We have an egg!

[itzjbean]

I'd leave them in a bit longer (depending on how long you have already waited). You never know...

I could... normal cockatiel incubation is 21 days and tomorrow will be 21 days after the last egg was laid. They started incubating right away. I will keep waiting....this weekend perhaps. I feel as though I keep hearing phantom peeping from the eggs but then open the box and there's nothing but that pile of eggs, lol. Maybe I am hearing the outside birds, who knows. I will keep waiting, who knows one could still hatch..

 

[ChocolateChipCookiez]

Did you candle the eggs? They may still be alive even when you toss em and you wouldn't want that to happen..
​

 

[itzjbean]

Did you candle the eggs? They may still be alive even when you toss em and you wouldn't want that to happen..
​

Yes I candled them several times.

I did end up pulling them Tuesday night after candling and seeing nothing. As I guessed none of the eggs were fertile (I cracked them all open to see yolks) and some did not smell very good and were going bad.

Eggs don't go over the incubation time especially for how well these two kept at it, the eggs never had a minute without heat since the first one was laid so despite their best efforts they were just not fertile.

I'll let them try to lay one more time for some fertile eggs.

 

[Scott]

Sorry to know they were not fertile. Hopefully next time!

 

[itzjbean]

Hi everyone, wanted to update and let everyone know they are on eggs again. There are 2 currently and I am soooo hoping they are fertile this time around. I am so ready for some babies!Thanks everyone for your support!

 

[Rozalka]

Good luck! I hope everything will be ok

 

[Scott]

Fantastic, hoping for success!!

 

[Amsterdam]

This topic is great!! hope you will get alot of babys

 

[Talven]

Best of luck with this second clutch. Amazed at the nesting box. None of the 'tiels I bred ever managed to keep one looking so nice inside.

 

[ChocolateChipCookiez]

That's great news! Hope fully they'll be fertile this time and you'll get some cute babies.​

 

[Squeekmouse]

Congrats!!! Keep us post ed!!!

 

[itzjbean]

Thanks for the kind words!!

They are on 5 eggs now -- we candled them and my husband (has better eyes than me) thinks he saw at least one with veins in it, so we're hopeful!

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

Congrats! Fingers crossed for babies!!!

 

[itzjbean]

Update on the eggs, Rue laid eggs this second clutch, 3 confirmed fertile but it’s been 23 days since the last egg was laid and I made the decision to pull them since it’s been too long (18-21 days normal)

Upon inspection 3 out of 4 eggs indeed had various chick development inside but none made it to full development / hatch and had died several days before projected hatch. So I know they are capable of laying fertile eggs but not good enough to survive.

I removed the nest box to give them a much needed break from sitting (they both took turns sitting diligently for over a month) and will let them rest until we try again next spring. No chicks in the cards this year for us but now I am on the search for a mate for Ember! Life goes on and I’m okay with that!

 

[noodles123]

Are you sure you didn't pull them too soon...? I mean, those are just estimated timelines, but there are certainly chicks that go over.
"If the eggs are late, you can candle them to assess fertility. If the egg is anything but translucent when candled, leave the egg at least for 28 days before removing it from the nest box."
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/cockatielhatching.html
I am not trying to freak you out, but I think you are a little too closely tied to the quoted estimation---esp if you saw development.

 

[itzjbean]

Are you sure you didn't pull them too soon...? I mean, those are just estimated timelines, but there are certainly chicks that go over.
"If the eggs are late, you can candle them to assess fertility. If the egg is anything but translucent when candled, leave the egg at least for 28 days before removing it from the nest box."
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/cockatielhatching.html
I am not trying to freak you out, but I think you are a little too closely tied to the quoted estimation---esp if you saw development.

I appreciate the concern, but the chicks were long dead. They smelled gross. All but 1 egg was past the 28 day mark so I made the decision to pull and as assumed was right. I would never pull eggs I thought were still alive.

 

[noodles123]

Oh okay- that makes sense. Sorry, I thought they were just at the 23rd day or something.

 

[itzjbean]

Oh okay- that makes sense. Sorry, I thought they were just at the 23rd day or something.

The last one was at 23 days but yeah I am hoping next year for some that make it to hatch! I'm so ready for babies lol!

 

[CallumConure]

Congrats! I'm so glad for Boo and Rue (hey, that rhymes).

 

[Squeekmouse]

Sounds like you did the right thing... so sorry to hear you didn't get any little hatchlings this time. When it's time, it'll happen.