# new eggs and lots of questions



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

my cockatiel Nana(female, lutino so i'm told)and Cloud(male,so i'm told is pied)
on Jan.5/11 they laid their 1st egg

my first question is---is carefresh ok for bedding with papertowel under it incase it seperates and egg lays on bottom of nest it will be on the papertowel instead of bottom flat wood?


second question is they live inside my house what temperature should you keep the house heat at?we live in Canada so outdoors is not an option now,it is quite
cold outside.today it was -9 with a windchill making it -16. celcius .
i'm not good at converting that into ferenheight so please celcius suggestions only.thankyou for your help


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

i was just wondering if maybe i should just put a piece of cotton under the eggs is that good?(at keep heat in?) no loop of course,or strings and a small juice glass inside box for moisture,or spray around eggs nest lightly .what about these ideas? 

with no carefresh bedding used with these suggestions above.what do you guys think?
i've seen lots of people with chicks on papertowel what about under eggs?


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Carefresh is the *worst* bedding to use in a nestbox, especially during the winterime. During the winter there is not as much humidity in the environmewnt, and what little moisture the parents provide the eggs will be drawn from the eggs, When the egg gets nearer to hatching, when the bedding is drawing moisture from it the inside of the egg dehydrates, and the mewmbrane sticks/adhers to the chick and prevents it from turning and successfully hatching out. it gets weak and dies. This is called DIS...meaning dead In Shell. This page shows various beddings, and notes on the Illus. (click for a larger veiw) http://s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc331/Mousebirds-and-more/Other%20birds/#!cpZZ8QQtppZZ24

You might want to replace the bedding with either aspen or pine shavings. At least 3" deep in the nestbox. If the room is dry and the humidity is low you might consider getting a humidifier and having it on in the room (near the cage) during the last week towards expected hatch date. Don't spray inside the box.

There is no need for paper towels in the box. And cotton can get stuck to tiny beaks and the fibers get caught up inside the crop/intestines and contribute to impaction.


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

what i was trying to get across in first posting was they laid the egg on piece of paper towel,and was told not to touch egg or change anything in nest so i was afraid if the birds spooked the egg would roll across nestbox so i placed carefresh in a circle around egg not actually touching egg maybe 2 inches out from egg all around.

as what temperature would you keep your heat in house on to not chill eggs when parents are off them?suggestions in celcius please

ty


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

You *can* touch the egg. The egg can be handled, touched, moved and it *does not* affect it's viability if it is fertile. If it is on a paper towel on the bar floor of the nestbox that is *not good* either. There is not enough cushion under or around it to help maintain heat. Plus it will be more prone to get a crack in it, or dents as more eggs are layed.

As to the temp in your house, leave it at what the birds were accustomed to. Increasing the heat in the room is not going to help much if they are not properly incubating the egg. Too much environmental heat and no environmental humidity is going to contribute to the egg dehydrating. Improper bedding is only going to compound the issue.

If the parent birds are doing their job they know how long they can be off the eggs before they get chilled too much. There is no required or recomened inside temps to keep a breeding room at. I have birds on eggs, outside now in 30-50 degree temps and the eggs are fine.

Here is an online calculator for temperture conversions: http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

currently my heat in house is set to 24 degress celcius to 26 degress max.
i have a window open in room to have fresh air circulating also providing cool humidity.(not cold though)

they laid their first egg on cage floor which ,i moved into a homemade nest box,which the floor of nest box has almost 8 sheets of paper towel in a row on top each other 
creating a cushion effect. around is carefresh bedding which is not touching egg only serves as nest barrior in case it(eggs) rolls.
paper towels layers are for later to be easy to remove a layer if extremely dirty,otherwise i hear nest can get dirty if not cleaned,and its ok too when just hatched.to leave it mildly dirty.also if thickly layered i thought it might keep some heat in egg? 
ty once again srtiels will see what options i have


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

forgot to mention i guess Nana(female)has been incubating fulltime on eggs since january12/11.up to 3 eggs now maybe 1 tomorrow though(egg)


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

is 24 degress celcius a good temperature to hatch in your experiences and i can feel the moisture in the air so humidity is ok not hot in house just comfortable.


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

24C = 75.2 degrees, so the room temp is fine.


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

i am glad you are willing to help out along my exciting journey with my eggs.
your advice is great!!! you seem like you know alot srtiels (Susan i believe is ur name)
you come highly reccomended here as well other sites you are gr8 for all the help you provide people.....thankyou
please keep up with all of us cause i'm sure there will be more questions along our journeys


also i will try to buy either aspen or pine chips on my next pay.thank you for the link
to converting temperatures too,its sooo easy to use.:smart::thumbu:


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

up to 4 eggs now as of 5pm:clap:


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

another question

i candled egg#1 which was laid jan5/11 the yolk seems to be at top of egg,air sac on other end is normal no veins i can see tho


egg#3 laid jan 14/11 yolk is in center of egg,air sac looks normal
do u think the eggs are developing ok?


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Here is a link with some pix's of candling eggs: http://s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc331/Mousebirds-and-more/Other birds/#!cpZZ6QQtppZZ24

Also the yolk is suspended in the egg and as it is rotated the yolk is towards the upper side of the side/length of the egg which is where the heat source is from the parents incubating it. If the parents are off the egg too long, and there is not enough bedding below it to hold and maintain heat to the egg then it rapidly chills and this kills the embryo.


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

ty Susan for your link it was gr8


will keep everyone updated as we go thankyou for following Nana & Cloud's
eggs


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

as of 12pm today we have egg#5


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I bet you are *egg*cited  Congratulations, good luck, and keep us updated.


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

today i'm going to petshop to buy either aspen or pine shaving :clap: i heard a little coarser is better  is that true?i know regular hamster shaving are too thin!
paper bedding is bad!!!!! 
hamster bedding again for those who don't know...
someone said also look in other departments in petshops for aspen/pine shaving chips
maybe.. reptile section , it can be found a little thicker for them then hamster kind.
one person said they even found it in four legged section,lol... dogs i assume..

anyways if anyone has suggestions or advice on this please respond back
i wouldn't want to buy wrong kind


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

If you have a local PetsMart or Petco see if they have aspen bedding.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Try where the guinea pigs are they need bigger shavings than hamsters do...


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

ty girls off to petsmart now..a new bedding for them
i'll try both suggestions also


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

i got the aspen shaving they love them ty no new eggs today 
day 9 incubation today


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

That's great. And the same bedding can be used when the babies are older as bedding they are being handfed.


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

in last part of your post are you asking if i 'll be hand feeding when they(chicks)are older or just saying its a good choice in bedding if i was to hand feed babies when they are older?


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I was trying to say that it would also be a good choice of bedding for the babies, when older, and being handfed.


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

then i'm all set then ty


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

the eggs are now 13 days into incubation now
not much longer now


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

That's great...keep us posted  Hopefully soon you'll have some little fluffy chicks.


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

after candling.. 2 eggs had moving fetus inside..3rd had fetus but no movement maybe it was sleeping?
with eggs being laid Jan5,Jan 12,Jan 14,Jan 16, Jan 19
eggs 1-3 had fetuses,4-5 might be too early or infertile?
i figured egg#1-2 might hatch on Jan 30-Feb 2
when might others hatch?


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

The others should hatch about 21 days after they were laid because they were incubated as soon as they were laid.


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

ty roxy
i'm sooo excited for them


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

day 18 today within next 3 days they hatch o boy o boy
their almost here


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

lol like a child at christmas  I was the same waiting for my bunnys to be born


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

Baby #1 hatched today 
i'm so happy


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Yay! Can't wait to see pictures of the little fuzzy!


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*congratulations!*


----------



## Psychotic4mb3r (Jan 12, 2011)

Congrats!! Its so exciting when a new baby hatches . Ive never bred cockatiels but I breed leopard geckos. And every time a baby gecko hatches its so exciting and rewarding knowing you incubated them and hatched out a baby gecko(not with cockateil eggs of course but I could imagine it would be just as exciting haha ) Cant wait to see pictures!


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

_Congratulations _


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

ty all 
i also heard chirps coming from a 2nd egg ...maybe another tonight or tomorrow
we will see...update all tomorrow
thanks for following us


----------



## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

Good luck with the babies!!!!!


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

we have baby#2
he hatched at 6pm today
happy b-day baby


----------



## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

Congrats Mine should start hatching in the by the 10th . I can't wait.


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

ty debbie they are SO CUTE


----------



## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

Are you going to handfeed?


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

not unless i have to...but i will be handling and socializing them at 2 wks of age and up until they go to their forever homes,which i have already found them


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

babies are doing great today feeding well but what lil piggies
.Nanas a great mommy


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

mitch2006 said:


> babies are doing great today feeding well but what lil piggies
> .Nanas a great mommy


Aww bless


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

how long do you think i should leave 3 extra eggs that are not going to hatch in with babies #1 and 2 are infertile eggs and #3 is dis egg?please answer as soon as possible .
i think the dis egg should be taken out ...it died about half way through incubation 13-15 days into it stopped growing. 
and two other eggs are infertile.should i take eggs out or will she lay more?


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Remove the DIS egg. 

You can leave the infertile eggs in the nest till the chicks are about a week old. The infertile eggs give them something to prop against, and is also a source of warm for them to lean against when a parent is off the nest.


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

ty Susanne ill take out the dis egg like i thought i should and then take other eggs out after chicks are 1 wk old?
you are the best ! thanks for helping all the people in need of help,how caring o you


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Your Welcome  The infertile eggs would be sterile inside, so there is no risk of bacteria building up inside them, and contaminateing the nest if the break. What the eggs will do is slowly dehydrate inside. Yes, you can leave them in there til the chicks are a week to even 10 days old.


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

ty again Susanne you really know alot about birds
you're the best


----------



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

I've posted a new thread"Nana &Cloud's clutch"if you are interested in following Squall &
Ruby grow up
I'll be posting there ....pics of mom,dad and babies.
thanks for following us


----------

