# Ring Neck dove eggs Infertile or Fertile?



## Larka (Aug 3, 2008)

My Pair of doves laid their first pair of eggs a week or so ago. But I candled them and I'm *100 percent* sure that they are infertile, But before I threw them out I wanted a second opinion. Below are 4 photos of both eggs. One marked "Black" The other "Green" This is my first time with doves and breeding them as well. I think the Infertility has something to do with it being their first pair.

"Black" Egg







Natural light








Candled

"Green" Egg







Natural Light








Candled


(Apologies for the poor image quality)

But I am 100 percent sure they will not hatch, due to the lack of blood vessels and a "bubble" in the egg.

How can I get rid of them without making the female stressed? I heard you could let her continue to sit on them, but that could take weeks ( And the eggs already are beginning to smell..) . If I was to remove the nest and eggs all together would they mate again or would she be shell shocked? Any information concerning this would be fantastic. Thanks guys. D:


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Please do let her continue to sit on the eggs. Her body clock will let her know they aren't going to hatch and she will abandon them then.
We always recommend letting birds complete the cycle, although most often with wooden eggs.


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## Larka (Aug 3, 2008)

Right then. What if I don't have any wooden eggs what else would be a good false egg? How long will it take for her to realize that they won't hatch? 

(And I guess that is a yes to the Infertile question?)


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

If you want the babies....Then let her set for the full term...if they hatch...great...if not then she will have gone full cycle and she will desert them and start all over. In the meantime order dummy eggs from a supply place so you will have them for the next time.


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## Larka (Aug 3, 2008)

little bird said:


> If you want the babies....Then let her set for the full term...if they hatch...great...if not then she will have gone full cycle and she will desert them and start all over. In the meantime order dummy eggs from a supply place so you will have them for the next time.


Well Yeah.. naturally I would want the babies if they hatched.. But like I said, its been a week or more and there are no blood vessels, I made this thread for a second opinion (which I have not yet received. :| ) on the fact if they are infertile or not, even if I am 100 percent sure. But I will not remove the eggs until I'm sure they are. 

I'm going to a taxidermy shop that sells fake eggs for displays. I'm sure they can help me out with this "fake-egg" issue. And By the time I would receive the order if I did order them from a shop, she would probably have lost interest (being 2 or so weeks later possibly) . So no real point there D:


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Well my opinion is that they are infertile. At 10 days there should be a little more sign than that. But like the others said, it's good to let her sit on the eggs for about a week more to end the natural cycle. It helps prevent stress on the parents.
Also, did you mark those eggs with a marker when they were laid, or just now to show us which is which?
Oh and if you can't get any fake eggs right away, just leave the ones she has now. It can't hurt anything, you just have to hope it doesn't get broken. That makes things a little nasty.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Larka said:


> Well Yeah.. naturally I would want the babies if they hatched.. But like I said, its been a week or more and there are no blood vessels, I made this thread for a second opinion (which I have not yet received. :| ) on the fact if they are infertile or not, even if I am 100 percent sure. But I will not remove the eggs until I'm sure they are.
> 
> I'm going to a taxidermy shop that sells fake eggs for displays. I'm sure they can help me out with this "fake-egg" issue. And By the time I would receive the order if I did order them from a shop, she would probably have lost interest (being 2 or so weeks later possibly) . So no real point there D:


Larka, the eggs look infertile to me too. Just leave the eggs until she walks away from them. Order some fake eggs. If you order them tomorrow, you will have then in plenty of time for the next time you need them. 
You can also take one egg at a time, boil it and let it cool and give it back to her. She'll never miss one egg. If the shop you spoke of has eggs the right size, then that will be fine........but you don't want chicken size eggs.


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Every single one of us has a few babies in our lofts that we were CERTAIN were not going to hatch. Sitting the full cycle is always best. I'm certain you have infertile eggs though. Wait a while and try again. Of course one breeder I know of just loads vitamins into the water of the hen including liquid calcium, tosses those stinky eggs and lets them get to it right away. He says there is no damage done, but I don't think he has any hens over the age of 10 either. Long term, we just don't know if the vitamin loading and calcium loading method is really safe and healthy for the hen. I guess it's ok if you really want babies and only do it this once.


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