# How long before they abandon unviable eggs?



## Lizzie Taylor (Nov 25, 2012)

Lizzie and Taylor are devotedly taking turns in their box tending to eggs which are now past the time when the last laid should have hatched. It is Taylor's first egg laying season. She has laid a clutch of 5. 

From my reading, I understand I should let nature take its course and wait for them to abandon the box. 

Is this in the best interests of the health of the birds?


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Usually it takes about 3 weeks for them to give up on eggs, but some birds are a little more determined to hatch those eggs. Give them some more time. If you take away their eggs while they're still tending to them they will lay more to replace them.


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## Lizzie Taylor (Nov 25, 2012)

They were both out of the box this afternoon so I brought the cage into a secure room and investigated the contents. There's 7 eggs, which is two more than the last time I had a peek. One is obviously dead- grey matter adhering to the inside of the shell. All were warm and some felt weighty enough- while they're sitting I am certainly going to leave things to run their course. Both birds seem to be maintaining their weight and they are both still chipper and interactive.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

The birds should not lose weight during breeding unless they hatch the eggs and care for chicks.  it sounds like they would make good parents though. Perhaps they're just not doing "it" right.


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## Lizzie Taylor (Nov 25, 2012)

They certainly give "it" a very thorough workout :blush: The happy little sqwawky noises they make are hilarious...


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Sometimes it takes them a few tries to get it right though.  There is no penetration involved so it is a bit tricky.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If there are two new eggs, they HAVE given up on the old ones and are starting a new clutch. If you can identify the older eggs you can candle them first to make sure they're infertile and then remove them. It's possible that the new eggs might be fertile, and the adults will be able to incubate them better if they're only sitting on one clutch instead of two.

If you can't identify the older eggs, you can at least mark all the eggs that are currently in the nest. If more eggs are laid, you will know that any unmarked eggs are new.


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## Lizzie Taylor (Nov 25, 2012)

That's excellent advice, thanks very much tielfan, I appreciate it.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I would also remove the grey one...if something were to happen and it broke, it could cause bacteria to grow in the nest and that would be bad for eggs and parents.


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## Lizzie Taylor (Nov 25, 2012)

Excellent, thanks Roxy- I'll clean it up today!


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