empty nest syndrome?

[Redwing]

I checked my Gouldian pair's nest this afternoon, they've been sitting tight now for 18 days,taking it in turns in the daytime and the female sitting all night and there are no eggs! This is their second attempt, the first clutch had 2 clear eggs and 2 that looked as though chicks had started to develop. This was right in the middle of a very cold period here so wondered if that had something to do with the first failure. What do I do now?

[finchbreeder]

Offer greens and egg food and hope they get it right.
LML

[Redwing]

They get a big variety of home grown greens each day and seeding grasses,as well as mashed corn and peas. Had stopped offering the soft food after the last eggs didn't hatch as no-one seemed interested in it. Will I start it up again? What do I do about them sitting at the moment? Sorry for so many questions.

[jusdeb]

I suppose being in the nest this time of year is a good thing with the cold weather , even if there are no eggs least they are warm . Give them time they will get it right .

[finchbreeder]

Some will eat eggfood, some won't if yours show no interest don't bother till they have young out. Then sprinkle seed on it and see if the curious young will take it themselves. Unless you want to try the easiest way, which is get a pair of canarys to show them.
LML

[Redwing]

Checked again yesterday, another week has gone by and they are still sitting tight and still no eggs. Do I need to do something to change them from sitting mode into mating and laying. Have read in Mike Fidler's Gouldian book ages ago that hormone levels change at different parts of the breeding cycle and can only assume that unless something happens to trigger off a change to laying and mating there aren't going to be any chicks. Do I open up the nest box for a few days? Take out some nesting material so they remake the nest? What do you think?