My hen laid her last egg june 7th and it still hasn't hatched... can I remove it now? If it ever hatches right now anyway, I'm pretty sure it will live through the horrible fate of its two sibblings... :\

 

But I don,t want Bud to be upset, though somehow I wonder if she remembers there is an egg in there. She doesn't incubate it.

Incubation time should be 18 days (give or take). June 7th to 29th (today) is 22 days. I think I read a post yesterday that indicated a wider range of times - up to 23 days! If it's not being incubated and it's cold to the touch its not likely to hatch anyway, but it wouldn't hurt to leave it a while longer, or you could candle it to see if it is/was fertile at all. When you do remove it, give the whole box a good clean, re-assess how it is attached to the cage, and maybe even replace the box with a deeper one?

 

Good luck,

KathyW.

If she isn't incubating it any more remove it.

Incubation time should be 18 days (give or take). June 7th to 29th (today) is 22 days. I think I read a post yesterday that indicated a wider range of times - up to 23 days! If it's not being incubated and it's cold to the touch its not likely to hatch anyway, but it wouldn't hurt to leave it a while longer, or you could candle it to see if it is/was fertile at all. When you do remove it, give the whole box a good clean, re-assess how it is attached to the cage, and maybe even replace the box with a deeper one?

 

Good luck,

KathyW.

Replace the box and move it?? I thought you weren't supposed to do that or she would not recognize it as her nest anymore....

 

Anyway, I'll remove the egg now. Nest cleanup will be tomorrow, like usual. Thanks!!

 

EDIT: I just candled it. There never was anything in there. It was infertile!

Edited June 29, 200718 yr by Michelle

Mothers know best I wonder sometimes if they can heard or feel movement in the eggs and so know when one is empty.

Mothers know best I wonder sometimes if they can heard or feel movement in the eggs and so know when one is empty.

 

I think if that was the case,I don`t think hens would sit on clear eggs for 18to20 days.I have the odd feeder pair,sitting on clear eggs up to 30 days,just in case I might need to use them.

well yes that is one thing that is still leaving the idea as just a thought rather than a personal belief.

Budgies, like people, have varying levels of intelligence. Some are really smart and others are really dumb.

I believe "some" hens know when eggs are no good and throw them out, but I have also have had hens throw eggs out that have had live chicks in them too.

So...my belief is...there are smart budgies and there are dumb budgies.

Edited June 29, 200718 yr by **KAZ**

Then Bud is a smart girl. That or she got bored.