# Busters First Clutch. Not Always Sitting On The Eggs.



## CassieAnn21 (May 23, 2013)

So.. I have two cockatiels. I thought they were both male until May 19th I found an egg. Then on the 21st I found another egg. The female was sitting on them on and off, but when she was sitting on them, it was on the wires on the bottom of the cage. I know this can deform and potentially kill the babies, so I moved my female off the eggs, and put a towel down for her and the eggs. My house stays about 71 degrees, but I am worried that the time she spends off them will make them infertil.. what do I do? ied: :tiel5:


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

cockatiels actually nest in nestboxes. so i would recommend purchasing a nestbox for her. i don't know if this clutch will hatch, but for future clutches a nestbox is essential.
i think cockatiels sometimes don't start sitting until their clutch is complete, so the eggs hatch at the same time. in which case, she may still be preparing to lay more.
i'm am amateur at this stuff though, so hopefully someone more qualified to give advice will come along.


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## CassieAnn21 (May 23, 2013)

I don't have the money for a nesting box right now... Could I use a cardboard box? What goes in the ground to cushin the eggs? Thanks for you reply!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

A cardboard box would work as well, but they may chew they're way out of the top (this happened to me last year). You need wood shavings at the bottom of the box, either pine or aspen, not cedar. http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27688 This sticky has more info.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Many people have had breeding success with an improvised nestbox, which could be a cardboard box, a plastic box, a basket, or anything else that serves the purpose reasonably well. You need to watch out for safety issues with a homemade nest, because there have been cases right on this forum where babies fell out of the nest and were injured or killed because the doorway was low enough to let them get out before they were old enough to fly. The link that roxy provided has more information on the subject.


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## raazi (May 3, 2013)

in some sites have seen using of pine cedar and aspen is bad for tails.is that true ?which is the best nesting material ?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Cedar is bad because it's too aromatic. Pine is good and aspen is excellent. There's more info on nestbox litter at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27688


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## cknauf (Aug 27, 2012)

Also keep in mind that it's possible these eggs are infertile. Have you seen the two mating? A hormonal female can lay unfertilized eggs without a mate.


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## CassieAnn21 (May 23, 2013)

*Eggs*

So buster laid her fourth egg! She's been incubating almost constantly. I candles all the eggs today... 3 of them are clear with black lines... And one has a red ring around the yolk and moves around a bit. Is that good or bad? Thanks again guys and gals!


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

I think it OK can you take a picture?


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## CassieAnn21 (May 23, 2013)

I could... But I am doing this from my mobile phone so I'm not sure how to upload a photo. This egg is probably 5 days old. There's just the brighy red ring and no veins yet... But the other two that are older and the newly laid one are just that plain white yellowie color with nothing in them. I guess you would say translucent. But the one actually is darker in the yellow color and has that ring around the yolk. :tiel5:


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

A blood ring can mean the embryo has died, http://m525.photobucket.com/albumvi...ductive system/Blood-ring-ILLUS.jpg.html?o=22


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## CassieAnn21 (May 23, 2013)

Hmm.... Very well could be... I hope not... First clutch 4 eggs... No babies... That would be sad... I'll try to get pictures of each one and put them up... The eggs are always warm to the touch so Idk...  I can only hope for the best. Thank you for the information...


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

You'll just have to wait and see. It's not always easy to interpret the results of candling, especially if you're inexperienced. The red ring indicates that the egg was fertile at least, whether it's currently still alive or not. It's too soon to tell what's going on with the newly laid egg.

If the older eggs are just plain yellow and white (basically identical to the new egg) that's a pretty clear indicator that they're infertile.


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## raazi (May 3, 2013)

Let the eggs be in the nest itself , don't try to disturb it. Wait till 21 days and then and check on it


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> Let the eggs be in the nest itself , don't try to disturb it. Wait till 21 days and then and check on it


Actually its good to check the eggs, if there is a DIS egg, you want to remove it immediately so that it can't break and hurt the other eggs. If a baby needs help out of an egg, you wont know this unless you look. There is nothing wrong with touching and candling the eggs. Its really good to get the birds used to you looking as well so that they don't jump at you when you look and possibly hurt the babies.


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## CassieAnn21 (May 23, 2013)

Thank you all for the replys.... And to who is following.... buster laid a total of five eggs.... All are fertile... And in one I saw the fist fetus and heartbeat! Ian glad things are going okay for their first clutch so far! Thank you again you guys and gals! -Cassie


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

I'm so happy for you 
We need photos when they hatch


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