Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 11/11/2007

Question
A few days ago, I noticed that my female Penelopy was acting different. So I put the nesting box I have in the cage just in case..... So just today she started to go in and out of the nesting box a lot. My male would come and feed her, but he would sit and tweet softly. I wondered why my birds were acting differently.

Two years ago Parker and Penelopy had six eggs, but not one hatched......... Then she started to toss the eggs out one by one, this time, I really hope they won't be dead eggs.

Is there a way that I could check the eggs to make sure they are fertile? and Also, If she is so protective of the nesting box, she won't even let my male put his head through the hole. Don't the eggs need to be fertilized by the father when the eggs are laid? If so, How will I ever get him to go into the box to fertilize?

Answer
Hi, Maggie,

Penelopy is acting perfectly normal for a bird that is about ready to lay eggs.  It's the female's job to protect the inside of the nesting box/eggs/babies, while the male protects the outside of the box, the cage, etc.  If a predator gets past the male, it has to contend with the female...all perfectly normal.

When the laid eggs have been incubated for about 10 days, you can candle them.  Candling is the process of shining a light source through an egg to see what you can see inside.  A nonviable egg will look like a chicken egg from your refrigerator...chicken eggs we eat are not fertile.  Therefore, you will not see any red veins or dark embryo inside these eggs.  However, at about 10 days of incubation, you should be able to see veins, etc., inside a truly viable egg.  

Eggs are fertilized (or not) inside the female bird BEFORE the eggs are laid...this is why they mate.  The male does not fertilize AFTER eggs are laid.  And not all laid eggs are fertile.  Incubation results in development/growth of a fertilized embryo.  

Chrys