Zebra finches breeding odd question

[Angieby]

I have a mated pair of zebra finches. Have kept zebra for years and am confident these are one male and one female on appearance alone. Also the male sings the male song and the female only meeps. All is well and normal, nest is built, they preen and mate, but no eggs. They mate several times a day for the past few weeks but no eggs.

A week ago the male started guarding the nest and they both sit all day in the nest as if they have eggs. There are no eggs.

I gave them a dummy egg but they kicked it out.


Recently the male has begun asking the female to mount him. He goes through the whole female behaviour...the cooing, back low, spread tale feathers / shake tail feathers and she obliges him by mounting him.

She also does this to him, and he mates her.


In all my years I've never encountered this behavior. Any one know what's going on here ?


Thanks Angie

I have posted photos in the comments

 

[ColtHandorf]

View attachment 3336024View attachment 3336026

They are both male. lol Look at their beaks! Males are dark orange like that. Hens have lighter bills.

I have never personally had a hen with a bill that dark.

Male:

Female:

Males in the main photo; female in insert.

 

[ColtHandorf]

You can go over to the Finch Forum for more detailed tips on sexing and breeding them.

Cindy Fox Moore is very good with them. So is Charlie Moorecraft. Both breeders are on Facebook as well, as is Garrie Landy.

http://www.zebrafinch.com/

 

[ColtHandorf]

If she were a HE he would make the big song, too.

Like roosters, in the presence of a dominant male, another male may not crow (or sing).

 

[Angieby]

Will do ! I'll update !

 

[ColtHandorf]

I'm pretty confident I'm right. The last thing I mispaired was two Gouldian hens. lol Couldn't figure out why there were 15 eggs in the nest box and all clear. lol For being "easy" honestly, I find Zebras more infuriating than most breeds.

 

[Angieby]

I'm pretty confident I'm right. The last thing I mispaired was two Gouldian hens. lol Couldn't figure out why there were 15 eggs in the nest box and all clear. lol For being "easy" honestly, I find Zebras more infuriating than most breeds.

I don't know a single person who keeps finches so I have to rely on books and internet ! I am ok with two males, actually it is easier that way because in the past I've given them dummy clutches and not hatched the eggs , and worried about the females health from laying so much and nothing will discourage them. I only agreed for another woman to hatch some babies for her to add to her flock ! But two males would be so much easier.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I was unable to find them in Facebook. Do you have a link by chance ? I posted on the forum but it doesn't look very active , fingers crossed !

The forum used to be pretty active. As I'm not currently breeding, I don't spend time on there.

Garrie Landry: https://www.facebook.com/garrie.landry
Mike Langerot: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009074233941
Bailey Henderson: https://www.facebook.com/bailey.henderson.5623
Molly Depue: https://www.facebook.com/Molly.the.crazy.bird.lady
Cindy Fox Moore: https://www.facebook.com/cindyfoxmoore
Charles Moorcraft: https://www.facebook.com/charles.moorcroft
Candalynn Miller: https://www.facebook.com/candalynn.miller
Cheryl Burns: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.b.burns.1
Helen Hoffman: https://www.facebook.com/alphaannie
Scott Golden: https://www.facebook.com/scott.golden.73
Su Yin: https://www.facebook.com/ling2sy
Jan Door: https://www.facebook.com/jan.door.1
Nancy Wilson: https://www.facebook.com/nancy.wilson.37454
Terri Gennaccaro: https://www.facebook.com/terri.napiergennaccaro

Here are some FB Groups dedicated to finches in general or specifically Zebra finches.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/1428834313994703/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/872682316142385/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/118310754916769/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1450347751888650/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/635176470507450/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/504616773860663/

Hopefully, they'll say the same thing I did. lol

 

[ColtHandorf]

I don't know a single person who keeps finches so I have to rely on books and internet ! I am ok with two males, actually it is easier that way because in the past I've given them dummy clutches and not hatched the eggs , and worried about the females health from laying so much and nothing will discourage them. I only agreed for another woman to hatch some babies for her to add to her flock ! But two males would be so much easier.

I used to breed a lot of birds.

https://www.facebook.com/BrushyCreekAviary

Panoramic of the room from left to right.

 

[ColtHandorf]

You could get a DNA sex test on that one:
https://orders.iqbirdtesting.com/order-bird-dna-test/
They just need a few feathers or drops of blood, and I think it works on any species of bird.

It should work. Just insane to pay more for the DNA test than you did for the bird. lol