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Re: Artifical Zebra Finch Eggs
Posted by Lyn on 6/09/05

On 6/08/05, Karen Holick wrote:
> Thanks. I just had a hen die of what I guess was egg binding.
> One morning she was puffed up and then that night she was dead
> at the bottom of the cage with her intestines coming out of
> her back area.
>
> How will I recognize this in the future as binding and not
> getting sick from something else?
>
> Also I keep a nest in the cages but do not breed. Obviously I
> have to keep getting rid of the eggs (not now with the
> artifical eggs.) If I remove the nests will the hen stop
> laying? I know they prefer sleeping in a nest as to not.
> Karen
>

My god. I'm so sorry. I have never had a bird do that. I
don't know if that is egg binding. If your not going to breed
birds you should never put a nest box in your cage unless you
have two males. Zebra's especially will keep laying eggs until
they kill theirself. It's like that is their only purpose in
life is to lay eggs. I started out with four zebra's I can't
tell you how many I have now. It is all I can do to keep them
from laying eggs. I'm constantly getting eggs out of their food
dishes,water bowls and even off the cage floor. They do like to
sleep in a nest but if you put one in there they also like to
lay eggs. I don't know what kind of cage you have but I put
artificial plants and even some real plants in my cages. The
birds love to get up in the plant and roost at night. Do not
let in be to thick or they will lay an eggs in there also. Make
sure you have cuttle bone and oyster shell at all times for
females. Make sure they get plenty of green vegetables to eat.
I also give mine apple cider vinegar in their water. It is full
of vitamins and minerals that is very good for them and helps
fight bacteria. Also if they hurt theirself I put it in their
bath water. It works wonders.

Good luck and I'm sorry about your bird.

Lyn

> On 6/07/05, Michael L wrote:
>> On 6/06/05, Karen wrote:
>>> Does anyone know where to find artifical zebra finch
>>> eggs? I was told by a woman that a website exists for
>>> these and I have forgotten it. These eggs can be replaced
>>> in the nest with the real ones to stop the female from
>>> producing eggs. It gives the pair something to nest on
>>> without producing babies.
>>>
>>> Many thanks.
>>
>> Karen,
>>
>> I've always made my own artificial eggs. At a craft store,
> I
>> buy a product called Sculpey Clay. It's a small, square
>> block of clay that comes in various colors. There is a
> shade
>> of white that matches the color of a natural egg.
>> Simply take a small piece, equivalent to what a Zebra egg
>> would amount to, and shape it into the shape of the egg.
>> Sounds difficult, but it's not. After one or two, you'll be
>> a pro. You bake these on a low temp in the over for less
>> than an hour and, when cool, you have eggs that can be used
>> for artificial incubation. They last forever as you can
> wash
>> them if they get soiled.
>> For about $1.50 you can have about 6 eggs.
>>
>> Michael L

Posts on this thread, including this one

• Artifical Zebra Finch Eggs, 6/06/05, by Karen.
• Re: Artifical Zebra Finch Eggs, 6/07/05, by Michael L.
• Re: Artifical Zebra Finch Eggs, 6/07/05, by Lyn.
• Re: Artifical Zebra Finch Eggs, 6/08/05, by Karen Holick.
• Re: Artifical Zebra Finch Eggs, 6/09/05, by Lyn.