My Zebra finches had a clutch of 5. They are all doing extremely well. However the nest is crowded and babies keep falling out. The oldest is 15days . If the oldest one or two come out I’m worried if they stay out on the bottom of cage they wont be fed . Will they?
Hi Tammy,
They are old enough to be out of the nest once they are mostly feathered. Usually the parents will still care for all of the chicks. You can make sure there is some spray millet and pellets or seeds on the cage floor so the oldest can start self feeding. As soon as the last chick leaves the nest, take the nest away to keep the parents from breeding again too soon. They do not need a nest except for when they are breeding. You should rest them for about 6 months between each clutch, and limit them to two clutches per year. Always remove weaned chicks right away and separate them by gender so they do not try to breed with each other – related birds should never be allowed to breed.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
