eggs

I have 2 males, 2 females, and my female (Dragon) layed 5 eggs in the past week. I all ready posted something up at www.birds.com and they helped, but anyways I seperated the other male and female in a seperate cage. none of the eggs looked cracked and could someone tell me what "candling" and what I am surposed to be looking for to tell if they are fertile? And replies, thanks

 

Hi, Have you left the male in the cage with the female that has laid the eggs as he will need to be there if these eggs are fertile to help raise the chicks.

Candling is taken the eggs after 5-6days and using a torch or a lamp and gently holding the egg over the light source being careful not to crack the egg, If the eggs are fertile you should be able to see what we call a red web this is the chick starting to develop.

So 5-6 days after the first egg check then 2nd wait 5-6days and check and so on mark each egg with a non toxic marker with a number so you know which egg is which.

Any infertile eggs sgould be left with the female until the incubation period is over which is usually 21days then if fertile the eggs will hatch every other day.

If no eggs are fertile after 21days remove the eggs and nest box and allow her to rest for atleast 3months this gives her body time to build up her calcium again.

If you would like anymore help or advice please feel free to email me and i will be pleased to help.

Mike

 

I didn't write on the eggs because she all ready layed all five of them, I wish I had known sooner. I candled them all today and I saw visable veins in 3 for sure. The other 2 just had a red blob, I think this is what you called a red web, does that mean all of the eggs she layed is fertile?! Oh and yes I have had the male with her the whole time she has had the eggs, and thanks for your help Mike.

 

Hi Congratulations sounds like you have a clutch or fertile eggs.
Dont worry about writing on the eggs since now you know they are fertile.
Now its just wait and see time.

Dont be suprised if 2eggs hatch the same day as cockatiels dont usually sit on the eggs properly until either the 2nd eggs has been laid or nearly the full clutch.

Plenty of fresh water and food a couple of times a day plus wholewheat bread boiled pasta.s and rice are all good for the parents and easily digested to feed to the chicks.

Good luck and i hope to hear news of the chicks arrival.

mike

 

When I put the pasta in the food dish for the male to give to her, he pushes it out of the dish. Same with the bread, he eats lettece.
questions.
Should I move the cage closer to the bottom?
I am worried about the size of the nest, its about 4 by 4 inches and there is a good chance of 3 eggs, is that nest big enough to hold 3 baby birds, and the mother?
If I have to get another nest, should I candle them again to see if the other 2 are fertile should I move them into the new nest?
thanks 4 replying.

 

1 hatched today

I heard it chirping today, so in a couple more days another one will hatch. Any advice?

 

Hi what birds do you have again as cockatiels need a 12x12 nest box.

A chirping chick is a sign its hungry or cold so keep a close on on them to make sure the parents are feeding them..

Place the soft foods like pasta and bread in a seperate dish if possible but the food needs to be thrown out after 6 hours if the birds are not eating it.

You can get a proper special egg food for hand rearing and weaning chicks you can get this from any good petstore just put this in a seperate dish and they will feed that to the chicks.

now that there is eggs and chicks in the nest do not move the nest as this can upset the parents resulting in them either killing there babies or abandoning the nest..

mike

 

I have parakeets, and another one hatched 2 days ago. Another might hatch soon. The mother is feeding and keeping the babies and eggs warm.
Also my other 2 parakeets (in a seperate cage) I saw them mate like 8 or 10 times yesterday!!!! Should I be expecting any more eggs????
thanks 4 replying

 

Hiya glad all is going well with the other chicks and eggs.

If your other pair have been mating you can probably expect eggs from them in the next 7-10days.

Good luck with the babies.

mike

 

no more eggs has hatched yet, the 1st baby that hatched is about as big as a golf ball, it is growing black down feathers all over its body, but I thought down feathers were surposed to be white?
The other 2 birds I heard should be moved out of the same room. Also my male has been acting strange lately, he has been going down to a courner and sratching his nails a couple times on the paper. Is he looking for other things to eat? Or is he trying to get to my other pair?
thanks 4 repling

 

HI you dont need to move the other pair to another room as they are in a seperate cage and cant interfere with the other birds rasing the chicks.

The male scratching at the cage floor sounds like he is searching for more food but some males do it when they are wanting to mate again.

How long has it been since the last egg was laid as if the eggs havent hatched after 24days then its likely the chick has died inside.

The chicks feather colours will change all the time until they have gone through there first molt which is usually around 6months old.

Aslong as babys are feeding well and mum is still eating and drinking well and coming out of the nest to exercise then all is well.

Mike

 

The last egg that hatched was a week ago, should I remove the eggs? I heard that the other pair will try to mate because of their enstinks and they should be put in another room. Also how could the babies die in the eggs? When I saw her feeding the babies I saw it was mostly seed and a off-white color, I have plenty of food choices. And when could the babies be held, (just laying in somebodys warm hand) when could they be pudhes out of the nest?
Thanks 4 repling

 

Hi chicks die in the eggs usually when they are trying to hatch if the eggs become to warm or there is not enough moisture in then nest the eggs dry out making it harder for the chicks to hatch this then results in chicks too weak to carry on hatching and they die.

Also if there is a crack in the shell and bacteria has got in this will result in chicks dying inside the egg.
What you can do is gently hold the remaining eggs to your ear and you should be able to feel and hear them trying to chip there way out do not help them as damage to the chick will result.

When chicks hatch the yolk inside the eggs still needs to enter into the chicks body and this happens the last few hours after hatching.

I have kept all my birds in the same room and they have not mated when another pair have, Most pairs will breed at the same time as others usually in aviaries and the wild.

If you feel its better to put the other pair in a different room then feel free to do so but again i never have.

The food the parents eat is semi digested then regurgitated to the babies which depending and what they have eaten is usually yellow in colour.

Aslong as both parents and there chicks are doing well then there is no need to worry.

mike

 

Congrats to all of you and your hatching baby chicks!

 

I read that I should clean the nest every 2-3 days, but I can't because she tries to bite me. But the poop is becoming bigger, and there is and odor. The babies are fine the 1st born is about 1 1/2 weeks old and the 2nd born is 1 week and a couple days. The 1st born has its eyes open and chirp has became louder with age. Its beak has turned to a brown. I have alot of healthy choices now that I have recipes from online. I also read online that spinach lease are BAD for parakeets and peppers are GOOD. (i don't have either of them) Any advice helpful
And when can the babies be held (babies, not the eggs)

 

Hi Congratulations glad to hear all is going well with mother and her chicks. The female will be very protective of her babies until they are starting to leave the nest.

To clean my nest boxes i used to have to chase the female out and then gently pick up the chicks and place them in a box with paper towels in the bottom while i cleaned out the nest.

You will find once the chicks become larger you will need to clean the nest more often.

I have never fed peppers to my birds as far as i am aware they are only safe for parrots.

Most fruit and vegtables are perfect for smaller birds, Broccolli, Lettace cucumber,carrots, apple, banana, kiwi, things like that.

Mike

 

I heard that I shouldn't clean the nest since she tries to bite me. Last time I chased her out, I had to pick her up the put her on a branch and when I got the 1st baby out she went back in should I have chased her back out? The baby is back in the nest and is being fed but cries alot, and louder. So should I take out the eggs? What exactly do I use to put up the poop? A paper towel?

 

Hi when i chase the females out i block off the entrance so she cant get back in till i have cleaned out the nest i use paper towels and the use a little paint brush and brush the inside so its clean and then place the chicks back and unblock the entrance so the mother can get back in.

As the chicks get older and bigger you will find they cry alot more and louder as they are more hungry and they demand alot from there parents but aslong as there is plenty of food for the parents to feed to there chicks aswell as feed themselves then all will be fine.

An agressive female taht attacks you when she has chicks in the nest is a true mother one which will protect her babies and will become very noisy and aggigated when taken away from her chicks.

At around 4-6weeks they will start leaving the nest and this is when the male takes over the role as feeder as the female will most likely have started laying her next clutch of eggs.

Any eggs that are in the nest that have not hatched and have no movement inside can now be thrown out as if left the will start to rott causing bacteria which inturn will pass to the chicks and parents which could result in illness or worse death.

Good luck and glad to hear all is going well.

mike

 

I cleaned it yesterday, I didn't have to chase the hen out because I cleaned the cage so the male and hen went to the back of the cage. There was at least a handful of crap in there, and I had o paper towel! :x And in a couple more days I will do it againbut this time better! My two other birdshas not layed any eggs.
And you say that my hen will lay another cluch of eggs? Will any be fertile, should I breed again? I have alot of supplies. I have enough room for these two babies and more. I have 4 grown ups, and 2 babies.
Also if I plan to breed again should I change the nesting box to one I can get to easliy and is bigger cause this one looked a little crowed.
Oh and I forgot this happed a while ago but my other two bids were "kissing" and when they pulle back their heads there was this long thing of spit or something :? is that healthy? Oh and they gobbled it back down and continued "kissing"

 

Hi glad things are getting easier, You will fine when the chicks start leaving the nest the female will have started laying another clutch of eggs and yes they will most likely be fertile i usually wait till the chicks are eating and drinking for themselves so they can be moved into another cage before letting the female lay anymore eggs as the chicks will keep going back to the nest.

If the nest box you have is small i would suggest getting a larger one it should be no smaller than 6"x6"x6" you can buy nest boxes from any good petstore and they come complete with a concave bottom to stop the eggs rolling around plus and easy access part for ease of cleaning and checking on chicks.

mike