# I am now concerned...



## acm321 (Apr 9, 2015)

My female and male grey cockatiel pair were mating daily, multiple times a day, and she laid her first egg. This was a week ago, and she has not laid an egg since. Is this normal? They take turns keeping it warm, but no more eggs have been laid. HELP!


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## toxicwolf (Apr 16, 2015)

It doesn't matter how many times they had mated. If the female only laid one agg that's ok. Maybe it's her first time, maybe they both are young parents. This could also happen due to the fact that only one of her ovas was fertilized during one mating. The other mating sessions could be just "failed". There is no need to worry about it. If they are young parents it is good to have only one baby as they don't have so much experience. Just make sure the egg has enough warmth to hatch and when the chick will hatch it would be better if you could hand-feed him. The parents might not know very well how to do it and like this it won't be afraid of you when he grows.
Hope I helped!


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## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

What toxicwolf said. If it's the pair's first time breeding, they'll likely only have the one egg this time around


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## shaenne (Apr 19, 2014)

Any pair i've ever had have only laid a very small clutch their first time around. I've had hens lay 1 egg and the most i've had a maiden hen lay is 3. It's very normal.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

It might be worth checking if the egg is fertile if you haven't already, sometimes for first timers the first clutch wont be fertile.


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## acm321 (Apr 9, 2015)

Thank you all! She has had the egg for about a week now, If I candle it now, will I see anything?


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## acm321 (Apr 9, 2015)

There are now two eggs. The first egg she laid, I don't think is viable anymore. The inside moves around, and it was because she had laid it outside the nest an it fell like seven inches, and it is cracked (but not any noticeable cracks.) I saw the cracks when i candled them. The second egg must have been laid today.

When i candled them, the first egg seemed to not have a yolk, and the second one does have a yolk in it.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

You can usually tell at up to around 7 days after they start to incubate if they are fertile, sometimes I have been able to tell a little earlier though.


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## acm321 (Apr 9, 2015)

yea, the first egg laid was absolutely clear. I doubt there was even a yolk in it. It did not have a darker circle in it like the second egg laid so i doubt it is viable. I think the best decision is to take it out because it is cracked (because it is cracked) and i do not want it to crack and discourage the female from being in the nest. What do you all think?


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## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

I would leave the egg in the nest as the extra egg will prove warmth for the other egg even if it is a dud. It also helps any babies, if they hatch, feel secure. If the birds don't want it, they'll get rid of it themselves


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