shelley@milton.u.washington.edu (Shelley Vogel) (03/14/91)
I need some advice. My hen has laid 5(!) eggs in her cage. She has a mate, but this is the first time since she's been with him that she's laid more than one and just forgotten it. They're actually sitting on them this time. Although she's laid several clutches over the years I've had her (with another male) none of them were ever fertile. I had always set her up for breeding when she showed the inclination, changed her diet, put out the next box, etc. Well, this time I didn't and now, like I said, there are 5 eggs in her cage. Does anybody think I should move the eggs to the nest box or should I just let her sit on them for another week and then make them disappear? It's an awkward situation since I can't clean their cage, have to keep it partially covered, etc. Any advice will be most welcome. Shelley
hubler@galaxy.lerc.nasa.gov (Dale Hubler) (03/14/91)
In article <18335@milton.u.washington.edu> shelley@milton.u.washington.edu (Shelley Vogel) writes: >I need some advice. My hen has laid 5(!) eggs in her cage. She > >..... Does anybody think I should move >the eggs to the nest box or should I just let her sit on them >for another week and then make them disappear? It's an awkward >situation since I can't clean their cage, have to keep it partially >covered, etc. Any advice will be most welcome. > >Shelley I believe that moving the eggs would be the end of it. They are not likely to follow the eggs into the box, but you never really know. If you don't care and don't want the chicks then you can remove the eggs. If you already have 5, then the first will be hatching in a week (if fertile). Cockatiel eggs take 17 to 18 days to hatch. If I really had to get them into the breeding box, I might try something like the following as an experiment. Uncover the cage and convince the tiels to move off the eggs, toward the other side of the cage. Place a small box in the cage that contains a bit of nesting material near the entrance to the breeding box. Put the eggs in the box. If they don't toss the eggs back out to the cage floor, try moving an egg or two into the box the next day and show the birds the egg from inside the box. If the nesting box is level with the bottom of the cage use might use a heating pad on low to help maintain the eggs temperature. The pad will cycle on and off, be sure you have nesting material in the breeding box. Do this a couple days in advance so the temperature is stable. This is very inaccurate, but I have hatched eggs even with such a crude setup. Hopefully, the birds will share the setting duties, with one inside the nesting box. Then you can get the other eggs moved in. I have never tried the above, it depends on how badly you want to breed them or not. If you remove the eggs, they may try to nest again immediately. They may be better and use the box next time. They may also never learn. If they are not willing to follow the eggs into the box, and you successfully incubate them, then the sound of the newly hatched chick may draw them in. My gut feeling is that rather than all the above, you should just toss the eggs and let them try again. -- Dale A. Hubler -- Sverdrup Technology -- (216) 977-7014 hubler@galaxy.lerc.nasa.gov My favorite newsgroup? Why misc.test, I could read it for hours.
stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) (03/16/91)
In article <1991Mar14.124437.3361@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> hubler@galaxy.lerc.nasa.gov (Dale Hubler) writes: >>..... Does anybody think I should move >>the eggs to the nest box or should I just let her sit on them >>for another week and then make them disappear? >I believe that moving the eggs would be the end of it. They are not >likely to follow the eggs into the box, but you never really know. Actually, I'd disagree. If the bird has layed before in the nest box, it probably knows what it is there for. We have been able to put eggs from a pair in trouble in the nest box of experienced breeders and had them go in right away and start sitting on the eggs. If she really wants to sit, she will. Stewart -- Stewart Winter Cognos Incorporated S-mail: P.O. Box 9707 VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830 FAX: (613) 738-0002 3755 Riverside Drive UUCP: stewartw%cognos.uucp@ccs.carleton.ca Ottawa, Ontario The bird of the day is .... Illiger's Macaw CANADA K1G 3Z4