Help! When to remove eggs? Hen is losing feather
Moderator: Mods
Help! When to remove eggs? Hen is losing feather
Can someone please tell me when to remove the eggs of a ringneck and the nestbox? My female laid three eggs, she has been staying in the box night and day since 6th of March and now is really looking weak because she seldom comes out to eat. Her feathers on her breast a all falling out and I'm really worried about her. Two of the eggs are infertile, the third one is. My question is that if the hen is staying in the box since 6th of March does it mean that she has been incubating these eggs since then? Which implies that now it's over 30 days and we should be taking the eggs and the nestingbox? Or could she by any chance waited to incubate the eggs so there is still hope that the third egg will hatch? Please help me if you can because I'm really looking to take the eggs if they're not going to hatch so my female IRN can eat and gain back her strength!
I would leave the eggs in the nest for a little while longer. She is coming out to eat and drink and poop you just don't catch her doing so. The feathers missing from her chest is probably due to her pulling them out to line the nest. If the eggs never hatch then she will get tired of sitting on them and just abandon them then you are safe to take them. They usually don't start incubating them until the second or third egg is laid.
Donna
Donna
In Loving Memory
of one special husband and one special bird.
I miss you both
of one special husband and one special bird.
I miss you both
