Hi All, Have an opaline hen with 5 eggs 1st due on 14th. The last couple of days she has left eggs for quite a while at a time (her box is on shelf in aviary) not caged like the rest. How long can they leave eggs without chicks dying. She also looks like she is starting to moult, is this normal, this is 1st round of eggs.

We have 2 live chicks in cage 1. so far, our first ever, still 6 eggs to go. thanks for any help.

 

20 minutes is the general amount of time a hen can be off eggs and them not go cold.

 

Are there other birds in the aviary ? As often in colony breeding others can stop a hen returning to her nestbox.

 

Moulting can mean she is unwell and can cause her to lose interest. What colour is her cere ? and has there been any changes in seed or food that can have forced her to moult ?

20 minutes is the general amount of time a hen can be off eggs and them not go cold.

 

Are there other birds in the aviary ? As often in colony breeding others can stop a hen returning to her nestbox.

 

Moulting can mean she is unwell and can cause her to lose interest. What colour is her cere ? and has there been any changes in seed or food that can have forced her to moult ?

Thank's Kaz, We have 2 nest box's on shelf, opaline and one other pair, mum sitting on 6 eggs, no problem's there and two hens, (underage) loose in aviary.Other cages are inside aviary but birds are caged. Opaline and mate seem o.k she just leaves box for a fair while and only goes back for a few minutes and she's back out. It has been warm here last week or so, don't know if that has any bearing on it. She looked like she had a bit of bloody head, but it looks like pin feathers coming so thought moult? Cere is brown but she's still mating so, maybe it's just me.

 

20 minutes is the general amount of time a hen can be off eggs and them not go cold.

 

Are there other birds in the aviary ? As often in colony breeding others can stop a hen returning to her nestbox.

 

Moulting can mean she is unwell and can cause her to lose interest. What colour is her cere ? and has there been any changes in seed or food that can have forced her to moult ?

Thank's Kaz, We have 2 nest box's on shelf, opaline and one other pair, mum sitting on 6 eggs, no problem's there and two hens, (underage) loose in aviary.Other cages are inside aviary but birds are caged. Opaline and mate seem o.k she just leaves box for a fair while and only goes back for a few minutes and she's back out. It has been warm here last week or so, don't know if that has any bearing on it. She looked like she had a bit of bloody head, but it looks like pin feathers coming so thought moult? Cere is brown but she's still mating so, maybe it's just me.

 

 

So you have two underaged hens in the aviary on the loose where two pairs are breeding with nestboxes ?

20 minutes is the general amount of time a hen can be off eggs and them not go cold.

 

Are there other birds in the aviary ? As often in colony breeding others can stop a hen returning to her nestbox.

 

Moulting can mean she is unwell and can cause her to lose interest. What colour is her cere ? and has there been any changes in seed or food that can have forced her to moult ?

Thank's Kaz, We have 2 nest box's on shelf, opaline and one other pair, mum sitting on 6 eggs, no problem's there and two hens, (underage) loose in aviary.Other cages are inside aviary but birds are caged. Opaline and mate seem o.k she just leaves box for a fair while and only goes back for a few minutes and she's back out. It has been warm here last week or so, don't know if that has any bearing on it. She looked like she had a bit of bloody head, but it looks like pin feathers coming so thought moult? Cere is brown but she's still mating so, maybe it's just me.

 

 

Firstly... you should never have underaged hens in an avairy with nest boxes. You are asking for trouble there. As for the eggs in question, if she's in and out as you say, they may be no good. If she has blood on her head, she may have had a fight with someone trying to get back to her eggs and my not be scared to go back in?? If it were me, I'd candle the eggs to see where they're at, and if they look okay, I'd add some to the nestbox that already has eggs, and the others to the nestboxes in cages you have (if they have eggs too). Because they are soon hatch soon, I'd give it a go, but prepare for nothing... Good luck

Edited August 8, 200915 yr by maesie

I agree with Maesies advice. There should never be a time where underaged hens are anywhere near nestboxes. This will be your primary cause of a problem.

Eggs that were fertile and have gone off will show discolouration on the shell .........check for that. if they feel cold to the touch then they will be no good too. The fact that she is mating means she is going to try and start again. If she does she may choose the nestbox where the other hen is and then you will have bloodshed.

 

 

No bird should be breeding when moulting.

Edited August 8, 200915 yr by KAZ

20 minutes is the general amount of time a hen can be off eggs and them not go cold.

 

Are there other birds in the aviary ? As often in colony breeding others can stop a hen returning to her nestbox.

 

Moulting can mean she is unwell and can cause her to lose interest. What colour is her cere ? and has there been any changes in seed or food that can have forced her to moult ?

Thank's Kaz, We have 2 nest box's on shelf, opaline and one other pair, mum sitting on 6 eggs, no problem's there and two hens, (underage) loose in aviary.Other cages are inside aviary but birds are caged. Opaline and mate seem o.k she just leaves box for a fair while and only goes back for a few minutes and she's back out. It has been warm here last week or so, don't know if that has any bearing on it. She looked like she had a bit of bloody head, but it looks like pin feathers coming so thought moult? Cere is brown but she's still mating so, maybe it's just me.

 

 

So you have two underaged hens in the aviary on the loose where two pairs are breeding with nestboxes ?

Yep, but not causing any problems.

Yep, but not causing any problems.

 

The fact there are nestboxes makes them want to breed earlier. They shouldnt be in there with nestboxes. They may even be stopping the hen from returning to her nestbox.

Edited August 8, 200915 yr by KAZ

20 minutes is the general amount of time a hen can be off eggs and them not go cold. Are there other birds in the aviary ? As often in colony breeding others can stop a hen returning to her nestbox. Moulting can mean she is unwell and can cause her to lose interest. What colour is her cere ? and has there been any changes in seed or food that can have forced her to moult ?

Thank's Kaz, We have 2 nest box's on shelf, opaline and one other pair, mum sitting on 6 eggs, no problem's there and two hens, (underage) loose in aviary.Other cages are inside aviary but birds are caged. Opaline and mate seem o.k she just leaves box for a fair while and only goes back for a few minutes and she's back out. It has been warm here last week or so, don't know if that has any bearing on it. She looked like she had a bit of bloody head, but it looks like pin feathers coming so thought moult? Cere is brown but she's still mating so, maybe it's just me.

Firstly... you should never have underaged hens in an avairy with nest boxes. You are asking for trouble there. As for the eggs in question, if she's in and out as you say, they may be no good. If she has blood on her head, she may have had a fight with someone trying to get back to her eggs and my not be scared to go back in?? If it were me, I'd candle the eggs to see where they're at, and if they look okay, I'd add some to the nestbox that already has eggs, and the others to the nestboxes in cages you have (if they have eggs too). Because they are soon hatch soon, I'd give it a go, but prepare for nothing... Good luck

Hi Maesie, thanks but as we have only 14 birds at the moment 8 are paired in cage's, the two pair on shelf in aviary leaving two loose birds one of which we thought was a cock but it turns out both are hens. One was being a pest but is okay now. There are no other cock birds in aviary only the two paired one's.Neither loose hen is showing any interest in an empty nest box or the cock birds, and vice versa. Other cages have 6 eggs 2 chicks, 6 eggs, 6 eggs, 5 eggs and shelf has 6 so didn't want to add any more to them. Will Candle eggs and see how I go from there. many thanks.

I agree with Maesies advice. There should never be a time where underaged hens are anywhere near nestboxes. This will be your primary cause of a problem. Eggs that were fertile and have gone off will show discolouration on the shell .........check for that. if they feel cold to the touch then they will be no good too. The fact that she is mating means she is going to try and start again. If she does she may choose the nestbox where the other hen is and then you will have bloodshed. No bird should be breeding when moulting.

Opaline wasn't moulting before she got to pair up with her mate, the only available one left. I didn't think she was in breeding condition until things started happening but they paired up and settled into box on shelf, so we left them to it she's got 5 eggs at the moment. Will try the candle trick and see if I can tell from that. thank's again. Robyn