When to check or remove eggs

[Jamm972]

Animalzoo I had 2 separate clutches. 1 clutch only 1 egg was viable. it hatched yesterday. Now I want to get past the 3 to 4 day mark. So far I'm observing good behavior from the hen the dad. When I candled the egg it looked completely dark, but this was just under a light. I didn't see an air sack or veins.

On the other clutch I seen what looked like a dark bottom and an air pocket. But I don't think what was inside survived, I to am going to wait an additional 4 days to make sure.

I do know with canary eggs. If you candle them with a flash light small enough or an led light. if it is not fertile it will be clear and light up like a light bulb that is colored. the light will flow through the egg evenly, and you may see a small speckle of where the yoke is. I know about the unfertile part from the last 5 years when they laid eggs but weren't in pairs. they were separated.

This is my first attempt at pairing and breeding, and from what I have researched, and was told from others there are many stages. from procreation, to incubation to hatching. Incubation being the longest and hardest to determine. Some eggs may have been fertile and shown signs of fertility but may have died in the process of being incubated.

As far as it being to early that can be another issue. I wouldn't give up just yet. it just means the hen or the male was not ready to mate yet. Chances are their second clutch will come out better because its more in season.

It is always sad to see they are not fertile and viable eggs, I think we take it more emotionally then the birds do.... lol This being a hobby I was just excited to have just 1 hatch, it made me a proud breeder that I am in the right direction to doing something right. We learn from our mistakes and or add to our personal experiences and knowledge and pass it along.

Please keep me posted, I take stories and advice to heart and mix it with my own. its always good to hear what worked and didn't work with others.

I don't have a specialty with becoming a breeder, but I am more fond of breeding crested canaries. they catch my eye the most. Problem is they are more of an advanced species, than a regular song canary. One thing I do know is cant breed crested with crested cause there is a 75 % to 100% chance that all babies will be born dead

My first hatchling was with a dominant white hen and a crested fancy.

Hope to hear how your next few days work out for you. and the suggested incubation is 14 days but some eggs take 16 days depending on when the hen starts the full incubation period.

[Animalzoo]

Jamm972

I took advantage this afternoon when the hen hopped off the nest so I took it out and into a dark room with a small torch to candle the eggs. I think 1 is fertile but the other 3 were clear with a visible yolk. The hen got straight back on the nest straight away. phew.

I'm breeding as a hobby too and new to canaries but I also have hookbills and finches. Diet and environment is part of the day-to-day for me. What is new is their separation, males and females and how to bond them. I have 4 pairs in total, they are just the normal singing variety but I chose mosaics and reds. I love the look of the crested mutation and might get one at some point to breed with my flock. I know not to breed with another crested head so for now it's limited space in my bird room stopping me.

I have another hen with 3 eggs, with the 4th due tomorrow and the other 2 pairs have just about finished building their nests. It's exciting.

[Jamm972]

Animalzoo keep me posted we can learn together I'm taking pics of my new chick daily. will post them tomorrow after work.

[Jamm972]

So I'm getting worried about about the baby chick. The hen keeps getting off the nest. and I checked on the baby chick twice today and it don't appear to be moving. Will the hen expel the baby chick from the nest if it dies? I am hoping that it is just sleeping. The hen don't stay off the nest and the baby chick for to long but still am a little concerned.

Any advice anybody has?

[adoumski]

Animalzoo I usually move the light a bit around the egg, but i noticed that infertile egg let light through easily, so it became obvious they are not fertile.

@Jamm972 some of my birds heatched eggs at 13 days incubation last year. And some people have had eggs hatch at 19 days. It depends on how tightly the hen is sitting on them i think.

[adoumski]

Jamm972 your baby looks just fine to me from the pictures, nice and fluffy.
At this age they dont move alot, they spend their time sleeping till they are about 14 days.

My advice is too worry less

[Animalzoo]

Jamm972
My fertile egg hatched today! YAY

I'm not convinced any more will come from this clutch but one is always special. I've watched the male feed the hen and she has hopped off a few times to eat so I assume she is feeding the chick but I can't be sure.

Another pair have laid their 4th egg today and another laid their 1st. Its all go.

Question, the couple who laid their 4th today are sharing incubation. Is this normal? I've noticed this male doesn't sing and when he was on the nest he seemed to ask the hen for food. If this was a hen, would she just sit back and let the other one build the nest and then help incubation? The breeder I got the birds from said it was a male bird so I have to assume it is a He!

[Animalzoo]

Jamm972

My little chick is still going ok? Yay!



Couple 2 now has 4 eggs - ooooh
Couple 3 now have 2 eggs - its go go go

How are yours getting on?

[Jamm972]

Animalzoo I didn't have any success in my first clutches with both pairs. the 2 eggs weren't fertile and with the other clutch the baby hatched but didn't make it through the night:9 it was very sad. But the Hen didn't let it upset her. She plopped it out of the nest and started inticing the male to go another round. I threw in some fresh nesting material, she added it to her current nest and is not getting ready to lay more eggs I hope. Keeping fingers crossed. I removed the 2 unfertile eggs from the other pair. So it might take a few days for the hen to realize there is nothing there and to start again. I'm debating on taking out the nest she made and giving her fresh nesting materials or just let her sit on the nest until she is ready for clutch #2.

I have 2 other pairs that are getting ready they have their nests built and are sitting in the nests not as often as the other 2. I just hope they accepted the males for mating and will have a few babies from it. I'm still trying to tweek their diets. I feel I am wasting a lot of seed and added nutrients for breeding season. Still waiting on advice from other members about their diets in another topic post I have.

Hows that 1 baby doing that you took a pic of? any more pics? when my eggs hatch I'm going to try to take a pic daily to see how fast they grow and change. so I can monitor how healthy they are or f something is going wrong. Right now its all about educating myself and personal experience.

[debbie276]

The thing with diet is it can be very complicated or very simple, depends on what works for you. Most of us just don't have the time during the week and will do special treats on the weekend. During the week it's simply seed, some hard boiled egg and greens.
It's been a while since I've had canaries but the lighting is very important. Too little length of daylight and they will not come into breeding mode. If your males seem a bit slow to respond you might want to check how long the lights are on.
Over weight birds will also not be able to properly mate so the eggs would not be all fertile. This is where diet comes into play and how much exercise they have.

Good luck sorting out what you need to tweak. We've all been there, it's time consuming but rewarding in the end.

[Animalzoo]

Jamm972

My little baby is doing well. It's head is now wobbling in the air with a wide open beak asking for food and mum is on duty for this at the moment. She hops off the nest infrequently so I don't often get the chance to see it. I just need my phone handy when she does hop off so I can sneak a quick picture.

Couple 2 has 5 eggs
Couple 3 has 4 eggs
Couple 4 has 1 egg

I have males singing all over the place and hens sitting tight. It's quite cute.

[Animalzoo]

Looking well fed today!!



This is the mum.



and an update on what I reported earlier....

Couple 2 has 5 eggs



Couple 3 has 4 eggs
I'm particularly excited about the colours outcome as they are very pretty parents. The father has red eyes!



Couple 4 has 2 eggs

[debbie276]

Wonderful pictures!
Thanks for sharing

[Jamm972]

Animalzoo thanks for the pics and the update. I haven't had any new eggs as of yet. I am debating on removing the old nest from the 2 that just had a clutch or just leaving their old nest there. Some people say its less stress to keep old nest others say it lets the hen know time for a new clutch and also stimulates the make to show him she is ready for more.
I am hoping that as the middle of march hits I will start seeing eggs again. I just think the 1st 2 clutches were to soon.

[Animalzoo]

Couple 2 has 5 eggs
Couple 3 has 5 eggs
Couple 4 has 3 eggs

......and the baby has had a growth spurt. He's looking lurverly but I didn't get a picture today. Will try again tomorrow.