I got a pair of Zebra finches about three months ago and it wasn't long before they started laying clutches. The first two weren't fertile so I took the eggs out when the female stopped sitting on them. But a couple days later she started laying a new clutch. These I decided I would candle to save her from spending weeks laying on infertile eggs. I found out that they were fertile and was excited!

But then just before they hatched or right after (I never saw exactly when) I started finding dead baby chicks on the bottom of the cage. The nest has a very high lip twice the height of a Zebra finch, so I can't see how the chicks could be accidentally falling out. When all the eggs were gone they laid another clutch and did the same thing.I then thought that I would take away the nest to stop this. But when I did so they started laying eggs in their food dish.

I thought that raising Zebra finches was supposed to be easy. Ideally I would like to find a way so that my finches will raise some chicks. However, I would be content to find I a way to make them stop. Please help!

They will keep laying imm afraid zebras will try and lay in dishes or even on the floor of the cage and they can sometimes have a few clutches before you actually get any babies that survive . Normally they once have got it right tend to keep having clutches. My mates zebras last year had a clutch as late as nov but hers were outdoor avairy birds and the babies didnt survive. It may be worth also added a bit more osyter shell to there cage bottom. There are also some foods you can add to there own seeds to help them strength wise and so that the babies are born more healthy as it can take it out of the parents.

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Oscar babii