Zebra finches laying eggs in food dish

[Kimmycup1]

Hello, my family and I got a pair of zebra finches a couple of months ago. We adopted them from a bird rescue so we don't know their age or anything about them besides they are male and female. I moved them to a bigger cage about 2 weeks ago, and recently noticed them mating for the first time(that I saw) about a week ago. They don't have a nest and I didn't want to encourage breeding, but I know they are known to breed. I would prefer to not have chicks, but they are my mom's birds so there's nothing I can do except create a healthy environment and see what happens.

There are four eggs so far in a food dish. They are doing a great job incubating, both male and female sit on the eggs. It's just not safe for the chicks if any hatch, it's a very small dish, not deep and only big enough for one parent to just fit in. I have something bigger I can move them into with proper bedding, but I don't want the nest to be abandoned. Any advice on what to do in case any of these eggs are fertile so that they aren't hatched in a small dish with seed. I'd like to move them(but keep them in the same spot, just a larger bowl) and hope parents will go back to incubating

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Finches need a nest to sleep in nightly. I would provide one. They will lay eggs no matter what you do. If you don't want them hatching than just remove the eggs daily. I used to use an old spoon to scoop them out of the nests daily.

I would at this point move the eggs into a nest and see how it goes.

 

[Kimmycup1]

We didn't provide a nest(they love to sleep on a swing) because we didn't want to encourage breeding. I knew they probably would anyway, and if it was my choice I would have removed the eggs right away, but they are my mom's birds yet I provide most of the care. I don't have a proper nest, and don't have any stores nearby so I was going to make a nest with a larger bowl and paper bedding. They're both doing really well with incubating, so I don't want to disturb them. The bowl just won't work if there are chicks yet moving the eggs worries me. I think I'll just go ahead and do it, and hope for the best

 

[Finchbreeder]

You should NEVER remove eggs daily - this encourages the hen to keep laying as she never sees a full nest.
If you do not want chicks you should make false eggs (from plaster of paris) and replace each egg with one of these as it is laid - then mum bird thinks she is doing well and happlily sits on her nest till it dawns on her that they have not hatched. When she will give up.
As a long time Zeb breeder, I can assure you that most can have a small bowl replaced with a larger bowl with better lining (dry grass and shredded plain white paper ((they prefer white for reasons unknown))) Zebs are nearly bombproof - have had determined little Zebs lay and hatch and raise in a scrape in the sand on the bottom of the avairy.

 

[townchicks]

I agree with Finchbreeder, just make fake eggs and replace the real ones. I made fakes for my ring neck doves from Fimo clay. Really easy. Once they realize the eggs won't hatch, they usually start a new clutch, so you need to check regularly. The real eggs make a healthy snack for my dog.