# The Journal of a Single Parent Bird



## Cr4zycow (Apr 3, 2011)

Very sadly my female passed away this morning and srtiels suggested i start this thread. I'll try my best to keep it updated and to describe what is happening to the best of my ability.

As stated, Freddy my female (a lutino) passed this morning from a possible stroke. The only egg we have was laid thursday 14th april but as this was the only egg they weren't properly sitting it yet. Since freddy passed this morning dez has been in there all day only coming out twice to eat so i'm taking today as day one for sitting properly. Last time he came out he was calling for freddy which was a little upsetting. I didn't think it possible to become so attached to such a little thing. 

I'll give the egg a week and i'll candle it to check it is fertile. Fingers crossed it is. 

I've attached pictures of the birds so u can see what they both look like.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i hope all goes well


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## Cr4zycow (Apr 3, 2011)

Oh and if anyone has any tips to help me to help dez, they r all more than welcome. And if anyone is going through the same thing feel free to tell ur stories on here too


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## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

I will keep my fingers crossed for you hun as others are doing it for me, i have a recently widowed hen, who is sitting on 5 eggs, it is very distressing in the beginning watching them call for the mate that cant return, but sitting on the eggs has comforted Nala and i hope it will comfort Dez to. Please keep us updated hun, were all here for you.


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## Cr4zycow (Apr 3, 2011)

Thank u. I would like to hear about how ur doing as well with ur hen and her eggs. It seems to be but he just looks so lonely in there all on his own. If this egg is successful once the chick is grown is it ok to keep them together. There is no way i would want to part with freddys only baby


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## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

yes it is possible but i would only recommend same cage for father and son. So far Nala seems to be sitting pretty good though she has a weird laying pattern for the last 4 days shes been sitting on 4 eggs and then today theres 5 so its quite possible she started a second clutch but i know hens can hold sperm for a month so who knows i still havent been able to get confirmation on fertility as she only started sitting good around the 16-18th but so far there are 2 that are whitish yellow and three that seem to be a deeper honey color so only time will tell, i do recommend that because he's in mourning even if the eggs dont show fertility allow him to sit on it till he abandons it. i wish you the best of luck. and i also plan on keeping at least 1 babe if it turns out she has any. i will keep you updated i have my own post for nalas clutch, and i have found the support from the members here to be a real comfort.


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## Dreamcatchers (Apr 17, 2011)

I am sorry for your loss of Freddy. I do hope it all goes well and that your little egg proves to be a legacy to mom and a comfort to you. Best of luck!


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## Cr4zycow (Apr 3, 2011)

Dreamcatchers said:


> I am sorry for your loss of Freddy. I do hope it all goes well and that your little egg proves to be a legacy to mom and a comfort to you. Best of luck!


Thank u for ur kind words.

It all sounds good nwoodrow. I'll find ur post and keep checking it out. I wish u all the best also x


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Since Daddy birds are maternal he should be fine as a single parent. 

Make sure there is plenty of bedding in the box...at least 3" deep. The reason for this is that the bedding will retain heat and moisture. When he comes out of the box he can safely be off the eggs for about 20-30 mins without any serious harm from chilling. Many times a parent may cover the egg with some shavings when they leave the nest to help retain more heat.

You might want to place a shallow bowl of water on the floor of his cage for bathing. He may want to use the bowl to wet his abdomen to bring back moisture to the nest.

It will take several days befire you can tell if they are fertile. 

Below are some illustration to give you of what goes on inside the egg. Click on the pix's for a larger view. 

If you look at the 2nd illus. read down to #8 By day 4 of incubation Dez will know the egg is alive, if fertile because he will feel some movement.

And in the 3rd illus...as the baby grows you will see the veins in the egg, #10 and 11 1/2way thru incubation these veins will always rotate up to the top of the egg...which is to the heat source from the body of the incubating parent. Thes veins act to provide calcium from the shell when the embryo/baby is getting ready to pip. As the baby draws the blood into the body it will also be drawing in some of the calcium from the shell.


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## Cr4zycow (Apr 3, 2011)

No matter how much chippings i put in, where he sits on the egg he always removes all the chippings and puts the egg on the box floor. I dont know who but this is something they both always did.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Hmmm....the problem with the egg being on the floor of the nestbox is that it is harder for the egg to maintain heat. And the egg chills alot faster when he gets off the nest to go eat, etc. The other problem is it is within the first few days that the chick is at risk for deviloping splayed legs because they can not get a firm grip from the floor of the nestbox.

One thing you might consider....if your male will let you mess around in the box....is to go to Home Depot, and in the nursery/plant section, near the orchids...see if you can find some coconut fiber mats. These are used to line hanging flower pots. Cut a piece that is the size of the inside of the next box floor. Remove the bedding, put the mat down, then replace with some bedding. This way if he removes the bedding there is still something under the egg to hold heat, and later for the chicks little toes to grip on.


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## Cr4zycow (Apr 3, 2011)

Thats a good idea, i checked the box a few times yesterday and he's now got the egg on bedding.

He's a little jumpy which i'm assuming is because he's on his own and he doesn't have anyone to warn him about danger anymore so if there r any sudden loud noises or anything like that he's out of the box and he waits until the last minute before returning so we have moved him into a room that doesn't have so much stuff happening in it so he gets a little more peace and quiet.

He's coming out regularly to eat and drink which is good. This is day 3 of him sitting so in a couple of days i'll candle the egg to find out if it's fertile, fingers crossed it is. I think it will help him lots and it will help me as well. We all miss freddy loads, she was a very big part of our family and she provided much amusement for us all with her daft little ways.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

fingers crossed its fertile  he seems like such a good father


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## Cr4zycow (Apr 3, 2011)

It doesn't look like the egg is fertile or if it was i dont think it will be now. Dez has been spending more and more time out of the box. Yesterday he was out for over an hour and this morning he has been out for over and hour now. I'm going to candle the egg later on today to check it but i'm not sure if its too early yet but i think the egg is at the stage were dez knows if its fertile or not. I was so hoping it was going to be fertile


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Give it a day or two more to be sure as to if fertile or not. If he is staying in the box the entire night he has not given up yet.


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## Cr4zycow (Apr 3, 2011)

He's still not gone back in the box yet. He's been shouting out all day, i think he's still looking for freddy. Do u think it would be better for him to have a new mate or should we just leave him as he is? He's not very good with people. He doesn't like coming out of his cage and he just tries to bite us if we try to handle him.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I would get him another mate. He could be stressed and make himself sick if he keeps calling from her.


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## Cr4zycow (Apr 3, 2011)

Thats what i was thinking. I've already started looking but not seen any in my area yet :/


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## Cr4zycow (Apr 3, 2011)

I've just gone to candle the egg and there is a pip mark in it, it looks like its been done when he's turned the egg or something like that and its on the yolk area. He's still not been back in the box so he knows its no good as well. I did still candle the egg and all i could see was the yolk. There was no red or brown in it. I'm going to try to find another female for him. It's very obvious now that he is depressed which isn't good for him


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

If its a crack you can fix it...eggs can be good for ten days after laying so there still may be a chance. You can take a tiny piece of papertowel and attach it to the egg using clear nailpolish. I did this once and it saved the egg. Hopefully he's not TOO sad! Poor guy!


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