Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 1/11/2008

Question
Hi there!
My mom aquired a few pair of zebra finches a few months or so ago and now she has 11!  Is there any way to slow down the egg laying process or will my mom just have to take the eggs away?  She is almost 70 and loves the whole process of caring for them and seeing the new babies, but I don't know how she would go about giving them away to pet stores or if they would even take them.  Don't you need some kind of licence to breed and sell birds??  Anyoo, thanks for your time.  Pam

Answer
Hi, Pam,

I found your question(s) in the question pool this morning.  Evidently, the person you sent your question(s) to originally could not answer for some reason.

Zebra finches are very prolific!  To curtail the breeding process, I would recommend separating males from females.  Taking eggs away would only mean the females will lay more eggs, which can be detrimental to the overall health of the birds.  Female birds that breed a lot usually don't live long lives.  Try removing any nests and reducing the available light to 10-12 hours per day, 8-10 hours if necessary.  

When I bred finches, I had absolutely no problem advertising and selling them to individuals.  You'd have to contact a pet store in order to find out if they will buy them from you.  However, pet stores will pay very little compared to selling them to individuals yourself.  

Licensing to breed and sell birds depends on where you live.  You'd have to check with your state authorities.  In many places, a vendor's license is required to sell birds (or anything from your home), as well as a breeding license when it comes to birds.

Chrys