Marigold is chewing the nest box.

She was in almost all day today.

Not sure if Marigold is going to lay an egg, she has been in all morning.

Not sure if Marigold is going to lay an egg, she has been in all morning.

Has she got egg bum?

Sorry, I meant today. Yes she has I think.

Marigold did a huge poo while I was watching.

I haven't checked in the nesting box today, will do.

OMG!! Marigold has laid an egg!

OMG!! Marigold has laid an egg!

brilliant news !!!!!

Thanks!! I thought they don't sit until the second egg has been laid? Marigold is sitting now.

Hi Ratsy, Just started reading your post. Great news about your first egg. Now don't get tooo... anxious about things just let Mum and Dad do their thing. I know it's very exciting but you have to be patient. She should lay every 2 days or so but as it's your first clutch? (I think) try not to be overly intrusive. Make sure you keep your records, dates etc. so you'll have an idea when first chick is due. Good luck with it all and keep posting with any problems. . Your off on your breeding adventure.

Thanks!! Don't worry about me being overly anxious about Marigold, I think it's my brother you have to worry about!

Yes it is my first time breeding, though not my first attempt. When I was eight I had a go and I had a fake egg in the nesting box and my hen went in and I got excited until I peeked into the box with her inside. She was kind of playing soccer with it! It is Marigold's first time too I think.

She's sitting now. She has come out a few times since she laid the egg, but only briefly. Do they normally sit right away?

She's sitting now. She has come out a few times since she laid the egg, but only briefly. Do they normally sit right away?

Some do, some wait until a few have been lain. Remember - only check the nest box once in the morning and once in late afternoon MAXIMUM! :rip:

Yep! I came in a few minutes after she layed and she looked pretty worn out. She doesn't have such a pronounced eggnancy now but it's still there. How many will she probably lay? I was doing the food and water and I looked through the hole of the nesting box and a little white round thing was lying beside Marigold. Skye mostly feeds Marigold through the nesting box hole.

Edited January 27, 201015 yr by Ratzy

Yep! I came in a few minutes after she layed and she looked pretty worn out. She doesn't have such a pronounced eggnancy now but it's still there. How many will she probably lay? I was doing the food and water and I looked through the hole of the nesting box and a little white round thing was lying beside Marigold. Skye mostly feeds Marigold through the nesting box hole.

How many eggs is usually directly related to how old the hen is ... younger hens tend to lay more eggs ... but every hen is an individual so only time will tell how many Marigold lays - and how many are fertile :rip:

Thanks! anyway, will update if there are more eggs. Gotta go to bed now.

Congratulations on your first egg! I know how excited you must be!

Yep! Thanks.

Will I probably get another egg tommorow? My Dad wanted to know how the embryo would stay alive if the hen doesn't sit until the second egg is layed, I need the answer to this one quickly, so I can tell Dad.

Marigold has come out for a stretch this morning. The cockatiel tries to get through the cage divider because he thinks that their carrot tops are much better. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr. He is just a baby though.

Will I probably get another egg tommorow? My Dad wanted to know how the embryo would stay alive if the hen doesn't sit until the second egg is layed, I need the answer to this one quickly, so I can tell Dad.

Fertile eggs only start to develop once the hen starts incubating the eggs, ie. sitting or brood behaviour, they need they constant warmth to do so. :laughter:

Thankyou for that renee.

Also an egg stays in limbo until constant incubation has begun. An egg can be fine for a week to ten days or so before incubation.

A lot of people mistake the female going into the box to lay each egg with her incubating and getting on and off again and then they panic and think an egg needs warmth when it hasnt even begun to be incubated. They usually incubate once half a clutch is laid...around egg number three or so. :laughter:

Thanks! Marigold is constantly incubating at the moment, I think another egg is due today. For the first time, this morning I caught them in what looked like a successful mating position. I was getting a bit worried that none of the eggs would be fertile, since I hadn't seen them mating before.