First Egg☺☺??

[pappabear 128]

Checked the nest pans today when the canary was out feeding , the nest she made in the pan in the flight which looks perfect and lined with alpaca fleece was empty checked the pan in the shed with felt liner and a few bits of twine and there is 1 egg had a look when it was getting dark and she is sitting nicely on it , I haven't swapped it with a dummy egg as thought I'd leave alone and see what happens , rather exciting this nesting lark ☺☺

[fireman 10,869]

Best thing you can do now(and it's the hardest thing to do )is leave her alone to get on with it,don't check tomorrow or the next but just let her be as she'll lay a few more yet and she knows what to do without our big old fingers messing in there .Well done and all the best with them and keep us updated eh ..

[pappabear 128]

Thanks fm, the thing is she is above the door in the corner of the shed but I need to get in to change water and food so will need to go in , will stay away from the pan though , will let you know how it turns out ☺

[francolin 449]

its a real test,leaveing the nests alone I have had the birds all these years and still cant keep out when there nesting,if we go away and there still nesting that's even worse, its a funny old game atb

[pappabear 128]

It certainly is I did have a sneaky peek when doing food and water but I waited till she was outside feeding and there are now 2 blue eggs , when do you start counting incubation days from ?

[francolin 449]

It certainly is I did have a sneaky peek when doing food and water but I waited till she was outside feeding and there are now 2 blue eggs , when do you start counting incubation days from ?

some sit almost straight away,but I always count from 4th egg,and let them sit a day or so over ,that way you don't throw good eggs I don't use dummy eggs these days ,and most chicks do ok,just spy in when shes out feeding,dont think the hen will mind,

[pappabear 128]

Cheers francolin, so glad you guys are here to answer my novice questions

[francolin 449]

Cheers francolin, so glad you guys are here to answer my novice questions

think most of us are novices,to be fair its all trial and error with the birds pappabear, ,just that some have had more time to make mistakes and hopefully we learn from some of them,glad you enjoying the birds

[gnasher16 30,046]

Im guilty of actually shoving a hen off the nest so i could have a look ....i thought if i just gently pushed her with my little finger she wouldnt mind...........once she was off she went and sat in the corner for ages as if to say " f**k it you incubate them then ".......needless to say it was lesson learned and i just let them be now.

[fireman 10,869]

I got a greenie hen who'll peck you and the only way to look under her is to grab her off the nest,i had to find this out when ringing her latest brood and they can peck for a little bird ,but i'll second all francolin says and were all novices that have learnt the hard way so can pass on lessons learnt

[pappabear 128]

Thanks guys , I am currently reading colour type and song canaries by gbr walker and there is a bit in there that says that the nest pan containing chicks should be placed on the floor of the breeding cage when they are 14 days old and a fresh nest pan placed in the same place mine is about 6ft high on the shed wall with no perches close to it , do you think they will be ok when it's time for them to leave , and do most people use breeding cages or let the birds fly around

[francolin 449]

when they jump the nest they will be spread about the floor area,in corners ect the cock bird will continue to feed them,even if your hen has nested again,they are better in breeding cages as reguards pairing a certain bird to another,so you can pick there mate,but for the birds themselves I would think the flight is the best enviroment by far,the young soon get perching and find there way around,keep a few spare nest pans up,she may nest in one

[pappabear 128]

Brilliant thank you ☺ 3 eggs today is it normal for them to lay daily I thought it would be every other day ?

Edited May 19, 2015 by pappabear

[dogger 100]

normal to lay every day budgies and parrot like lay every other day but there a bit smarter and feed the youngest chick first so usually they all survive

[fireman 10,869]

When the young un's are ready to jump ship make sure there's some branches down so they get up off the floor as such,they will scramble up the wire but branches are so much better for them to climb/flutter up..