Finchesseggs

[jona3]

Hello everyone, recently I got a couple of zebra finch and the female has laid eggs and started incubation process 22 days ago . I have red lots of things online, but I didn't know how much should k really wait till i throw the eggs away if they don't hatch . So i took the eggs away and saw with a light if they were fertile or not . I thought that they were not fertile thus i left them . My mom checked the eggs again and she said the eggs are fertile . The eggs got cold and it was 30 minutes + that were away . I just put em back in the nest and the finches started to incubate them again. Did i kill my finches eggs ? What should i do now ?
I feel really bad . ( sorry for the bad English it is not my first language)

 

[Zoomie]

First, welcome to BYC!

Finch hens do get off the nest every day, and the eggs will cool off during that time. This is perfectly normal. If you are not sure if your eggs are going to hatch or not, here is a simple thing to try: get a cup of warm water - it should be about 99F, and float the eggs one at a time. If they wobble, there is a live chick in there. If they just hold perfectly still, they are probably not going to hatch.

Sometimes you get one that wobbles, but still fails to hatch, due to the chick dying and this could be lots of things. If that does happen, try not to feel bad. Sometimes, chicks just don't hatch, but it's probably not your fault.

 

[JaeG]

I've had no luck hatching bengalese/society finches indoors (not for lack of trying on their part). The eggs seemed to dry out too fast. I'm hoping they are going to do better now they are out in the aviary and in enclosed nestboxes. They were using canary pans inside as they completely ignored the boxes when I put them in their cages. But I'm hoping the boxes will make the air a little more humid for the eggs and stop them drying out.

If the eggs don't look hopeful then take them away and your pair will try again. 22 days is a bit overdue. It could just be lack of experience and they will become better parents the more they try.

It's so hard waiting for those cute little babies! I know - I've been waiting so long!