How to Tell if a Zebra Finch Egg Is Good

Breeding zebra finches overwhelms some new bird owners. After mating occurs, verifying fertilization by checking the color of the eggs, or use the candling technique to determine fertilization. Regardless of what technique you use, determine whether the eggs are fertilized before starting the next step of the breeding process.

Things You'll Need

  • Pen light or flashlight
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Check the egg color. Fertilized zebra finch eggs darken in color after a week of fertilization. Keep track of when each egg is laid. Observe the eggs after the last egg is laid. Zebra finch eggs are white in color. Color changes are not always apparent to novice bird enthusiasts.

    • 2

      Wash your hands. Before handling any bird eggs, you must ensure that your hands are washed and as free of oil as possible. Oil from the skin rubs off onto the eggs and clogs the pores of the shell. The pores of the shell help the embryo breathe.

    • 3

      Pick zebra finch egg gently using your forefinger and thumb. Hold the egg up in the air.

    • 4

      Turn on the light. With your free hand, turn on the pen light or flashlight. Shine the light behind the egg -- this procedure is called candling.

    • 5

      Observe the appearance of the egg. Fertilized eggs have tiny red veins running throughout the inside. With newly fertilized eggs the heartbeat is sometimes noticeable, as well. The heartbeat appears as a small pulsating red dot surrounded by the red veins. Eggs that are a week or older and are fertilized glow red from the inside.

    • 6

      Put the egg back in the nest gently. Repeat with each egg as needed.