# Eggs fertile or not?



## BirdBoy (Jun 15, 2011)

Today marks exactly 1 month since my cockatiel laid the first egg. The parents have been sitting on them since day one. I can't prove if the eggs were originally fertile or not but even NOW they are sitting on them rigorously; dad during day and mom during night. I didn't want to bother them or the eggs so today I looked at the eggs and the only thing I can tell is there is a portion of opaque white while the rest is pinkish color and on the other ones there yellowish color. There are no veins. I took pictures but they are not clear..I don't want them to waste their energy sitting on the eggs if they are not fertile. I am still not sure what I should do. I read that 18-21 days until the final egg is laid and for mine it has been 23 days. 
Are cockatiels not able to tell the difference if the eggs are fertile or not because the way they are sitting is so determined and the dad especially flies to my face out of the cage and attack me whenever I gently opened the cage door.


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

If there are no veins I would throw the eggs out and start over or remove the nestbox and try breeding them again later.

If the parents attack when you open the nestbox that could be contributing to embryonic death of the eggs. When the parents lunge at you it can violently shake the eggs killing them. Make sure the parents are away from sudden noises and avoid candling the eggs until you are confident hatch time is near and only when they are away from the nestbox. Its very easy to condition my hens to stop lunging if they know me very well. I will scratch their necks and gently push them off the eggs; had no such luck with males.


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## Colorguarder08 (Sep 13, 2014)

when you say you looked at them did you hold the eggs up to the light to candle them or just look at them in the box?


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## BirdBoy (Jun 15, 2011)

I got the eggs and looked at them up close with a flash light. When candling eggs are you supposed to use a candle ? Earlier today I...took the eggs out of the cage along with the nest box (when no one was in the cage) and mommy was looking for it and I am really sad about this.


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## Colorguarder08 (Sep 13, 2014)

When you candle you pick up the egg and use a flashlight or a really bright like to look through the egg to see if you can see any veins so basically the flashlight needs to be held behind the egg just shining a flashlight at the egg on the nest box floor isn't going to show you anything.


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## RexiesMuM (Sep 7, 2011)

Make sure when candling the egg to put the flashlight on the bigger side of the egg since that is where the air cell should be


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

I use LED penlights for candling. Best candlers around, and inexpensive!


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