# Egg laying



## caflores81 (Sep 30, 2011)

My cockatiel laid an egg in her food tray and does not seem interested in taking care of it. When I was cleaning the cage I noticed the egg but I do not know what to do. I took the egg out of the food tray and put it somewhere warm. Does anybody have any advice on how to take care of an egg and how to tell whether it's fertile or not? Thank you.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Dusty once layed an egg in her water dish so I took it out and put it in a tub with pine shavings on the floor of her cage, she started taking interest in it then and sitting on it.
Have you seen her mating with any males lately? With mine I can usually tell anywhere from a few days onwards from when they start sitting/incubating them if they are fertile by candling them and looking for either a heartbeat or veins.


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## Chipper&Trillie (Sep 1, 2013)

How do I look for a heartbeat?


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Chipper&Trillie said:


> How do I look for a heartbeat?


I find it easier to see before the veins start coming up, you'll see a little red dot that is beating. It's usually harder to see when the veins are there since it sort of gets lost among them but some times you can still see it if you look close enough and there aren't a huge amount of veins yet.
You can use any torch really or one on your phone if you have one to candle them, I prefer using a small torch with a hose attachment taped to the end so the light is more directed at the egg. Always candle from the air cell end of the egg though.
Here's mine









and here's a video I took from Bears clutch of the heart beat a while ago, sorry it's very shaky but if you look closely you can see it.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=658652930857558&set=vb.640314276024757&type=3&theater


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

To care for an egg on your own, you would want to invest in an incubator. Either build your own, or buy one. Here is my main incubator made with a clear storage container, fans, water heater thermostat, and some lamp kits:










Its an old pic, now I have upgraded it to use ceramic heaters instead which burn out less often. I still use an led bulb though to watch for electric shorts.

The incubator in question will need to have an automatic turner. Turners for parrot eggs need to be used in such a way that the eggs turn on their side. I use poultry turners and place a piece of tape over the quail racks so the eggs can lay and turn similar to a rolling motion. The eggs need to be kept at 99.5 F or 37.5 C with 30-50% humidity. Humidity is often controlled by gauging and adding water to the incubator. But this is a last resort, you want the birds to take care of the eggs if at all possible. Chicks survive most often when parents are there to take care of them.

Led pen-lights make great egg candlers, if the above solution Blueybluesky suggested is not possible look for one of those. The best course of action, is to place the egg in a nest; one inside a box or in a basket or container at the bottom of the cage and hope the hen takes care of it. Incubators are always a last resort.


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## Chipper&Trillie (Sep 1, 2013)

> Always candle from the air cell end of the egg though.


oh I didn't know and candled differently (on the side maybe?). 
Anything bad going to happen? What's the reason to candle this way only?


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

Chipper&Trillie said:


> oh I didn't know and candled differently (on the side maybe?).
> Anything bad going to happen? What's the reason to candle this way only?


It's easier to see the egg's interior that way.


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

No, nothing bad will happen if you candle it from the other side. It's just harder to see what's inside the egg. You should know however that if you hatch this egg on your own, your going to have to care for the chick from day 1 which can be hard if your not used to waking up every 2 hours around the clock.


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## Chipper&Trillie (Sep 1, 2013)

I would never incubate because of this reason.
I saw couple of tiny chicks in the bird store in the brooder. They looked so helpless without parents


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

I could never wake up every 2 hours around the clock. I would be the crankiest person alive.


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

I have done it. It isn't very fun, but since my job requires me to work the graveyard shift its much easier for me than the average joe I think.

Chicks at a young age are incredibly fragile, you want to avoid that scenario if at all possible.


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