I was recently given two zebra finches (1 female, and 1 male) as a gift from my parents. I have only had them for about a month and a half and noticed them mating the last week or so. I have a basic cage that measures 18 X 13 X 10.5 inches with a small bed/nest hanging from the top.
I honestly never expected them to lay an egg, as my parents have had theirs for months and they never had and was told it probably wouldn't happen. Well sure enough, I came home today after work and noticed both the parents in the bed/nest which they have never once used before. When they left the bed/nest I shined a flash light in the bed/nest and noticed an egg. I couldn't believe it!
I have been researching finches and egg laying and have read that they usually lay one egg a day and can lay up to 8! I understand that many times the female will lay an egg, but it may not be fertile and will not hatch - therefore it can be removed after 20 days if nothing has happened.
My concern is that if they do hatch, my cage is just not large enough for more than two finches, but they have already started laying eggs and I have read you should not move them or the eggs until after the baby birds leave the nest and can be on their own. I just want to make sure that information is correct.
My other question is, can I still clean the cage even though they started laying eggs? I normally let the birds out of the cage in the bathroom to fly around while I clean the cage and I normally take the entire cage apart. But with there being eggs in there now, should I just leave the birds in there and only remove the bottom part of the cage that slides out and clean that part off or what? Thank you for any help and advice you can give. I am very new to this and never expected it to happen. Thank you!
By Ariana G
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If you are going to move them into a more comfortable size cage (which the bigger the better) then do it now - then you may only sacrifice the one egg. The move will likely upset them, but only for the moment - they will lay again. I would still leave the egg in the nest.
Also, the less you disturb the birds the better once they've been re-housed - so the cleaning of the cage is as you have suggested. Best by just removing the bottom tray and refreshing their water. It will be ok to be a "little" dirty as it's only for a short time.
Once they have been hatched, are fully feathered, and flying you could move them into the smaller cage. Give the big cage a good scrub - with soap and water (and without the use of disinfectant). Then return them to the big cage - I suggest that once the babies are fully weaned that you separate them from their parents as they will likely want to breed again and the babies may get harassed. Good luck! Bird breeding is a joy.
we are new to our pair of zebra finches they made a nest and laid 2 eggs my wife's daughter came over and is disabled my wife went to work at 8 am I woke up to her 21 year old disabled daughter with her arm in the cage and the nest broken on the bottom of cage she is slow and knocked the nest down with the eggs the nest was two broken to save so I put most of the shattered nest and the 2 eggs in a blubbery carton and put zip tyes to the cage where the old nest was at fist they ignored it but now a few hrs later she is sitting in the new nest and he is covering the new nest with twigs like he did before do these eggs have any chance at making it im so worried
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