# Laid an egg and no clue what to do



## Priscilla.413 (Nov 25, 2016)

well after millions of attempts to log in because I can't remember passwords for the life of me I managed to finally get here

Priscilla laid an egg yesterday (I had no idea she was going to) and I haven't the slightest idea what to do. I never had a tiel lay an egg, or any other bird at that matter. My uncle told us to cut a hole in a cardboard box and cover the egg and tear up some newspaper for them, and we did that. He has a tiel who has laid eggs many times before and they hatched so we figured he would know what he was talking about.

However, I heard that eggs laid on the cage floor won't hatch?? Is that true, because I didn't even know she'd laid an egg until I saw it roll out from under her. What should I do about it?? I wasn't expecting this (well I did because of Elvis but y'know-) so I wasn't prepared.

She keeps rolling the egg out of the box, and moving bedding away from it. Is it normal for a tiel to do that?

I know they lay up to 8 eggs, take somewhere around like 21 days to hatch and all that, but is there anything I need to do for the eggs, or should I keep my hands out of the cage (which will be 100% easy because I'm already afraid to put my hand near either of them (learned not to the hard way)).

I have no idea what I'm doing here so help would be nice.


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## Fran.bath89 (Jun 12, 2016)

If you want babies then you really should have supplied her with a nest box. You could try adding one now but she may carry on laying them on the floor of the cage. They probably won't hatch on the floor as it rolls away easy. You could use a box with a hole cut in but make sure it's sturdy and has abit of a lip so she can't roll them out. She will carry on laying and if you take the eggs away she will start again about a month later. If you don't want babies take the eggs and replace with dummy eggs which you can get at most bird shows/table sales and online. You need to leave eggs or dummy eggs with her until hatching or she gets bored of sitting so she gets a break and doesn't produce more. Please make sure she has plenty of cuttle bone available so she doesn't end up with brittle bones. You could try a basket on the bottom of the cage I have seen little pictures and videos online of caged cockatiels using them too. After 4 days of mummy bird sitting on the eggs you can candle them and if they are fertile they will have feint veins even if eggs look not fertile leave with her they will not smell unless broken and will supply heat for the other eggs. Good luck


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## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

Hey-o thar  

Yep...I've been the proud finder of 'surprise' eggs, too. Keep the box in the cage and watch for more eggs. If they're infertile, they'll be ignored at the 21-28 day mark as the hen gets bored with them. When the hen loses interest in the eggs, you can remove the box. And make sure to not remove the eggs while she's sitting on them or you'll find more appearing. Keep cuttle bone in the cage to keep up the hen's calcium. When nesting, the birds will be more interested in experimenting with foods so give it a shot to make sure they have extra veggies and pellets. 

Whatever happens, good luck to you


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## ninfatiel (Jul 22, 2016)

if your hen has a couple and they mated-then most likely the eggs are fertile. it doesnt matter if they were laid on the bottom of the cage. I have found a slightly damaged egg on the floor once, from a hen who had mated.. So I repaired the damage (with toilet paper and elmers glue) then fostered.. and what a beautiful baby girl was born out of that egg. Its up to you, if you have time and desire for baby chicks. But I feel discarding fertile eggs is almost like a crime,like birdie abortion. So I would give them an appropriate nest box,put the eggs there and get educated on what to do next.


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## Priscilla.413 (Nov 25, 2016)

well I just heard one peeping and turns out it hatched without me knowing?? If I hadnt had to get my budgie out of the floor I wouldnt have noticed

I thought they were infertile but I guess I looked at it wrong :? I probably did since Ive never done it before.

But one was due I think yesterday or the day before. Could they take longer than 21 days to hatch, or is that an infertile egg??


But, I never wouldve thought you could save a bird with glue and toilet paper :0
Im definitely keeping them.


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## ninfatiel (Jul 22, 2016)

No,they wouldn't take longer then 21 days, try candle them to see whats going on,if you will see movement or red blood veins-the baby is alive and you may have miscalculated the hatch day.. about toilet paper and glue... I used what was on hand))) may use nail polish too to repair small damage if the egg isn't leaking fluid, it may be saved


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