Finches breaking their eggs is a major concern that raises eyebrows, especially when you are looking forward to having young finches. However, for you to control this habit, it is very important to know the reasons why they break their eggs.
Here are ten reasons why finches break their eggs:
1. Stress
When finches are stressed out, they tend to break their eggs as a sign of their distress. Finches should always feel comfortable and happy when brooding. You can feed them their best diets and eradicate any paraphernalia that can cause discomfort.
2. Infertility
Infertility in finches is mainly caused by mismanagement of males, diseases, age, genetic factors, and poor nutrition. Male management problems are mostly caused by reduced sperm production. This leads to finches laying unfertilized eggs.
3. Lack of Calcium in Their Diet
When finches lack calcium in their diet, they tend to break eggs to eat the eggshells. You can prevent this by feeding finches calcium feed to supplement their standard diet.
4. Inexperienced Parents
Inexperienced finches can push the eggs out of the nest unknowingly. Usually, if the egg isn’t viable, many finches tend to throw it out of the nest. Also, if they are new to laying eggs, they may lack the skill to protect them, thus breaking them.
5. Overprotective
Finches are birds that are very overprotective of their eggs. Perhaps they have noticed predators that want to eat their eggs, thereby finding breaking them the only way to protect themselves.
6. Unfriendly Environment
An unfriendly environment for finches, such as loud noise, dirty cages, and disguised colors, frustrates them so much that they break eggs. It is best to have finches lay their eggs in a friendly environment that will make them happier.
7. Lack of Exercise
When finches lack exercise, they tend to break eggs as an excuse to get out of their cages. Finches mostly like being outside the cage to work out their muscles and enjoy the fresh air. Thus, having your finches outside more often is essential, especially when laying eggs.
8. Bad Eggs
Finches are very clever birds that know the difference between bad and good eggs. They will break them once they notice bad eggs to avoid wasting their energy. Breaking these eggs helps them reduce the eggs so that hatching can be easy.
9. Illness
When finches are ill, they tend to break eggs so that they can take care of their needs. Mostly, finches do not show their weakness, especially when sick. Nonetheless, once you notice your finches are sick, you must stop breeding and treat them immediately.
10. Problems with the Clutch
A protozoal infection usually causes trichomoniasis (canker), which is passed on from parents to young finches. Mostly, parents’ finches tend to break these eggs to prevent transmitting this deadly infection to their young ones. It is also important to treat finches that show symptoms of trichomoniasis immediately.
Why Is My Finch Eating Her Eggs?
One of the major concerns about breeding finches is eating their eggs. Mostly, this happens due to the following five reasons:
1. Poor Nutrition
Poor nutrition in finches can lead them to eat their eggs. Finches deprived of calcium, vitamins, and even proteins tend to eat their eggs to satisfy their nutritional requirements since raw eggs are rich in nutrients and mineral salts.
2. Stress
Finches may feel their environment is unsafe for them, especially when they see predators. They get so stressed that they eat their eggs so that predators can no longer harm their young ones.
3. Breeding Problems
Mainly, breeding problems can lead to finches laying unfertilized eggs. Once this is the case, they eat up their eggs to prevent themselves from wasting their energies on laying eggs that will not hatch into young ones.
4. Boredom
Finches can eat their eggs, especially when they get bored. Mostly, finches are very social and active birds that like to engage in various activities outside their cage. If breeding finches are not let out of their cages, they get bored and eat eggs to get their freedom back.
5. Illness
Also, breeding finches that are ailing tend to eat their eggs to meet their needs. It is important to treat these kinds of finches and stop breeding them immediately until they get better.
How Many Eggs Do Finches Lay?
Let us start by investigating how long finches lay eggs. Well, Finches lay eggs in 4 to 6 days. After this, they incubate their eggs for 14 days and hatch them into chicks.
A proper diet at these times, especially calcium-rich feeds, is essential to making good eggs.
Finches lay up to 4-6 eggs. They are always overprotective of their eggs until they hatch into young ones. It is essential to provide enough material when they lay eggs to avoid egg cannibalism.
What about in a day? How many eggs a day does a Finch lay?
Finches lay only one egg a day. Having male finches with good breeding properties is important to help female finches lay fertilized eggs. Fertilized eggs will prevent finches from breaking or eating their eggs.
How Many Times a Year Do Finches Lay Eggs?
Finches lay eggs up to six times a year.
How many eggs do finch lay per year? A finch can lay up to 24 eggs per year. It can be less than 24 if there are breeding problems, infertility, poor nutrition, and an unfriendly environment.
These eggs are laid in different clutches, especially during the summer.
Female finches mostly build cup-shaped nests to help them in their hatching process. Finches love a friendly environment when laying eggs, which helps them feel safer.
Will Finches Abandon Their Eggs?
Yes, finches may abandon their eggs due to the following reasons:
1.Inexperienced parents.
2.Stress.
3.Infertility.
4.Unfriendly environment.
5. Problems with the clutch.
6.Illness.
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