Hi guys...this is my first time with a breeding pair of finches and I have a dilema.

I have three different types of nests in their cage; all positioned at the highest point. Two covered ones (they are two different sizes) and one open. Well, my birds decided to make the nest on TOP of the covered nest. At first I thought it looked a little unstable, and I was right. They laid two eggs, and one has already fell off the side. There is only one egg currently in the 'nest', and I would like to take it out along with their nest to hopefully encourage them either to build it INSIDE the smaller one or in the open one.

Is there any way to move the nest and the egg, or should I just take it out and hope they build another one?

Thanks guys!

I have Zebra finches also and I can tell you when Zebras get ready to nest it doesn't matter what type of nest they have they'll use it. I've found that the little bamboo ones that are available for about a dollar work perfectly fine, they are covered with a fairly large opening in the front. Offer them different types of nesting material and they'll have it all ready to go in no time. I offer coconut fiber and finely cut paper as well as the cotton batting nesting materials and even the cotton string type but I cut the string into very short pieces so that it can't become tangled around little legs or toes. Then when that clutch has been raised you can toss it and put another one in and let them start all over again. Or you can let them double clutch (raise two clutches) in the same nest.

With my Zebra's I have a cage with nest doors at the top so I use wooden box type nests and attach them so that they can't be pushed off so they can't escape. they use it equally as well. And the babies don't seem to get tossed out of the nest as often because the nest box is deeper.

Just remember, Zebra finches are the mice or rabbit of the bird world, they can produce so many babies in a year it isn't funny. And so if you plan on raising them and allowing them to choose their own mates you will want to have several pairs that are different blood lines or you'll have inbreeding going on in less than a year.