eggs fertile?

[nial8r]

Hi all just wondering how long it should be before I can check the eggs from my love birds with a torch to see if there are any veins in the eggs?
Thanks in advance
Regards
Lee

 

[MonicaMc]

About 1 week after incubation (i.e. hen sitting on eggs without leaving them) to see if they are fertile or not. By two weeks, you should know without a doubt! By week 1, you should be able to see the formation of veins forming with possibly a red dot in the center.

If some eggs are fertile and others aren't, leave them all be! The infertile eggs can help provide warmth to the fertile eggs and/or chicks, as well as support.

If all are infertile, allow the hen to sit on the eggs for at least 3-4 weeks before removing them or allow her to abandon the eggs before removing them.

 

[MikeyTN]

You can check it in 4-5 days, depending on when the incubation started. You can use a bright flash light, no torch needed.

 

[Luffbox]

If you are worried about them breaking and causing your female to lay more by throwing them out, boil the infertile eggs and put them back when they are cooled to the temperature you took them at. I do that with my girl so she won't have to get lupron injections.

 

[nial8r]

Thanks heaps for all your speedy replies. I have noticed that she is only sitting on the eggs of a night. As soon as the sun goes down she is straight in her box. Im not 100% sure that she isnt sitting on them during the day as im not always around to spy on them in the day. I think ill leave them alone for a couple more days then check with the torch ;-)

 

[nial8r]

Well i checked the eggs with a torch yesterday evening and its clear as a bell they are all fertile. Yeewwww so happy now I just hope they all hatch and are healthy. They are from my part of masked cobolts :-D

 

[MikeyTN]

Congrats they're fertile! Do you have any experience in hand feeding???? IF not, you better start learning now! Things happen, you don't just let them breed and expect everything to go smoothly. And make sure you have plenty of time available in case if you need to yank them early if something goes wrong.

 

[nial8r]

Thanks mikey I have a little bit of knowledge about hand raising and im going to have to do it with one as the wife wants a tame one. She wont even go in the avery she is that scared of them lol. I think its when they all start to fly around that scares her.
Its about 21 days before the start to hatch isnt it? Its been about 10 days since i spotted the egg then they came every 2nd day.

 

[MikeyTN]

Yes around 21 days and as late as 28 days. What you can do to help along is by using a brand new spray bottle you fill with water to spray the eggs with once a day to increase the humidity level. Start watching some YouTube videos on how to hand feed, if there's a breeder locally, you should contact them and see it in person. You can easily aspirate birds so it's not something to be taken lightly. Ask any questions you may have if you need to. There's several of us in here that have long experience in raising chicks.