BREEDING TIME

moe moe2 · Post by **moe moe2** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:58 am

i searched around and didn't see anything about it

is there a breeding time ?

i read that after the chicks have left the nest the parent will begin to mate again, but what about when they lose there eggs early on in the process (mines cracked the two eggs that she layed) is there a time period before they mate again. im not seeing the same dancing and singing with them as i did when they last mated. is there something i need to do to help them along?

just the other day i notice they started removing the old nesting material from the nest so i gave them a different kind and they arranged it and then they picked up the old nesting material that they threw out and put it back in.

also when offering out pellet food is it a good idea to moisten it a little

thanks

moe

lyderbug · Post by **lyderbug** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:34 pm

I would think that if they were laying eggs before that they would continue to do so at their pace.

I don't know about other species of finch but I know my societies will lay eggs any time that they feel like it.

It's always good to keep fresh nesting material available...even so I've noticed my finches will have the same practice of ripping apart the nest and rebuilding. I always associated that with remaking the bed. Freshly made beds always feel the best

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:10 pm

Moe,

If your gouldians are breeding now and their eggs are cracked they will usually start another clutch in 1-2 weeks.

As for pellets it's ok to use with seeds but when there are chicks don't feed pellets as the parents can't regurgitate the pellets for the chicks.

Chris

lyderbug · Post by **lyderbug** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:23 pm

Good to know! Sorry for any wrong information.

Post by **Sally** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:58 am

If you keep having cracked eggs, you might want to try to see if there is a reason for that. The shell could be very thin, making them crack easier, in which case the birds could use more calcium. Or could their toenails be so long that they are damaging the eggs? Or are they being disturbed in the nest, causing them to come flying out of the nest, possibly damaging eggs in the process?

williep · Post by **williep** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:24 am

Just an add-on to what Sally posted, because I totally agree with everything she said. I believe proper lighting is just as essential to stronger eggs. The birds need Vitamin D to be able to convert/absorb the calcium.

Make sure there is enough direct sunlight (not through windows) or invest in a Full spectrum light.

Just another point on nest building. I found that if a pair are not successful for whatever reason it is better to remove the nest completely and replace it with a clean disinfected nest and new nesting material and let them start over.

Good luck

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:58 pm

ya might try *If y ahavent allready * offering som ene wfresh nesting material to get him in the nest building mood, lol

moe moe2 · Post by **moe moe2** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:42 pm

thank you everyone

first i have zebra finches

two they are on the side of the window but they are not getting direct light should i move them to the hook in front of the window

three after the eggs broke i took the nest out clean it and changed all the nesting material
just recently i notice the started throwing the material out the nest so i gave them a different material and they put that and the old stuff in the nest (it was to much so i took some out)

they started sing and dancing around and i even notice him offering the female nesting material

i put seed, pellets, egg biscuit, veggies, and treat in the bowl, fresh drinking water and fresh bathing water in the cage, yesterday i clean the bottom out really well

so im thinking i should put them back in front of the window

the last time i dont think they had enough nesting material and that why the eggs broke but i also notice that this time she only layed 3 eggs the first time she layed eggs there were 7 (all over the cage) that was last summer, this is the second time she layed and those eggs broke if they do it again that would be three

williep · Post by **williep** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 1:50 am

Moe moe, you didn't mention anything about a calcium source (cuttle bone, oyster shell or crushed egg shell or something) it is very important that the birds have access to a calcium source as it is almost impossible to feed them regular food with enough in it.

It might help moving them to a spot with more light as well.

You can also provide white feathers so they have something soft to line the nest with.

Just another bit of info on Zebs. They are religious nest builders and will continue to build the nest sometimes covering the eggs. This results in the eggs not being incubated correctly. So if the nest looks complete and you notice the hen laying eggs I would remove excess nesting materials.

Post by **Hilary** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:39 am

If they've started nesting again I wouldn't move them. Any disturbance can "break the mood".

moe moe2 · Post by **moe moe2** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:32 am

williep wrote:Moe moe, you didn't mention anything about a calcium source (cuttle bone, oyster shell or crushed egg shell or something) it is very important that the birds have access to a calcium source as it is almost impossible to feed them regular food with enough in it.

It might help moving them to a spot with more light as well.

You can also provide white feathers so they have something soft to line the nest with.

Just another bit of info on Zebs. They are religious nest builders and will continue to build the nest sometimes covering the eggs. This results in the eggs not being incubated correctly. So if the nest looks complete and you notice the hen laying eggs I would remove excess nesting materials.

hi
yes they have all three of those souces of calcium
the nest is already built they just keep taking the material out and putting it back in

moe moe2 · Post by **moe moe2** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:35 am

Hilary wrote:If they've started nesting again I wouldn't move them. Any disturbance can "break the mood".

hi

to late i already move the cage

they calmed down for a minute and then went right back to the normal jumping and cheeping

i had them in this spot before so it not that new (in my mind) but they seem adjusted they are drinking and eating regularly

williep · Post by **williep** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:24 am

Well in that case you might just have a hen that is hard to please or a cock that is lazy or not such a good builder but she loves him for his personality.

Just be patient, I think you'll have results soon.

moe moe2 · Post by **moe moe2** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:34 am

what i was asking is for zebra is there a breeding time of year or month or the time between clutches

is there a different in time when it hatched chicks or the eggs are taken or broken

the fact that the my eggs cracked and i took them out, would that effect them different than if they had sat on the eggs and they hatched or were just removed.

i read that other ppl birds breed often some laying weeks after a clutch but i had mine for a year an almost 3 months before they layed their first clutch and then the second clutch took several months

will i have to wait several months for anther clutch?

williep · Post by **williep** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:08 am

OK let’s try and address each issue separately

1. Zebra finches breed throughout the year provided they have the correct conditions (pair is bonded, correct foods, temperature ect)

2. If you remove the eggs it might affect the pair a short while but they should relay eggs once they are ready. Bear in mind that birds in the wild often loose eggs to predators and have to start over too.

3. The time between clutches really depends on the conditions as set out in point 1 above and on the pair itself. The first time the pair might have been young and inexperienced or old and less fertile. So the question is have your pair raised a clutch before? How old are they?

4. I hope you do not wait several months for your next clutch, just ensure that you have done everything in your power to enable the pair to bread, the rest is really up to them