FINCHforum

Okay I had my Zebras a week as of saturday. on thursday they were all ready buildind a nest. I came home and i saw the zebs with feathers in their mouths running around. I immediatly placed some nesting material inside and they used it. As soon as it ran out they settled down and went on their normal routine. To day i noticed the feathers around the cocks vent and thighs were gone. I looked in the nest and there they are. So I gave them more nesting material. Anyway should i just keep supplying it till there are eggs laid. I dont want the male featherless. The hen already pulled out all of his brown & white spotted feathers to build the nest.

Unfortunately, they will use whatever they can to build a nest, and feathers work great. I would keep plenty of nesting material available, more than you think they need. Once you start seeing eggs, then you can take away the extra nesting material. Zebs will sometimes enjoy nest building so much that they will cover up a clutch of eggs completely, then lay more eggs, and so on. Your male will be somewhat bare till he molts, when he'll grow new feathers.