly....

[ac12]

Sherry
When I had to do that for my gouldians, I just put the eggs in a bowl of seeds (so they don't roll around), then rotate the eggs a couple times a day.

[ranchnanny]

Whats the reason for removing the eggs? Is it so they are all hatched close to the same time?

[kenny]

hi
i wish i had a pound for every hour i spent watching my birds,my wife would go to the shops and visit my daughter and come back and i would still be sat there,when i built my new place i had running water and electricity so i would sit in the birdroom if it was not very warm,make myself a cup of tea and just read bird mags and books,if it was warm i sat on a bench right opposite the aviary!sometimes i would take my fold up stool into the aviary and hand feed the quail with mealworms,my god i miss those days i wish it had been my choice to dispose of my birds instead of the hospital.because it just feels like they have been stolen from me.................i better stop now

ken

[ranchnanny]

EGG #2 WOW! This is exciting I actually look forward to getting up early every morning. The 2nd egg seems a wee bit smaller then the 1st.
Had I known how much fun this would be I would have started long ago instead of raising orchids.

[6finchfriends]

Hi Sherry, Wow egg #2! This is so much fun! I'll bet you can't wait to see what colors your two will produce and how many! I jump up every morning so I can bring my Societies their egg food and greens and listen to the chicks beg while they get fed. It's so darn cute! I'm totally in love. (and I've had parrots for years but finches are adorable with their little babies! don't tell my parrot buddies)
We live above the Southworth Ferry dock, right across the water from Vashon Island. From down South you'd come cross the Tacoma narrows bridge, N. of Gig Harbor, there's Bremerton, Port Orchard and Southworth is just tiny and really not a town. Southworth is unincorporated. We have one little store/post office that's been there for many, many years. The Ferry goes to Vashon Island then over to Faultleroy (West Seattle). Quiet comunity where you leave your car running while you pop in and get the mail at the post office. We're both retired and want to move to E. Washington so we can enjoy a warmer climate! Oh, and I have orchids too.

[6finchfriends]

I'm sorry Kenny. I wish you could have your lovely birds back I think you should write a book about all your experiences and stories. Your birds could live on and on and on. I'll buy it!

[ranchnanny]

Trish, I have about 85 orchids but they aren't as much fun as Canaries and Finches. My husband and I moved to Crooked River Ranch in 2002 to get more SUN like 333 days per year. The last few years that has changed more clouds and wind.

Tomorrow should be #3

[ranchnanny]

Ladybird is right on target with EGG #3 today around 8:00 am. One thing that I thought is strange is Peeps is starting to sing again but at a lower pitch as so not to disturb his lady. I didn't think he would sing while having the hen in the cage with him...

[L in Ontario]

So terrific! What are you feeding them now?

Such a shame about your birds, Ken. We are sure glad you are here to share your stories with us!

[6finchfriends]

I found this: About removing the eggs....
Lays 4 eggs, 1 each day. Remove the first 3, store in matchbox lined with cotton wool, replace them with dummy eggs. On fourth day, restore first 3 and hen will start to incubate. This ensures they will be of similar age when hatched, more likely to survive. Remove the cock bird just before laying to allow hen to rear chicks on her own.

[ranchnanny]

Trish just feeding them the normal fortified canary seed, Quicko egg food, broccoli, cuke, apple, herb salad etc.....Not all at the same time.

I am concerned about having to remove the cock so she can rear the chicks. I have to get another cage for him or can I put him with the finches?

[6finchfriends]

it didn't explain why you remove the Dad. Maybe you don't have to. I'm sure someone with experience will jump in here. If you already have 3 eggs and she will only lay 4, there's no reason to take them out now anyway. I'm thinking she will do just fine and so will the chicks. The lady at the Parrot store I go to that has the canary sitting on eggs has the cock bird in the small breeding cage with the hen. She's raised lots of birds so maybe it's not that important. Your hen will do fine.