Mickey was off the nest

angie · Post by **angie** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 5:57 pm

And I got to check on her eggs.. Four of them still in tact all clutched together .. I wish she wasn't so wild and scared.. sure would make it easier to check on things.. so if the 3rd egg was laid 2nd september the 4th would have been on the 4th and now its the 7th .. so where do I count the 23 days from .. Jeremy ? You are such a help to have around .. thankyou for everything. Nice to have someone holding my hand through this.

Donna · Post by **Donna** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 7:15 pm

Angie you count from the first egg 23 days then the second egg laid thats another 23 days and so on. They will hatch in the same manner they were laid. After she has laid all she going to then she will start incubating them. Also if you wait 7 to 10 days after the last one is laid you can candle them to see if they are all fertile. Hope this helps some. Donna

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:29 pm

You count 24 days fro the day she began incubating the eggs. They usually don't start incubation until around 2-3 eggs have been laid.
Mind you, all my eggs hatched late thyis year, around the 30 day mark.

angie · Post by **angie** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:52 am

Thanks for the info ..

candeling .. hmm.. do I trust myself with an egg in my hand?

What if she gets upset and won't go back to the nest. What if I take the egg when she is off and when I go to put it back she gets fright and breaks the others.. :shock:

I think I will just wait until 30 + and hope for the best. Next year I will have tamed her enough to be able to check on her without her panicking.

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 7:34 am

Angie...candleing is important! Trust me...I raised tiels for a while and I had to know which ones were viable.

It's easy...block the nest while you are doing this. Gently pick up one egg and hold the flashlight to the rounded end (the one with the air sack)...if it has been 5-7 days and there are little veins running around it is good...if not it's a dud. This is an important step in breeding that can't be forgotten!

Dani

angie · Post by **angie** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 4:59 pm

so I can't just wait and have nature take its course and If after 30 day, nothing, then dispose of the eggs ? I really don't want her going down on anymore this season anyway as I am off to florida in december.

She is not tame and I dont want to disturb her too much, she would freak if I opened the box while she was on the nest.

hmm we will see.. knowing me I will just go for in one day when I see her off the nest and do it. :shock:

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:48 pm

I can almost guarantee that she will go back to incubating and will not break any eggs.
Candling the eggs is a quick and simple process.
I have a pair that are really wild, the guy i got them off had them in huge cages so they aren't too fond of humans. I can still check her eggs and babies without worrying.

angie · Post by **angie** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 10:56 pm

ok I'll trust ya .. thanks !