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Birding/Abandoned robin eggs

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Expert: - 5/25/2009


Question
A robin had built its nest on our back patio and the nest had 4 eggs in it.  The mother was on the nest constantly but we had a party on our porch for my daughters graduation and it lasted several hours. The mother never returned to the nest and the weather has been very cool.  My husband removed the eggs and we put them in a box with a light on them is there any kind of chance they will survive?

Answer
Best thing to do is put the eggs back in the nest. If the mother had not started incubating the eggs, they are still good and she might return. If she had started incubating them, they are probably bad. However, if your husband warmed them up and they had not been incubated before, he is incubating them and if the proper temperature (100 degrees) is not kept, they will not make it. It is VERY DIFFICULT to hatch wild bird eggs and raise the young unless you are experienced. Please return the eggs to the nest and take your chances on the mother returning.

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Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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