One fledgling, three eggs

[Rich K]

I came home from a 7 day trip. Checked the box only to find this. Looks to be about 4 days old. The other 3 eggs (I think the chick is hiding one) are unhatched. The last one was laid April 25th. I think the cold snap may have rendered the other eggs infertile. Going on 18 days. Should I remove the eggs??

[dogsandbirds]

How about giving those eggs 21 days? Sometimes, rarely, not often there are late hatchings.

Do you know what you would look for if you candled the eggs? If you don’t, look at this: http://archive.is/pS5DK Chicken eggs but eggs “is” eggs.

There is another way to look for bad eggs if you don’t candle. When you look at them and if they’re old enough, you’ll see a clear line of demarcation about half way between one end and the other with one end being darker. That’s a bad egg.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by dogsandbirds.

Gin
Atlanta, GA

[Bobs Farm]

Interesting read, thanks for sharing.

[tamsea]

I give my eggs even more time than Gin suggested.

Tammy

[Rich K]

Still only one fledgling and only two eggs present. The chick seems to be doing well and momma and pappa are very busy feeding him/her (too soon to tell the sex). Today I checked and both parents got a little agitated so I was very quick. I think I am just going to leave the other eggs (I am almost certain at this point they won’t hatch it’s Day 22. My hope is that this fledgling makes it, I clean out the box, and mom and dad have another brood ASAP.

[tamsea]

I think that’s wise. I leave them in a long time and most of the time don’t ever remove them. I find them later at the bottom of the nest. But at some point you could reach in and very lightly pick it up with your fingers or a spoon if you are worried about breakage.

Tammy

[Rich K]

Today when I checked I realized that there are only 2 eggs. I thought the chick was covering one up – but there are only 2. I am theorizing that two hatched and a chick died and was removed (The box was unmonitored for 7 days as I was in Europe). The other two eggs are bad. We had some really cold weather when she first started laying so I wonder if the first two were infertile. Oh well, that’s Mother Nature! I do all I can to help them but some things we just can’t control.

[Love my blues!]

Rick-

Certainly rooting for that little one! Hope he/she continues to thrive!

Nicole

[tamsea]

sometimes you’ll find them hidden in the nesting material when you clean out the nest. Hope that little thing does well.

Tammy

[Author]

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