# Fertile eggs! Any tips before they hatch?



## Cloudy_Lemonade (Jan 29, 2021)

It gives me great joy to be able to say that we still have 2 fertile eggs going strong, entering their 19th day of incubation tomorrow! Both parents have been brilliant incubators, and I can only hope that the hatching is a success.
Any advice in caring for the chicks would be much appreciated. What to expect from a healthy baby? Best food to offer the parents? Do I need to add any external heating, or will the parent's warmth be enough?
Many thanks.


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## Daytontiel (Feb 24, 2019)

Start to offer wet foods such as cocked brown rice, fresh vegies, and calcium sources if you have not yet. Your birds need time to get used to such kind of food. Did you see pipping now? If you birds are on pellet diet now, you should switch to partially seeds diet. High fat seeds diet is good for baby' growth.


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## Cloudy_Lemonade (Jan 29, 2021)

Daytontiel said:


> Start to offer wet foods such as cocked brown rice, fresh vegies, and calcium sources if you have not yet. Your birds need time to get used to such kind of food. Did you see pipping now? If you birds are on pellet diet now, you should switch to partially seeds diet. High fat seeds diet is good for baby' growth.


Hello - I can't see any pipping yet but I've just candled them and they're looking good. I've already introduced seed and they are eating it well and often. I can't seem to get them to eat any veggies though. How can I encourage them to eat their greens? Many thanks


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## Cloudy_Lemonade (Jan 29, 2021)

Cloudy_Lemonade said:


> Hello - I can't see any pipping yet but I've just candled them and they're looking good. I've already introduced seed and they are eating it well and often. I can't seem to get them to eat any veggies though. How can I encourage them to eat their greens? Many thanks


I've just offered some peas, broccoli, mashed up boiled egg and carrot, all sprinkled in seed mix to tempt them


Daytontiel said:


> Start to offer wet foods such as cocked brown rice, fresh vegies, and calcium sources if you have not yet. Your birds need time to get used to such kind of food. Did you see pipping now? If you birds are on pellet diet now, you should switch to partially seeds diet. High fat seeds diet is good for baby' growth.


I've just offered some peas, broccoli, mashed up boiled egg and carrot, all sprinkled in seed mix to tempt them. I don't know whether they will try any yet, but I will replace it in the morning. Hopefully if they don't catch on with the greens, the seed mix alone will be sufficient.


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## Daytontiel (Feb 24, 2019)

I find leafy greens such as spinach, cabbage or Napa cabbage are more acceptable to my cockatie. In additional to leafy greens, carrot is welcome, which is sweet. Cockatiels are stubborn birds, switching food will take time, keep provide fresh veggies every day. Once babies hatched, , parent will be less fussy about food. . Another thing is form of food. I find leafy green provided as big pieces are more acceptable and carrot must be chopped into small pieces. If parents east veggies, the babies love veggies when they grow up.


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## Cloudy_Lemonade (Jan 29, 2021)

Daytontiel said:


> I find leafy greens such as spinach, cabbage or Napa cabbage are more acceptable to my cockatie. In additional to leafy greens, carrot is welcome, which is sweet. Cockatiels are stubborn birds, switching food will take time, keep provide fresh veggies every day. Once babies hatched, , parent will be less fussy about food. . Another thing is form of food. I find leafy green provided as big pieces are more acceptable and carrot must be chopped into small pieces. If parents east veggies, the babies love veggies when they grow up.


Thank you for the advice! The parents have moved the bedding away from the eggs. Should I leave them or add more bedding?


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## Daytontiel (Feb 24, 2019)

Cloudy_Lemonade said:


> Thank you for the advice! The parents have moved the bedding away from the eggs. Should I leave them or add more bedding?


They usually do so, to make a dent in bedding. As long as eggs are not on hard surface, it is ok. Make sure room temperature is above 60 F ( 15.5 c), that is lowest egg hatching temperature. If room temperature is on low side, I would add insulation below the breeding box.

Did you candle the eggs yet? Cockatiel egg is very easy to candle.


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## Cloudy_Lemonade (Jan 29, 2021)

Daytontiel said:


> They usually do so, to make a dent in bedding. As long as eggs are not on hard surface, it is ok. Make sure room temperature is above 60 F ( 15.5 c), that is lowest egg hatching temperature. If room temperature is on low side, I would add insulation below the breeding box.
> 
> Did you candle the eggs yet? Cockatiel egg is very easy to candle.


Hi! Thanks so much again for the advice. I candled them last night but it hasn’t been dark enough to since then. Both parents have been on the eggs since this morning and I’ve replaced the veggies, which they haven’t touched yet. And with the bedding, they have completely removed it so the eggs are in the hard dip in the nesting box. Should I add more bedding? If so, how?


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## Daytontiel (Feb 24, 2019)

Cloudy_Lemonade said:


> Hi! Thanks so much again for the advice. I candled them last night but it hasn’t been dark enough to since then. Both parents have been on the eggs since this morning and I’ve replaced the veggies, which they haven’t touched yet. And with the bedding, they have completely removed it so the eggs are in the hard dip in the nesting box. Should I add more bedding? If so, how?


I usually just pickup the eggs and add bedding and replace the eggs after.
Usually the nest box open should be a few inches above bottom of nest box, this will prevent parents pushing all bedding material out. And Even without bedding material, eggs will hatch.


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## Cloudy_Lemonade (Jan 29, 2021)

Daytontiel said:


> I usually just pickup the eggs and add bedding and replace the eggs after.
> Usually the nest box open should be a few inches above bottom of nest box, this will prevent parents pushing all bedding material out. And Even without bedding material, eggs will hatch.


I put in quite a lot at first but the eggs kept sinking, so I took some out. It has been fine until now. My birds are always on the eggs so it’ll be quite tricky to put it in. I still haven’t had the chance to candle them yet today, and I haven’t heard any peeping from the nest box. I hope it’s all okay. I just don’t want to disturb them.


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## Cloudy_Lemonade (Jan 29, 2021)

Daytontiel said:


> I usually just pickup the eggs and add bedding and replace the eggs after.
> Usually the nest box open should be a few inches above bottom of nest box, this will prevent parents pushing all bedding material out. And Even without bedding material, eggs will hatch.


Just a quick side note, after a whole day off incubating both birds were off the eggs for about 4-6 minutes to eat. Then the male went back inside, then came out again about 15 mins later for about 30 seconds. The male is now back inside. Will this have ruined everything? Do they have to be on their eggs as much now that they are soon to hatch?


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## Daytontiel (Feb 24, 2019)

No problem at all. Eggs do not need incubate 100% of time. They only sit on eggs more time at the end to keep moisture level high enough for hatching. Did you hear chirping sound yet? Sometime chicks start chirp before hatching.


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## Cloudy_Lemonade (Jan 29, 2021)

Daytontiel said:


> No problem at all. Eggs do not need incubate 100% of time. They only sit on eggs more time at the end to keep moisture level high enough for hatching. Did you hear chirping sound yet? Sometime chicks start chirp before hatching.


I’ve just got up and the parents are both still in the nest box. I can’t hear any chirping from underneath, but that might be because the birds are muffling the sound. Should I be worried now? By the way, thank you so much for all the tips - I really appreciate it.


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## Cloudy_Lemonade (Jan 29, 2021)

Cloudy_Lemonade said:


> I’ve just got up and the parents are both still in the nest box. I can’t hear any chirping from underneath, but that might be because the birds are muffling the sound. Should I be worried now? By the way, thank you so much for all the tips - I really appreciate it.


Omg update. The male came out and only the female was sitting on the eggs. I lifted the lid and put my ear to the top of the box and heard chirping from inside an egg. I am so excited! It’s not a constant chirping but I’ve heard it a couple of times now. She took the egg aside for a bit, just looked at it for a while, then covered it again. I think she can feel the movement. The male is back inside too now.


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## Talkatiels (Feb 10, 2021)

Cloudy_Lemonade said:


> It gives me great joy to be able to say that we still have 2 fertile eggs going strong, entering their 19th day of incubation tomorrow! Both parents have been brilliant incubators, and I can only hope that the hatching is a success.
> Any advice in caring for the chicks would be much appreciated. What to expect from a healthy baby? Best food to offer the parents? Do I need to add any external heating, or will the parent's warmth be enough?
> Many thanks.


my pair just had their first baby. they laid 3 eggs but only one was viable..the chick hatched about 3 weeks ago. they're all doing great. I got a little worried about a week ago because both parents came out of the nest & left the baby alone. I left the cage open so they could go in & out & they did. they came out & ate. I scrambled egg & added fresh baby spinach & I added a pinch of calcium powder supplement & breeding supplement into their food. I topped it with seed & cilantro & they ate very well. I have been adding calcium & breeding supplement to their food every day. they're all doing great. baby is about 3 weeks old & weighs 82 grams. I think he's a bit chubby! I named the baby Rolly! like Rolly poly!


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