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Re: pulling infertile eggs
Posted by jeanne on 8/30/07

On 8/22/07, jeanne wrote:
> My thirteen year old female umbrella laid two eggs five
> weeks ago. This was her first clutch and I have left her
> and her mate to nest them naturally. I had suspected that
> they might not be fertile. Both birds have been
> dilegently sitting and have shown remarkable nesting
> skills. The incubation period has passed by 5 days now
> and the birds are showing less interest, but still
> spending a lot of time nesting. I feel I need to remove
> the eggs, but don't really want to start a cycle of
> constant laying. I am not terribly interested in
> breeding, but more interested in the happiness of my
> birds. Any advice out there?
I guess I wasn't very clear about my question. During
nesting my birds spent 90 percent of thier time in the nest
ingoring feed, exercise, and water. Both birds lost a good
deal of weight and started to look poorly. They acted off
kilter when they did show their little faces to the light of
day. The "nest" was of their own design, formulated by
pulling their cage blankies over the hens playpen top to
form a nifty little fort which they fortified with all
manner of nesting material. Almond shells, wood shreds from
toys, paper from cage bottoms, fabric from towells and
blankies, I found a couple of my socks shredded in there
even (don't know how they got them other than to steal them
off my feet when I was napping). They so enjoyed
playing "fort" that I let them be, then I found eggs! I
would not have been so concerned, but for the fact that they
had been copulating prior to the egg laying and the manner
in which they sat on the eggs, never letting them get cold
or dry made me think that they may have been viable. I just
wanted nature to take it's course. I made the decision
after both birds started coming out of the nest more
frequently (together even) that the time was right to
disassemle the "nest", pull the eggs and let them get back
to normal bird stuff. They have been quite "normal" since.
As if cockatoos can ever be considered normal! Just thought
I would share and if anyone else has anything to add please
do.

Posts on this thread, including this one

• pulling infertile eggs, 8/22/07, by jeanne.
• Re: pulling infertile eggs, 8/22/07, by Meeko's Mom.
• Re: pulling infertile eggs, 8/30/07, by jeanne.