Aussie Finch Forum

Hello. I have a pair of zebra finches that are, by zeeb standards, morons.

They have finally managed to hatch chicks AND remember to feed them, but after a week, seemed to just stop sitting the nest altogether. Every time I come in, the poor chicks are huddled up like raisins, frozen and shivering. They still feed the babies, and the hen sits on them at night, but otherwise don't seem to sit on them much, if at all. One day I'm going to come in and find dead chicks. I'm surprised these chicks even exist at all, their father is 11 years old. Any of you pros out there know if it's best to pull them for hand rearing?

I have them in my hand right now while the parents continue to beep-derp-beep and play with mealworm skins on the floor of the cage.

I have experience successfully hand raising zeebs, even from day 1 once, so it's not an issue. I would just rather not pull them if I don't have to, as their chances of surviving are slimmer with a human parent.

I haven't kept Zebs for a while, but it might be to do with the father, as 11 years old is very old for a finch. But I think it's OK as they usually stop sitting on the chicks after a week or two. You'll have to get more information from someone more experienced on this forum!

Not uncommon for Zebs to stop sitting during the day after a week. Are they indoors or out? What is the temerature like? I have young Zebs not being sat on at the moment, and it is a bit cool here - being as it is late winter in WA - However where I live 15 is cold in the day.
LML

finchbreeder wrote: ↑23 Aug 2020, 16:39 Not uncommon for Zebs to stop sitting during the day after a week. Are they indoors or out? What is the temerature like? I have young Zebs not being sat on at the moment, and it is a bit cool here - being as it is late winter in WA - However where I live 15 is cold in the day.
LML

These guys are indoors at all times, and the temperature is just ambient room temperature. Maybe 17 to 20 degrees?? I did leave the chicks in the nest, but have a heat lamp nearby just in case. In the past, we've had other zeebs sit on their clutch until their feathers had unpinned, but never skipped out on the job while they were still bald.

Depends on the individual birds when they will start to lengthen the time off the nest. Temp should be OK As long as the parents are feeding I would just observe. They should be OK
LML