# Candling cockatiel eggs



## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

My husband and I raise chickens and we sit our eggs primarily in a big cabinet style incubator, so I know all about candling eggs and determining viability as far as that goes. I was just wondering if cockatiel eggs are different in some way. My tiels have been sitting on eggs for about 3 days and I am concerned that the cock is too old (he is getting ready to turn 10!) I pulled the eggs out of the nest and took them to my bathroom where it's dark to candle them, but the eggs are clear as a bell! I put the eggs back to give my pair a little more time to sit on them before I throw the eggs away, but I'm very discouraged. At 3 days of gestation in a chicken egg you can already see the blood vessels beginning to develop, so I don't think I'll be having any lovely babies to hand feed this time! =( I may give the pair one more shot after this to try again. Do you all think the cock is too old or do you think he's just not successfully mating the hen? I have read that a cock can remain fertile up until he is 12+ years old, but I don't know. This is the first time for the both of them to ever mate/nest so it could just be their lack of know how. I took one egg and put it in my incubator that way I could monitor it for development instead of having to pull my tiel's eggs every couple of days or so. If I don't see anything within a week I will probably just throw all of the eggs away and let them start over... *shrugs* Anybody with experience in successfully breeding cockatiels have any advice/input?? Thanks so much!!


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

It takes 3 to 5 days to see anything, depending on when incubation started 24/7. many tiels do not start to incubate until a few eggs are layed.


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## NietosBirdsNest (Mar 16, 2010)

I also suggest you buy a candler. It's a long, very thin flashlight that you can use inside the nest box without handling the eggs at all. I try to wait for both birds to leave the box then I candle. If the don't leave I just give them a little nudge with the candler. I wouldn't breed without one. Also, If this pair is new to each other I would give them a few tries before seperating. That male is not super old, but is he in good health? If after another clutch and no babies then I'd put him into retirement. Good luck


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