March 12, 2021
Zebra Finches
My zebra finch has laid a few times,no chicks hatched,twice the chicks have been dead in the egg, why is this?will she ever have any which will hatch
Question:
Answer:
Hi Tracey,
If you have not been resting your pair in between clutches, then the birds are probably just over bred and worn out. Birds only breed one time a year in the wild, because the seasons change. In captivity, they will continue to breed year round unless you make them rest. Finches only have one, possibly two clutches per year in the wild. So you should limit their breeding in captivity to 2 or 3 clutches at the most per year, with a rest in between each clutch. The nest should be removed each time either when the eggs fail to hatch, or once the chicks have left the nest. They do not need a nest year round – a nest is only for eggs and chicks, they do not use it for a bed or sleeping the rest of the year. I would take their nest down now, and rest the pair for 6 months, and then return the nest to them. Meanwhile, you can make sure they are eating the right diet. They need a nutritionally balanced diet, like pellets. A loose seed mix is not adequate. You can also offer leafy greens and chopped veggies. When you return the nest in 6 months, you can feed them cooked eggs daily, with the shell washed, crushed and cooked with the eggs. Sometimes eggs will not hatch if the climate is too dry. They need a certain amount of humidity. Rest the pair, work on their diet if needed, and maybe get a humidifier for during breeding if you are in a really dry climate. If they do succeed the next time, remember you can’t keep the chicks with the parents after they are weaned. They need to be separated and cages by gender, otherwise they will try to breed with the parents or with each other. You should never allow related birds to breed.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
