Is this success? Finch question.

Hey everyone, me again with yet another question. :mrgreen:
I've got 3 pairs of finches, 3 male and 3 female. I've got 2 pair in one cage (the younger ones) and one pair in another cage (the older ones) and The older ones have a nest and nesting material and have built a nest...I've yet to see them attempt to mate, should I be expecting this soon? Tho the male often goes into the nest and softly calls the female, he makes a sound as if he's mimiking a baby bird...then the female goes in there with them...is this a positive step towards breeding? Thanks for any advice guys...your all the best!
-mandi

 

That is exactly what mine did after i put nesting material in the cage about two days later there were eggs.

 

Hi you may never see the finch's mating some birds do this when there is no-one around or even during the night.

The hen ( female ) usually spends more time in the nest once she is due to start laying eggs.
She will lay 1 egg everyday sometimes there can be a couple of days apart before anymore are seen do not worry as the birds do not incubate the eggs until the 3rd eggs has been laid.
They maybe seen sitting on the eggs and incubating them but they are not and do not start like i say till egg 3has been laid this is so the eggs hatch roughly the same time.

Once nest building is complete remove any left over nesting material from the cage as finch's are called sandwich nest builders which means they will build a new nest ontop of the old one and any eggs that maybe in the nest.

Incubation period is 14 days if 20days after the last egg has been laid there is no chicks its safe to say these eggs are not fertile and can be removed from the nest but yu must count 20 after the last egg has been laid.

Soft foods should be introduced to the birds now the best i find is a egg food which is designed to hand feed and wean chicks just place some in a seperate feeding dish and they will feed this aswell as the seed to the new chicks..

Also make sure the room stays the same temperature at all times as a slight drop in temp will kill the chicks instantly.

Good luck and have my fingers crossed for you..

Mike