The Finch Net Message Board: Re: zebra finches plucking feathers and dissapering eggs

[ Post a Response | The Finch Net Message Board ]

Re: zebra finches plucking feathers and dissapering eggs

Posted by anne on 4/10/2005, 6:00 pm, in reply to "zebra finches plucking feathers and dissapering eggs"
82.213.131.174

I have my share of frustrations too...
but this is what I think - your female might be plucking her own feathers, or it could be her mate -- they are looking for nesting materials, and they are wierd like that. Put out some shredded towels or something, paper or otherwise, threads, yarn ... they should be happy. Not too much, or they might bury their baby and try to start over.
Unfortunately, they seem to share that in common with some of their mamalian cohorts, the homo sapiens sapiens.
They might be eating their own eggs, not for lack of protein but for lack of calcium. Put a cuttle bone out, or give them some oyster-shell grit in a little bowel. I am not sure if they have it where you live, but think`!!calcium.!! If not, boil an egg, (the kind we eat) and chop up the shells in it and give them that.
That eating their own eggs thing really gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Probably the other eggs were not fertile. She is boosting up on protein and calcium, for her next nest -- that´s what´s in her head, anyway, albeit her little finch head.
The best thing is probably to separate them for a while. Too much breeding will kill your bird.
anne
--Previous Message--
: I have a pair of zebra finches that
: like to mate. This is the first time
: that I have left the eggs in the
: nest to see is they will hatch and
: low and behold one out of the 4 eggs
: hatched. they are taking good care
: of it and I am giving them all of
: the right feed but what I'm
: wondering is where the other eggs
: are going they are just dissapering
: are they eating them? Because they
: are getting egg mixture that I made
: up.( I got it from a book)and my
: other question was my female has
: plucked herself raw around her tail
: feathers and she won't leave it
: alone. She has done this well before
: the mating and I have treated the
: cage and them for mites just in case
: but nothing still looks sore. If any
: one has any ideas that would be a
: great help. Elgie
:

Message Thread:

zebra finches plucking feathers and dissapering eggs - Elgie 4/8/2005, 8:24 am
- Re: zebra finches plucking feathers and dissapering eggs - anne 4/10/2005, 6:00 pm
« Back to thread

Post a Response

Your Name:

Your Email:

Subject:

Message:

--Previous Message-- : I have my share of frustrations too... : : but this is what I think - your : female might be plucking her own : feathers, or it could be her mate -- : they are looking for nesting : materials, and they are wierd like : that. Put out some shredded towels : or something, paper or otherwise, : threads, yarn ... they should be : happy. Not too much, or they might : bury their baby and try to start : over. : : Unfortunately, they seem to share : that in common with some of their : mamalian cohorts, the homo sapiens : sapiens. : : They might be eating their own eggs, : not for lack of protein but for lack : of calcium. Put a cuttle bone out, : or give them some oyster-shell grit : in a little bowel. I am not sure if : they have it where you live, but : think`!!calcium.!! If not, boil an : egg, (the kind we eat) and chop up : the shells in it and give them that. : : That eating their own eggs thing : really gives me the heebie-jeebies. : : Probably the other eggs were not : fertile. She is boosting up on : protein and calcium, for her next : nest -- that´s what´s in her head, : anyway, albeit her little finch : head. : : The best thing is probably to : separate them for a while. Too much : breeding will kill your bird. : : anne : : --Previous Message-- : I have a pair of zebra finches that : like to mate. This is the first time : that I have left the eggs in the : nest to see is they will hatch and : low and behold one out of the 4 eggs : hatched. they are taking good care : of it and I am giving them all of : the right feed but what I'm : wondering is where the other eggs : are going they are just dissapering : are they eating them? Because they : are getting egg mixture that I made : up.( I got it from a book)and my : other question was my female has : plucked herself raw around her tail : feathers and she won't leave it : alone. She has done this well before : the mating and I have treated the : cage and them for mites just in case : but nothing still looks sore. If any : one has any ideas that would be a : great help. Elgie : : :

Optional Image URL:

Optional Link Title:
Optional Link URL:

Notify me by email of all message replies.

Please enter the numbers above. This helps stop spam.

By posting, you confirm that you have read and agreed to be bound by the board's usage terms.

Hosted for FREE by Boardhost.
Create your own free message board!