Zebra Finch Breeding Problem!

[Coturnix Quail]

Yes... I've been trying to breed my finches for a while, but they always tossed their eggs, so I bought an incubator. But literally right after the incubator cam they stopped laying. And now, they layed like 1 egg in 2 to 3 weeks, and I put them in, but they're infertile I realize. So is there any way I can encourage them to breed? They're about 1 year old with me and they used to lay 5-8 eggs in a clutch, but not anymore. I do provide them with a nest, canary nest. And it's just them two in the cage. So... Help?

 

[gpop1]

Sounds like they are not happy. There could be lots of different reasons like a unsuccessful clutch leading them to believe that the nest provided is unsuitable or the birds not being in breeding condition. I never like to see only one egg layed as that normally means the nest was abandoned.

You could try a new nest box and fresh material that they can use to build the nest (you can leave the original nest box so they have options, I would try a cheap woven type). I would also take a chicken egg and grind it in a food processor including the shell then make them scrabbled egg for a few days to give the female a protein and calcium boost to see if that helps.

Most birds will toss infertile eggs. I have no idea how they know. Some will wait a few days and others will sit on the eggs for a while before tossing them. If you have never had a successful hatch (or candled a fertile egg) then I hate to ask but are you sure you have a male?

 

[Coturnix Quail]

Yeah.. I'm almost positive it's a male with the red cheeks and all. Also, the eggs have been fertile before, one was so close during them incubating them themselves, but they tossed it out for no reason; egg autopsy led to me realizing it was going to hatch soon, eyes, body, almost everything intact, but she tossed it!! I don't get it Also, every now and then I give her grind eggshells, but my male, Pikachu, always ends up eating them XD. But she does get some. I notice he's trying to mate with her but she always goes away. Also, when I give them nesting material, Pikachu always throws it out of the nest while my female, Moltres, gathers it back up.. I don't get it. This is my first year with Zebras and I'm not very successful in breeding.. Please guide me.. DX