Interval between eggs

[MariusStegmann]

I noticed that a young RFPF hen of about 7 - 8 months old, laid her first egg on Friday and the 2nd today (Sunday). I have never really kept book of the laying intervals of my other finches. I think that it was always an egg a day until a hen reached her quota of eggs. Could this be an indication that the hen is struggling or is it just because she is young? I have been giving them a Calcium liquid supplement that I am supposed to give for 10 days and there after 3 times a week. The eggs also felt quite rough and "strong / thick". I am rather going to stop the calcium supplement.

[Smurf]

I'd imagine they lay 1 per day as it seems to be the normal interval for small birds but can't confirm this as i generally don't check nest box until the chicks are an estimated 8 days old. Is it possible that a full 48 hours hasn't yet passed since nest was checked on friday ?

If other sources of calcium and D3/sunlight such as cuttlefish bone / crushed oystershell / eggfood are already available then an additional calcium supplement shouldn't be required

[MariusStegmann]

Smurf I always have cuttlefish in the aviary, but I put my finger into another PF nest last week and broke an egg. I was not particularly hardhanded and decided to give the birds a calcium supplement. The birds get plenty of sunlight. I grind up eggshells into a powder and mix that with scrambled eggs. They dig scrambled eggs and it goes quickly. My birds don't like eggfood. When I put down eggfood, they fly to the side of the aviary where I am and ask where the heck are the scrambled eggs and mealworms. Yes, it is possible that the egg was laid Saturday afternoon / night after I have been to the aviary and I only noticed it this morning.

[Corkysgirl]

I've had my birds skip a day in laying. I wouldn't let this concern me. Are you sure they're getting enough Vitamin D3? With the cuttle bone and ground shells, it sounds like they're getting good calcium, but they might need extra vitamin D3.
Ok...just went back and saw what MariusStegmann wrote.

If other sources of calcium and D3/sunlight such as cuttlefish bone / crushed oystershell / eggfood are already available then an additional calcium supplement shouldn't be required

[MariusStegmann]

Corkysgirl It is still winter here, but it is warming up already. Monday to Friday, the weather is perfect, blue skies, and temp in the low to middle 20 Celsius. When Saturday comes, it is overcast for 2 days. I have a little joke that I do. "What come after 2 rainy days in Cape Town?" The answer is Monday. The birds get plenty of sun, a bit more than 10 hours per day. The supplement that I gave them is Calsibird, it contains calsium, magnesium and vit D3. Monotwine said a supplement can cause eggbind and it seems like the eggs are hard enough now. I will stop putting Calsibird in the water and will continue putting powdered eggshell in scrambled eggs.

[Sally]

Are they getting anything like oystershell grit, or a mineral mix, or cuttlebone? If so, then that plus the powdered eggshell should provide enough calcium, and the sunshine gives them the vitamin D3 they need. I don't think you really need to supplement with a liquid. The egg could have broken when you reached in the nest just because you touched it just right. Normal eggs are still quite fragile and break easily.

[MariusStegmann]

Sally You are right, the parrot eggs are also bigger than most finch eggs, and I must have touched it just right or rather wrong.

[Corkysgirl]

MariusStegmann I didn't realize you had an outside aviary. That's different. They're most likely getting enough D3.
I've had eggs break like that because I went in on the wrong angle and believe it wasn't the thickness of the shell.

I have a little joke that I do. "What come after 2 rainy days in Cape Town?" The answer is Monday

That's a great quote...and funny though I guess not so funny for you when you miss all the weekend fun!

[MariusStegmann]

Corkysgirl Capetonians, actually complain about weather far to much and are spoilt. We don't get hurricanes, twisters, sub zero temps. etc. During winter we complain that it is cold and in summer we complain that it is too hot.

[Corkysgirl]

Marius, I don't know much about the the cold there, but I have a lot of friends in Africa and a couple missionary friends in South Africa. I've sure heard a lot about the heat! I guess it's typical human nature, what we don't have we want. What we do have, we don't want. What "they" have looks better. What I have, could be better and so on.
Where I live it's often very cold in the winter. 27.77 C. But I prefer cold climate and snow to heat any day! So I keep my birds inside. I must!

[MariusStegmann]

Corkysgirl The one thing that you would miss with indoor birds is the effect the sun has on them. Come Spring it is like they are revitalized and filled with zest. All of them want to breed etc.

I was needlessly worried about the egg laying intervals of my RFP hen. This morning there was a 3rd egg. I suspect that the 4th egg will come tomorrow and then she will start incubating them.

[Corkysgirl]

MariusStegmann that is definitely an issue...and I hate it, that they do not get enough natural light. We raise turkeys, chickens, button quail, and they do get natural light so I know the importance of it. They are at my deceased father in-law's house/property (ours really) 2 miles away. Where we live here, there is no outside provision for them so I can't house them outside. I so wish I could!
That's good to hear that the mystery is solved. Yes, she most likely will be sitting tight soon...and then babies before you know it!