Please help! Question about eggs/nesting with canaries

[TMS9539]

I have one male and 2 females housed together. One of the females seems to be low bird on the totem pole, but it hasn't been a problem. A while back the alpha female layed a few eggs in an empty feed cup (not the normal feeder). I replaced them with dummy eggs, she sat on them for a few weeks, I took them away, and all seemed fine. Then the other female started to sleep in one of the low hanging feed cups with food in it (normally they all perch high in the cage). And then I found a broken egg on the bottom of the cage. So I put the dummy eggs in a shallow bowl on the floor of the cage. Twice I found the eggs scattered over the floor of the cage, and none of the birds seemed concerned, so I took them away. Meanwhile she is still sleeping in the feed cup with food in it. So I bought a little nest for the cage because if she's going to nest I prefer it not to be in the feed cup that they eat from. The alpha female immediately took it over, and has been spending a lot of time in it, but hasn't laid an egg. Then another broken egg on the floor this morning - I am positive it's from the female who's been sleeping with the food. So I cleaned out the food cup and put some cotton and dummy eggs in it. The other female stole the cotton for her nest. The eggs are still there. Nobody is sitting on them (yet at least). The male is being pretty aggressive with the beta female. I almost separated them but it seems okay now, and I'm here most of the time. Do I leave the eggs? Take them away? Give them to the alpha female? Can two females nest in the same cage? I am very confused and can't find answers, but I don't think I should keep putting in dummy eggs and then taking them away, only to put them back again a day later. I've only had these birds since January so I don't know what's normal for them. Please help - I need advice! Thanks.

 

[Monaco]

You may have to remove all of the nesting options. I bet @finchly will have suggestions for you.

 

[finchly]

This behavior won’t stop unless you remove all nesting material. You may also need to cut back on their protein foods a little and extend their dark hours for 2-3 weeks until they settle down.
If they don[t change and all this continues I would separate out the beta hen and maybe find her another cage mate (possibly another female).