Ask Lafeber

Nest

Hello
I have a canary who has layed eggs. Now she has stopped but she uses the nest for resting. Can I leave the nest or do I have to remove it? Thank you

Hi Kathy,

You only mentioned a female – does she have a mate? If not, she shouldn’t have a nest anyway. Only a breeding pair should have a nest. A nest is a hormonal trigger and can cause a single bird to lay eggs. If you have a pair, since she just had eggs, you need to take the nest out and rest the pair for a few months. If this is a single bird, remove the nest and do not give it back, even if she lays eggs again. There is no reason for a single bird to lay eggs – it’s hard on a hen to form and lay eggs, so if there isn’t a mate and hope for some chicks, then it’s best for her not to lay eggs. You can discourage egg laying by not providing a nest, limiting her light to 8-10 hours a day, and moving the cage to a different place in the room whenever she shows signs of wanting to nest.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda