# Fertile egg not hatching, past 21 days



## Tbas (Jun 12, 2014)

I have a feral pair nesting one egg on my balcony.

They made a nest on my neighbor's balcony about a month ago, I had to move the nest back to my balcony, and when I did, they didn't return to the eggs and worked on a new clutch. The new clutch had one deflated egg I believe because lack of calcium.

So now, this one egg, which I thought was not fertile seems to be. I check on the egg, don't see anything, and then placed it on my palm and felt it pumping like a heart beat which was very cool.

They have been sitting on the egg now past 21 days, and now the hen sometimes leaves the nest, not long though.

Is the baby having a hard time hatching because of the lack of calcium? Do parents they sit on the egg when it is ready to be hatched?

How and when should I help and what to look out for?


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

I think the egg is not going to hatch. Have you candle the egg now to see if the baby has formed?
The parents might know the egg is done so the hen leaves the egg for sometime and sits back again. This is how they abandon eggs.


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## Tbas (Jun 12, 2014)

When I put a flash light on it the egg seemed dark, but looking closely it seems I see some yellow there. 

I felt the heartbeat pumping when I held the egg, so something is in there and alive.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Can you post a pic while candling the egg with flash light? If it seems completely dark, it may hatch within a day or two.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Ya dont assume that it has been the 21 days, as they lay, they usually dont start to incubate until the second egg is hatched as much as 3 days after the first, so ur calculations may be off, do you see ANY movement when u candle, you should see both black dark and some red blood veins and a diagonal line inside the fat end which is the air sac, if internally pipped it will be broken, also do you see any crack marks at about the halfway mark of the egg, if so, then the chick is cracking its way out. Have a look but dont keep picking up or moving the egg, it disorients the chick. Just put the flashlight on egg on the fat end where it sits. Let us konw. Also be prepared to help out if the parents DO abandon before it hatches.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Tbas said:


> When I put a flash light on it the egg seemed dark, but looking closely it seems I see some yellow there.
> 
> I felt the heartbeat pumping when I held the egg, so something is in there and alive.


The squab could be cracking out anytime if you hear his heartbeat which is the sound he might be making with his beak trying to crack out of the shell.
Do let us know what happens next!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Tbas said:


> I have a feral pair nesting one egg on my balcony.
> 
> They made a nest on my neighbor's balcony about a month ago, I had to move the nest back to my balcony, and when I did, they didn't return to the eggs and worked on a new clutch. The new clutch had one deflated egg I believe because lack of calcium.
> 
> ...


The worst advice would be to candle an egg that is ready to hatch. Waiting it out is safe and non intrusive. Either they will hatch or they won't, candling does not make them hatch. There are too many reasons for eggs not to hatch, one being they are not fertilized in the first place.


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## Tbas (Jun 12, 2014)

The egg wasn't fertile, I guess it was the wind that threw me off.

They weren't sitting on the egg anymore so I just took it, candled it, saw nothing, cracked it and it was only yolk which I then fed it to other feral pigeons.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

spirit wings said:


> *The worst advice would be to candle an egg that is ready to hatch. *Waiting it out is safe and non intrusive. Either they will hatch or they won't, candling does not make them hatch. There are too many reasons for eggs not to hatch, one being they are not fertilized in the first place.


Have to agree with this comment. Being too intrusive will cause many problems. Just watch things and let them run their course.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Tbas said:


> The egg wasn't fertile, I guess it was the wind that threw me off.
> 
> They weren't sitting on the egg anymore so I just took it, candled it, saw nothing, cracked it and it was only yolk which I then fed it to other feral pigeons.


Shouldn't be feeding it to other ferals. You don't know that the parents of that egg weren't carrying anything.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Tbas said:


> The egg wasn't fertile, I guess it was the wind that threw me off.
> 
> They weren't sitting on the egg anymore so I just took it, candled it, saw nothing, cracked it and it was only yolk which I then fed it to other feral pigeons.


Sorry about that! I knew it in my heart as I said in my first post but then... ok

There are plenty more to come


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

I don't think there is any harm in candling if we don't touch the egg. Even within the nest if we get the flash light close to it, we can know it easily. Doing it daily may be a problem but after 21 days when the chances of hatching are less, no harm in doing so once but without touching or letting it out because some eggs may get delayed in hatching .


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

What is the purpose of candling at that point? It will either hatch or it won't. Is it so hard to wait?


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

What is the purpose of candling at any point of time? Eggs will either hatch or wouldn't...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If you are having trouble with birds eggs being fertile, than you may want to know in the beginning, if you are trying to get babies from them. If someone breeding finds that eggs have not been fertilized, then they could try again right away, rather than waiting almost 3 weeks to find out.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

From the first post of this thread as hen started to leave nest which seemed to abandon the egg Tbas got worried and tried to check the fertility. So if it is done once without harming the egg, without letting it out I still don't think there was any problem. May times we adopt measures out of curiosity, main concern should be not to harm anyone.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I'm not arguing with you. Everyone is different. I just wouldn't interfere is all. If they are leaving the nest, and it has been that long since egg is layed, then it probably isn't going to hatch. I would accept that and not over worry it. What good is candling the egg going to do? If they are not sitting on it, what are you then going to do? And most don't candle with the egg in nest. Most are going to take it out to do that. Many have dropped eggs that way. I have songbirds in my yard, and on occasion, for one reason or another, they will abandon the nest. I just accept that without trying to interfere is all.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Even me too don't interfere in my birds life and rarely candle any egg. 
But as Tbas was worried it was a way to check because I thought no harm in candling it if done in proper way. I would never suggest to let it out and to touch it even.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Why worry? When nothing you can do to fix it? Sometimes acceptance is needed. Worry about the things that you can do something about. There is enough like that to worry about. Why borrow trouble? Just the way I look at things. If I can do something to fix something okay. If not, then just let it go. I think that is something learned with time, and life experiences.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

May be. By experience and time I have been a bit negative too but not hopeless at all. 
Well in this case if i see parents abandoning the egg and find it fertile, I will try to incubate and hatch it as there is a life in it which should be given a chance to live rather left to be dead. I will try my best even if I know it is hard to raise them from day 1 but I would try my best and wouldn't give up. There are other things people can do like they can keep it under foster parents etc. So why not to think for options if there is any ray of hope.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Unless you have birds, and a pair that will foster it, as not all can, if the timing isn't right, and the poster doesn't have birds. When a person tries to raise one from day one, too much can go wrong. Often times the baby suffers, and dies anyway. Putting him through that isn't best for the bird. Not doing it is often kinder. Some times what we perceive as kind, really isn't. Thinking about what is best for the animal, or what isn't is sometimes difficult.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

So we should let him die abandoned and not to try even?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Kiddy, same line of reasoning as in other recent posts about similar issues. People have different philosophies. I'd try too. Not everyone sees this the same way though. I'd try to help if it were me but I'm a hopeless optimist.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

cwebster said:


> Kiddy, same line of reasoning as in other recent posts about similar issues. People have different philosophies. I'd try too. Not everyone sees this the same way though. I'd try to help if it were me but I'm a hopeless optimist.


Yes you are right. I think I am wrong. Just one problem I can't see anyone dying helplessly/hopelessly and that's too bad about me. 
I can't see their abandoned faces, I can't tolerate their pain, I treat them like myself but yes may be they are not.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Kiddy, I love that about you, that you try and you care. You're not wrong, you just empathize like I do.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I empathize too. I care about Gods creatures. We all should. That I say that sometimes interfering isn't what is best for the animal doesn't mean that I don't. But I have seen needless suffering that they often go through because well intentioned people, who care and only try to help, have made it worse for the animal. Is that doing what is best for them? I know you want to help if you can, but do you not also see the other side? Sometimes it is better to just go swiftly and peacefully, rather than dragging it out and being put through more suffering, and then often dying anyway. To be able to make a decision that is truly in the interest of the animal, you really need to be able to look at both sides of the picture. And that can be difficult for some. But in not doing that, I think you are not being fair to the animal. You empathize with an animal about dying, but what about suffering caused to him from us trying to keep that from happening.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

cwebster said:


> Kiddy, I love that about you, that you try and you care. You're not wrong, you just empathize like I do.



Thanks  at least we think alike...


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> I empathize too. I care about Gods creatures. We all should. That I say that sometimes interfering isn't what is best for the animal doesn't mean that I don't. But I have seen needless suffering that they often go through because well intentioned people, who care and only try to help, have made it worse for the animal. Is that doing what is best for them? I know you want to help if you can, but do you not also see the other side? Sometimes it is better to just go swiftly and peacefully, rather than dragging it out and being put through more suffering, and then often dying anyway. To be able to make a decision that is truly in the interest of the animal, you really need to be able to look at both sides of the picture. And that can be difficult for some. But in not doing that, I think you are not being fair to the animal. You empathize with an animal about dying, but what about suffering caused to him from us trying to keep that from happening.



Well don't want to go into this again because I have understood if one forms something in mind, it is kind of unchangeable. Just say one thing, if I see one side that is try to help, you too think only other side that they will be sufferers and never survive with that help, tho if some suffer because of people like me, some survive too and not always die. Sorry to say but it is hopeless approach you talk about.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

kiddy said:


> Well don't want to go into this again because I have understood if one forms something in mind, it is kind of unchangeable. Just say one thing, *if I see one side that is try to help, you too think only other side that they will be sufferers and never survive with that help,* tho if some suffer because of people like me, some survive too and not always die. Sorry to say but it is hopeless approach you talk about.



Your wrong Kiddy. I don't see only one side. I try to look at both sides. And sometimes interceding in one way is better, sometimes not. Sometimes helping the animal to go peacefully is kinder. And it is still helping the animal. Each case is different. That is what some people don't consider. But you can't understand what I'm saying, because you really believe that always trying to save everything, no matter what the cost to that animal, is what is right. What you don't see is that sometimes the cost is too high to that animal. Lets just agree to disagree.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

I would love to be wrong if you see both the sides, even me too try to see. I am a beginner with no experience so I can't happily disagree with you but it is just my inclination is towards survival and your experience might lead you to against my inclination. And believe me when I say I didn't talk about all the cases, I had no other case in my mind , just assumed the case of an egg with a live chick inside which is near to hatch and abandoned. Nothing else I thought of posting in here. I was a bit surprised to understand if an experienced person can leave it like this so asked you again because I see people raise them from day 1 and are successful many times. Well I don't disagree with your opinion, everyone is right at his/her part. I am happy that I have a chance to learn from you.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If you stay on this site long enough, you will hear many stories, and see many things. Often when one tries to raise from day one, it goes horribly for the baby. Some of the things people do in the name of caring is amazing. Many times, things are done just to see if they can, with no care for the baby at all. Even for experienced people, raising from day one is difficult. For an inexperienced person, it is harder. So many things can go wrong. I know you think I am hard hearted, but you know nothing about me. The thing is to help without harming. Sometimes our help ends up harming more than helping. Sometimes knowing the difference is hard.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Oh I never ever found you hard hearted and of course I know just a little about you from your posts but still I am not that bad at judging people and so I tried to understand why you weren't willing to help a life inside an egg who hasn't seen light of day yet. Well I respect you and your thoughts and may be I can change my way of thinking by the time and experience if I stay here, if I am not too hurt to see some bad experiences and leave because of them. It has been in past twice that I wasn't willing to log in. So let's see what time teaches me, which is the best teacher I have ever seen.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Well I hope you are here a long time.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Well I like when you sound hopeful


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