# very big upset with my unplanned clutch



## peacelovejanell (Feb 12, 2010)

i thought all 3 eggs were fertile, but one is very clear so i know there's no baby. i checked the other 2 a couple of days ago and they seemed to be thriving, i checked today since its the 2 week mark and now only 1 looks like there's a baby in it =,( i don't know what happened to the other baby but it looks almost like it disappeared. it's very saddening and weird. The woman i got this pair from told me she usually lays 5 eggs and all are good. i wasn't surprised she only laid 3 this time since it wasn't planned or anything but i was sure they'd at least all be fertile and now i'm down to 1 baby! does anyone have any thoughts on this, or comments or anything. should i let her lay again or should i not let her lay at all again i don't really know what to think and my head is kind of spinning here


----------



## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

That is disappointing, I would say it's normal for a first clutch, but this isn't the first clutch.

How old is the female? I know as females get older, or when they're too old, their eggs will no longer be fertile.


----------



## peacelovejanell (Feb 12, 2010)

That shouldn't be the case she's only 4 and her mate as well. Do you think it could be because of the new environment. She laid her first egg 2-3weeks after I got her. I was shocked since no tiel can adjust that fast. But I'm thnking that could have made a difference, maybe her body wasn't prepared? I was going to sell the 2 babies since I can't have anymore and it was totally unplanned but if this last baby does survive I'll have to keep it. I don't know what else to think besides that the move threw her off. If this baby survives I might let her breed one more time around April or may just to have the chance for a better breeding, but will this affect her? Will she mourn them or anything? I Donn want her getting sick on me


----------



## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

Leave all the eggs with her, you don't want her to abandon what she's sitting on and go and lay again. Unless the egg looks clear there could still be a chick alive in there, you won't be seeing lots of blood vessels at this stage.


----------



## peacelovejanell (Feb 12, 2010)

Yeah there still seems to be one good egg it should hatch next week. So I'll just let her be with them. At least she'll have one hopefully it makes it. After this the box comes
off and she gets a nice long rest and time to actually adjust and by next spring hopefully she'll lay a more successful clutch.


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

If the eggs candled fertile and are not now, then they could have gotten chilled and died if a parent bird was off them too long.


----------



## peacelovejanell (Feb 12, 2010)

I wouldn't doubt that's what happened. Again she isn't fully adjusted to her new environment and she does have to know what's going on at every second so I wouldn't count it out. I feel really bad for the little baby. Of course this is nature taking it's course but you can't help feel responsible =|


----------



## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

What does that look like now, the egg that you think the chick has died in? I'm guessing it doesn't look clear as there had been developement. Even if only one hatches don't be in a rush to take the other eggs away unless they are cracked or smelling, she might get spooked and leave the chick otherwise.


----------



## peacelovejanell (Feb 12, 2010)

No I won't take them until she leaves them. The egg looks like an infertile egg but not as clear, it looks a bit cloudy and there's something very tiny in one part of the egg which I assume is the chick.


----------



## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

Ah I know what you mean, good luck with the other egg . It's exciting when you can hear the chirping in the egg then the relief when the chick has hatched!


----------



## peacelovejanell (Feb 12, 2010)

yes! i hope it survives i can't wait to meet my little miracle baby, i guess it's a blessing in disguise since i was going to have to sell all 3 but now that there's only one it can be my new fid. i still wish i knew what happened, from what i've heard she's laid up to 7 eggs in a clutch all being fertile but her usual is 5. My best guess is the adjustment thing... now that she's gotten this breeding out of her system she better be ready for a looong rest!


----------



## Berdnerd (May 20, 2010)

Makes sense to me that it's because the parents are still adjusting. Time to read up on raising baby cockatiels so you know what to watch out for with your little one and how to take care of him if he needs to be hand raised! I really hope everything goes well with the last egg and that it hatches and the baby grows up fine. My birds had unplanned babies this summer and all the babies but 1 died in spite of me trying to save them, then they had babies and the same thing happened. Believe me, it's better for everyone if an egg doesn't hatch than for the baby to hatch and live for a while, then get sick and linger and die. So if this egg doesn't hatch, try not to be too upset and don't blame yourself at all! Since your parent birds are experienced, I'm willing to bet everything would go very smoothly if you tried to breed them again in a few months  Oh and you can check out my thread here in the breeding subforum if you want to see pictures of my miracle babies Phoenix and Izzy, the youngest babies from both clutches and the only ones to survive.


----------



## peacelovejanell (Feb 12, 2010)

i know! at this point i'm just happy this little one is hanging in there, i know how to handfeed since i did it with my other 3 so im pretty excited to do it again, by next spring she should be nice and adjusted and have a smooth incubation period and a nice healthy clutch. i can't wait to meet the little bub and add a new fid to the family. and you're right i'm relieved it died in the egg before the mom or me met the baby it would be so much harder, i guess there is a bright side to this and i'll keep everyone posted since you've all been so nice! next week the baby should hatch so i'll let everyone know!


----------

