1st zebra finch chick questions....

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Willow
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1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by Willow » Tue Dec 20, 2016 2:58 pm

Hopefully this is the appropriate place to post.

My original zebra finches were a birthday gift, the male passed away after 9 years and the female after 10. It was very hard to lose them. They tried nesting and laying eggs many times but they were never fertile so while Iv had zebra finches continuously for about 11 years Iv never had babies.

My current zebra finches have been laying eggs, Iv been discarding the eggs and not keeping a nest. They kept trying to nest in feed cups. Iv been very busy with work and my Mom in the hospital so Iv been not paying much attention to them I am sorry to say (feeding, fresh water etc of course though) I went to move the feed cup one was sitting in and she tried to bite/attack my finger so I just left it. Later I checked the egg she was sitting on by holding it to a light and it looked like it had veins I was surprised so I didn't feel quite right to dispose of it so I gave it back to her. I think her other 3 eggs are not fertile. I am not sure though, I tried holding them to a light one seems to have liquid moving around but the other 2 just looked dark. I tried getting them a nest but they ignored the eggs so I put them back in the cup (I cleaned it out of food and put some shredded paper towels). I didn't really think anything would hatch since Iv had zebra finches so many years and never any chicks but figure Id give it a chance. I'd peek in occasionally and the eggs were still there - I kept thinking I needed to remove them but today I check and there is a chick in with the eggs. The cage has 1 society finch 2 female zebras and 1 male zebra - I did not want this mix and it's an even longer story at how that came to be but this post is already long so Ill save it. Iv seen all 3 zebras sitting on the eggs at different times.

At this point I'm not sure what to do? The finches are still nesting and turning the eggs. I don't know if they are taking care of the chick or when it hatched. It is very tiny and Iv seen it move a little but not much... I haven't seen any attempts at feeding/eating but I only discovered it today. I should have removed the eggs right away I suppose but Iv had them on the back of mind lately.

They eat zupreme pellets and a zupreme seed mix, egg food/vitamin mix, cuttlebone and shell mix and sometimes fresh eggs/veg. Should I be giving them anything special in hopes they feed the chick?

Iv included a picture, seems the odds are stacked against this little one. Iv rehabed local wild abandoned baby birds but nothing so tiny as this.

Also the cage is due for a cleaning and I'm worried about it upsetting them with the chick there...

Edit: Well no sooner did I post this I peeked in on them and a male and female were feeding the chick and it was flailing about excited to eat so it seems they have a better idea of what to do then I realized.
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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by lnlovesorange » Tue Dec 20, 2016 5:00 pm

Well, congrats on the baby! Up the egg food intake if possible for the feeding parents, but the diet sounds fine to me... This baby's crop is empty, which is usually not good... but if it's just in it's first day of life it could be ok....Check on him again late and check for any food in the crop... if there is no food, you have a couple options... you could leave and let nature work the way it's suppose to, if the parents don't feed it, maybe it's a learning curve.. (i personally dont' like this option, but some people like the "natural way") you could pull it and hand feed it and put it back and see if the parents start feeding, the little bit of food from you might give it enough strength to beg, and should incite the feeding instincts in the parents. The third option is to set up a brooder, and hand feed them until fledging time (however form your post and your busy life it doesn't sound like this is such a viable option, as this takes a lot of your time, and patience, and the chance of losing the chick by aspiration is very great especially if you've never hand fed)
the last option is you could take the baby and put it in a nest with some hay and tissue and sisal fiber, and put into a smaller cage with the society finches, they will MORE than likely feed it. They are FANTASTIC parents.... and they take care of baby birds even when the parents are there, the instinct is so strong! LOL....
I hope whatever happens, it turns out ok, but just prepare yourself for the worst... just in case and maybe you'll be presently surprised, and any questions you have the people around here are the best, and most knowledgeable... Good luck, and please keep us posted, if you need any help locating the crop, or knowing if there is food in it, post a photo and tag me and I will let you know (it's the neck area, if it's full it looks like the baby is laying it's head with it's neck on two big balloon pillows! LOL
See the picture, to the left of the babies head, see that big thing that looks like a full water baloon? that's the crop (this baby is af ew days older than yours so it won't be this big, but it will be bulging on the side of the neck)
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Crop is to the left of the head in this picture
Crop is to the left of the head in this picture

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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by Babs _Owner » Tue Dec 20, 2016 5:02 pm

Willow

Looks like the bottom egg may hatch as well soon! Congrats!

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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by Sally » Tue Dec 20, 2016 5:54 pm

Congrats! You've already gotten some good advice, just be sure to provide lots of egg food. You will find many recipes for egg food in the Diet and Nutrition forum, or you can simply mash a hard-boiled egg and offer it to them.

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on finch care and breeding. If you put your general location in your profile, it will make it easier if members need to suggest supplies to buy, etc.
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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by Willow » Tue Dec 20, 2016 9:13 pm

Thanks for all the replies and information. I took a quick pic before bed it's a little blurry and I didn't want to bother them too much as Iv been doing that several times today. It looks like there is a little food in the crop but unfortunately not like the one you shared.

I only have the one society finch, I did have another but it passed away. The small pet store I went to had a zebra finch get out when they were trying to get mine so the took the cage to the back and when I got home they had given me 3 zebras and 1 society instead of 4 zebras and wouldnt accept it back so I got a 2nd society some where else as I thought it would prefer its own kind. However the original society passed away shortly after I got her which in turn left the other society alone which was meant to keep the original company. I hadn't gotten anymore as I don't have allot of experience with birds passing away so quickly and wanted to make sure every one else was ok for awhile.

I do have another smaller cage if nessecary. I will think on all the options you suggested though Id prefer to try something over letting the chick starve . Ideally they will be ok parents but I know that's allot to ask, especially as first time parents as far as I know.
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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by Babs _Owner » Tue Dec 20, 2016 10:16 pm

Willow

They only feed newborns about a drop per hour (quickly absorbed) per day until 3 days. So the crop on the baby is actually very full at this age. (good pic)

It takes about 3-5 days for the parents to start to stretch the crop bigger.

Its gradual. But at about day 8-10 you should see those balloon crops you see on Inlovesorange's post.

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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by lovezebs » Wed Dec 21, 2016 3:09 am

Willow

Hi Willow, and welcome to the Forum.

If your parents are feeding, and Baby is eating, all is well.
Usually on the first day, parents will not feed, and chicks live off their yolk sac.

Regarding the food, I would definitely offer fresh boiled egg, greens and spray millet, along with their regular seeds.

I would also offer your Mama bird, some crushed egg shells, to replenish her calcium output when laying eggs. This is very important.

Other than that.... CONGRATULATIONS, your a Grandma! :lol:
~Elana~

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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by Willow » Wed Dec 21, 2016 8:57 pm

Thank you so much everyone. I really apprecoate the replies. When ever I make my finches eggs I either boil or scramble and I always crush the shell for them the only problem is when I work I'm gone from early in the morning to late at night and Im not sure about leaving fresh egg in there for so long. Iv been gone all day and just got home and checked. The Mom got up and the baby put it's little head up for food so I guess they are doing ok so far... it had food in the crop but it also seemed to have a bit of air as well. Here's the pics from tonight.
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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by Babs _Owner » Wed Dec 21, 2016 9:38 pm

Willow

Did you notice the egg "pipping" on the left? Looks like another hatchling about to arrive! \:D/ Keep the boiled egg going. Seems like that is what is in the babies crop so far.

They will add seed later as the youngsters grow. Without your location, I dont know if I should advise to switch to dried eggfood.

If the humidity is high, I would make sure you have a bowl of dried eggfood, seeing as eggfood is the parents choice.

Let them fill themselves early morning, take out the boiled egg before you leave for work, and replace with dried eggfood, covered in shavings of cuttlebone to attract the female.

It's that morning feed that gets the "party started".

**edit** I noticed that one baby has been pipping since yesterday. It may be dead-in-the-shell by now. I would aid that chick and see whats going on. He should be out by now.

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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by lovezebs » Thu Dec 22, 2016 3:37 am

Willow

Baby looks great!

He has food in his crop, and is already begging for more. I wouldn't worry about air in the crop, it's normal.

As Babs mentioned, if you're worried about the egg food going off, get it ready the night before and fridge it. Offer it to them early in the morning while you get ready, etc. and offer a dish of dry store bought egg food for the rest of the day, along with some spray millet and a bit of greens.

Good luck :D
~Elana~

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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by Willow » Thu Dec 22, 2016 9:05 pm

Thank you both. :)

I know it looks that way in the picture but the other 3 eggs did not have chicks, it was hardening/drying inside so I removed them. I included a picture so you can see what I mean.
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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by lovezebs » Thu Dec 22, 2016 9:14 pm

Willow

Holy Crow, that is one well fed infant, lol.

Looking great :-BD
~Elana~

Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~

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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by Babs _Owner » Fri Dec 23, 2016 9:00 am

Willow

Baby looks great! Parents are doingna fine job!!

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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by Willow » Fri Dec 23, 2016 5:37 pm

Thanks! Heard the chicks tiny chirping today when getting fed, couldn't really get a picture of it as I wanted to leave them to it. Hopefully everything goes well.
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Re: 1st zebra finch chick questions....

Post by lovezebs » Mon Dec 26, 2016 4:25 am

Willow

Looks like we're starting to get little fuzzy feathers :-BD
~Elana~

Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~

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