# Spike and Sarge's Baby Mission



## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

So this morning when I checked the birds, I found Sarge sitting on her first egg! What a good little mama bird. Spike is currently sitting at the entrance to the box guarding her like a good daddy bird. We'll find out in a few days if its a good egg!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Congrats and hope its fertile


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Fingers crossed!!!


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

I hope so too! But I've only caught them mating twice so who knows. But then again they are pretty quiet and I don't notice them going at it unless I actually see them hahaha gosh that sounds seedy


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## 4birdsNC (Dec 4, 2010)

Gina are you a tiel voyeur? Lol! sorry, that had to be said! Congratulations, to you, and to Spike and Sarge. Got my fingers crossed, this being their first time, don't be surprised if you have infertile eggs. It may take them some time to get it right, lol.


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## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

Yay! Congrats. Fingers crossed!


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## morla (Aug 15, 2011)

Good luck with the little egg! I am getting my first cockatiel this week! She is a two month girl cockatiel and i am going to name her Sunny! Her feathers are so unigue and happy! I am so exited!


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Yes I wouldn't be surprised if they turn out to be infertile, Spike hasn't quite perfected the "art" yet, but he'll get there I suppose!


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

She laid her second egg last night, yahoo!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Aww congrats


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## vaneupr (Jul 11, 2011)

Congrats! and good luck


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

I have one fertile egg so far! Yippee! I checked the four eggs on Friday and none were fertile, she laid a fifth while we were away for the weekend and we just got back an hour ago, so I thought I'd candle them again in case I was too early... And one had the magical veins! I could see the little centre pulsing too, what a cool experience, I'm so excited!


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Little miss Sarge in the nest the other day


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Oh my so cute


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## 4birdsNC (Dec 4, 2010)

well don't hog all the fun and joy to yourself... more pictures!


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Hahaha I would but my SD card for the camera broke  She's such a good girl though, still lets her mama pet her while she's sitting on the eggs, always such a sweetheart  Had to take Spike out of the cage though, their big violent fighting in the box was worrying me


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Some new photos since I bought a new memory card!  I think the egg will probably hatch in about another week and a bit maybe. What are the signs I should look for when its about to hatch? Will Sarge behave differently? Will I hear things?


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## Buggy (Jan 27, 2011)

I cant wait to see some baby pics.


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## munnith (Aug 28, 2011)

congrats


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## 4birdsNC (Dec 4, 2010)

With mine the day before the egg hatches, the parents let it cool slightly, and there will be pip marks, and sometimes you can hear the chick inside cheeping.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

I checked for pip marks


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Cool as, thanks guys, I'll keep my eyes open for pipping


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

You might or might not see the pipping. Buster and Shodu have produced 30 babies so far and I've seen exactly one egg pip. All the others hatched so fast that I call the babies ninja chicks. I could look in the nest and see nothing, and two hours later have a fully hatched baby.


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Hahah well they don't muck around do they  I didn't think to mark the eggs so its a bit of a guess thinking they'll hatch around the 10th-12th but the first was laid on the 20th August and i think the fertile egg is probably the second or maybe third egg  Ah well I suppose we'll find out soon enough


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Uh-oh... I think she's decided she doesn't want anything more to do with the eggs  Darnit! So close! Last night she didn't want to go back in the box before lights out, and then this morning when I got up she still wasn't back in and the eggs were cold. I have read that they let the eggs cool before they hatch but it seems too early for that to be the case. The fertile egg was laid between 22nd-24th of august so I think Sarge has decided she doesn't want to sit anymore.


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## 4birdsNC (Dec 4, 2010)

geenz said:


> Uh-oh... I think she's decided she doesn't want anything more to do with the eggs  Darnit! So close! Last night she didn't want to go back in the box before lights out, and then this morning when I got up she still wasn't back in and the eggs were cold. I have read that they let the eggs cool before they hatch but it seems too early for that to be the case. The fertile egg was laid between 22nd-24th of august so I think Sarge has decided she doesn't want to sit anymore.


This can happen with young first time breeders. It sucks, but not completely unusual. the best thing to do is leave them a while longer or replace them with fakes. She may sit again. Also it may let her rest before she tries again. Do not try to force her back into the box.


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Yeah I was pretty surprised that we actually ended up with a fertile one to begin with since Spike and her hadn't even gotten the hang of mating properly yet  When should I take the eggs out? I don't want her to start laying again till I'm ready to let her and Spike have a second try in a few months time. She's gotta fatten up a bit again, she's lost a bit of weight since she started laying.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Once she shows absolutely no interest in them any more whatsoever, then you can remove them. Poor girl, better luck next time!


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

She's just been chilling up on the top perch in the cage all day, she comes down for a drink and some food and then just goes back up the top and preens and does birdy things and whatnot, I've put her onto the perch outside the box a few times but she just hops off and goes back up to the top again. Is that uninterested enough?


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

I _-think-_ maybe I saw the chick move when I candled the egg again just now. Am I going mad? How long is the "cool off" period usually? It shouldn't still be alive after not being sat on for 24hrs surely? 


EDIT: Also all the veins are still nice and clear too ???


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

I remember when i could see them move inside and when i seen the pip marks i could hear them chirping in the egg


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I know mine have let eggs cool off for an hour or two so I'm not sure. You could get a baby here pretty soon...


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

I listened to the egg too and couldn't hear anything, and I haven't seen any pips, so I checked it again this morning and the veins aren't quite so clear so I don't think I'll be getting a baby unfortunately! I am however thinking of putting Jesse and Spike together since they've been very cuddly the past few days, but I think it'll take them a while to figure out how to mate properly, seeing as she thinks the perch or food bowl are suitable mates


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

awww that sucks Hope theres better luck next time!

and lucky Spike lol he gets 3 ladies all to himself You think Jesse is bad, Aero thinks the tv and the fish tank would be good mates!!!


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Hahah as I type this she's getting frisky with the bowl of veggies I just put in for them  Who knows how long it'll take her to realise that Spike is there for that exact reason


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