# NO babies!



## TeacherMom (Feb 3, 2009)

Ok so this was their 2nd clutch. All 4 were infertile. I know they're new to this breeding thing (this is their first year actually laying more then 1 egg).

I need some advise on this. Here are a few different things that I've read and heard that works for other breeders. I'm totally lost with all these options and need some direction from all of you. What's the consensus?

*Should I separate them for a bit? 
*Should I leave them for one more round? I've heard that newbies take a while to get it right and maybe 3rd times the charm? :blush: 
*Should I wait till the weather is more consistent? It's been warm and then raining and now it's sunny and will be raining again tomorrow evening. :blink:
* I have a female that is indoors that seem ready to go...doing the cooing sound and all of that. Should I separated these two and try for Elvis and Lily? That wouldn't be for at least a couple weeks since Lily is new and I quarantine my new birds for at least 30 days.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

Two clutches per year is the limit for 'tiels. If she has laid 2 clutches this year even tho she didn't hatch any she expended lots of calcium on the eggs. If they only laid once in the last 12 months you could let them try again.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Yes, you need to let them rest now. In the future, having some rainy weather is probably a good thing since rain is a breeding stimulus for wild cockatiels - it makes the grass grow so there'll be plenty of baby food. Spring and summer are the best times for breeding since the days are longer then, which stimulates the hormones.

Time to get graphic now... I hear that some people help their birds achieve breeding success by clipping the feathers around the birds' vents. They can get better contact with each other that way.


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

yes you need to let them rest but don,t let them discourage you took snowball 3 times


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## TeacherMom (Feb 3, 2009)

Well I will be giving them some rest...they still have 2 eggs in the box since I've taken 2 out already. I'll separate them after the last egg is out and see how they do closer to summer. I just brought my Lily over to see Elvis and he hissed at her and lunged at her...so I'm assuming that it's because of the eggs but who knows. Thanks for all your input everyone.


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

how long did you wait till you removed the eggs


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## TeacherMom (Feb 3, 2009)

Well the first one was to start hatching around the 14th...but they are clearly not fertile...totally clear with a bright yellow yoke in the middle. I took the second of the two out today. The first was a day before yesterday. Should I leave the other two you think?


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

the only time i remove the eggs is around day 30 you just never no i no others will comment on this as well


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## TeacherMom (Feb 3, 2009)

Ok well then I'll leave the last 2.


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

I've left eggs in there for weeks with no sign of hatching and well, turns out they ended up being fertile and hatched weeks late! It has to do with when the parents start incubating them. Some birds wait until they are done laying their clutch.


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## TeacherMom (Feb 3, 2009)

Oh my gosh...well I'm leaving these 2 then. If the come up fertile I'll cry for throwing the other two away. Seriously I wish cameras took the picture of what I see...they totally look blank. I know that they've been sitting on them since the first one was laid...how tightly sitting I don't know but I know they've been sitting.


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## TeacherMom (Feb 3, 2009)

Cheryl...you have a bird named after me. My name is Sunday. HEHE


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

Don't worry, if you saw no spider veins there was nothing really there yet. If the other two end up being fertile don't stress over it. You didn't take them out when a living chick was inside. You did the right thing and candled first.
After a few weeks and no sign of veins, I would get rid of the rest and prepare your birds for the next round whenever that will be (i.e. vitamins, calcium, etc).

I'm sorry I stole your name. I liked it too much.


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## TeacherMom (Feb 3, 2009)

Well I believe, if my memory serves me right, the last egg was laid on February 2nd-ish? So would you think I would see something by now? It's been about 1 days.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

The only reason you should ever pull eggs is if they are rotten or oozing something nasty. Having only 2 left she may feel she needs to lay more. If my birds are on infertile eggs I just let them sit 'till they get tired of sitting.


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

Going along with what Sue said, you can also replace the ones you take out with fake eggs. Some pet stores sell them, but not many. I have only seen them at a bird specific store. They help prevent the need to lay more and won't rot on you!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

You can buy fake eggs online at http://theeggshop.com/ I bought some when Shodu first started laying eggs and put a couple in the nest, hoping that it would inspire her to not lay too many. It didn't work - she laid six eggs. So I took the fakes out, but had a surprisingly hard time telling the real eggs from the fakes. They're pretty realistic!


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## TeacherMom (Feb 3, 2009)

HAHA That's all good to know. I think I'll be going to the store tomorrow and buying some eggs.


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