Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 1/20/2007

Question
My parakeet laid her first egg on cage floor as I didn't know they were breeding. Now she has moved the egg a little bit but isn't sitting on the egg. How to know if the egg is fertile? Also is it possible that she will sit on the egg later?
Will she lay more eggs? If I put the box in the cage, will that help her lay eggs in the box?
Should I put the box in the cage now or not?

Answer
Hi, Bharat.  Thanks for posting!

Most keets don't start incubating their eggs until the second egg is laid.  So she may not start sitting on it until she lays another one.  You won't know if the egg is fertile or not until you are able to candle the egg.  You can candle it at about 10 days old.  If you need information on candling, let me know.  Even if it is fertile now, this doesn't necessarily mean it will hatch, as many things can go wrong from the time an egg is laid until hatching time.  Not all fertile eggs that are laid hatch.  Also, it's possible this egg isn't even fertile.  She might lay up to 6 eggs (maybe 1 or 2 more or less...depends on the bird's age, health, etc.).  If you put a nesting box up now, the pair may continue to lay their eggs on the cage bottom or they could move their egg-laying to the nesting box, it just depends on the birds.  If they've never seen a nesting box before, they might not want to go inside until after they've investigated it and decide it's OK for their eggs to be laid in.  You can put the box up and see what happens.  You could also move the laid egg into the box...they may go in the box easier with their egg in there or they may abandon the first egg altogether, it just depends on your birds.

Chrys