sherry 0 Report post Posted March 27, 2011 Hello finch friends! My name is Sherry and I am a new bird owner of two beauties. Bonnie and Cyde. They are approx 5-6 months old Zebra finches. This is kinda funny. I purchased these young ones with the intentions of having two little pet birds for our family. My two little girls love them. What I didn't expect was for my two to start a family! So I have about 5-8 days left of the incubation period and I have been cramming information about how to help my pair tend to the cluch if they hatch. Any little hints or tid bits would be very welcome! I am concerned about when I should start the nestling food. I have heard to start now, and I have read to wait until they hatch. Also I have a bird bath in my cage but they seem only to poop in it. As it is in the style of a "real" bath tub with a mirror on the bottom, I am woundering if I should have a more bowl type shallow dish in the cage..but my real concern is the clutch. I have never had birds breed before. I don't want to do any harm or to interfere with what might be a natural process.So as I said Im a real newbie at this and any helpful tid bits would be super! I live in Alberta Canada and my pair are by a nice big window with lots of sunlight. I do have plans to move my pair into a much larger cage if and when this cluch hatch.Well after they have left the nest and can do well on there own. Also, can their off spring live with the parents in the same cage? If they don't I think I will keep the parents together and just get another cage for the offsping. So we'll see thanks so much for reading this and I hope you all have a great day or night wherever you all are! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norfolk flyer 208 Report post Posted March 27, 2011 Hi Sherry, First of all welcome to the site i'm sure you will enjoy it on here it's a 1st class site. Right first and foremost don't over complicate things, zeb's are tough little chaps. No need to be fancy, let nature take its course with the incubating, you know when they are due to hatch. From a personal point of veiw i put egg food in soon as they hatch but in needs to be changed don't leave in there more than a day. Don't be to inquisitive leave the brood alone sit on your hands. As for the bath get a cage type bath which hooks over the doorway. Hopes this helps, but everybody has a different system but they are kept simple. All the best, Trevor Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark1e 67 Report post Posted March 27, 2011 Hi sherry welcome to the site this site is very freindly if you need to know about anything just ask and your get the anser, i think trevor ansered your post all i would say is i but eggfood in cage 3/4 days before due to hatch and when your young have fledged leave with parants untill they are feeding them selfs usealy 3 weeks best then move to there own cage, as for bird baths i use square ones that fit to outside door because if you have baths inside water makes right old mess on floor then it gets on the perches ect hope this helps,,,mark Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sherry 0 Report post Posted March 27, 2011 Hi sherry welcome to the site this site is very freindly if you need to know about anything just ask and your get the anser, i think trevor ansered your post all i would say is i but eggfood in cage 3/4 days before due to hatch and when your young have fledged leave with parants untill they are feeding them selfs usealy 3 weeks best then move to there own cage, as for bird baths i use square ones that fit to outside door because if you have baths inside water makes right old mess on floor then it gets on the perches ect hope this helps,,,mark Thank you Trevor and Mark! I you have put me atease. One more little question, what is your way of making eggfood? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark1e 67 Report post Posted March 27, 2011 hi sherry there are people on here that make there own eggfood and they will tell you, but i buy mine in this is what i buy,http://www.manorfarmbirdseed.co.uk/cede-premium-eggfood-1kg-301-p.asp Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norfolk flyer 208 Report post Posted March 27, 2011 Hi Sherry, I either use just a hard boiled egg finely mashed in a small dish or a mixed egg/soft food which you can buy, go for the moist ready made food because this lasts longer in the dish and you don't have to add water, other ready made soft food you have to add water and they soon go off. Trevor Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dave huntington 94 Report post Posted March 27, 2011 hello sherry all good advice aboveregards softfood if you have a petstore near you just get a commercial eggfood to which you add a few drops of water to slightly moisten iti myself would start feeding it now to get the adults used to it,however dont be alarmed if they dont eat it they can rear youngsters on seed alonegood luck Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zebraman 267 Report post Posted March 28, 2011 Hi Sherry and welcome to the forum,Here’s a link to my recipe Egg Food, But I wouldn’t disagree with the advice you’ve been given so far.Gary. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
