Please help

[pebo]

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum. I needed to find some help when I discovered eggs this afternoon that my lovebird laid. I have no idea what to do from here. I have two lovebirds and I was told that one is male and other female, but I know there is no real way to tell unless you do a DNA test. Clearly one is female. How do I know if the eggs are fertile? Can I handle them? They have a box, but didn't expect her to lay eggs and I want to provide the best possible environment for the chicks, so need all the help I can get.

Going to be needing lots of help over the next few months!

[Rivera]

I don´t kow about lovebirds, but with doves you shouldn´t touch the eggs or the doves get very hyper and they could actually break or refuse the eggs. Birds with eggs usually becore very protective of them, and even agressive, so you might want to give them some privacy.
Keep them away from extreme temperatures and try not to move the cage, or handle it as little as possible (just feed and clean without interfering with the eggs).
Also, look into a mineral and nutritional suppement.
We humans have no idea what to do with eggs, but usually the birds do, so trust them on this
G

[Florence]

Hi Pebo, welcome to the forum I am happy you joined us.

Since you are not sure whether you have two females or one female and one male, you cannot know if these eggs are fertile or not (and even when you have a mixed couple there is no guarantee they are fertile), so I would advise you to take G.'s advice. That is best

[Rivera]

If after a 3 weeks you have no bird babies, and the eggs start to stink (or if they start to stink earlier), then it´s pretty safe to say the eggs are not fertile, and you can remove them.
Now, just because the eggs are not fertile on this ocassion, it doesn´t mean you don´t have a couple, and they could have fertile eggs and the future. Neither does it mean that you do have a couple and you definetly WILL have fertile eggs in the future... so you just have to wait and see.
One way to kinda find out if they are a couple is if you start seeing them mate like crazy... that´s how I found out with my doves.
G

[pebo]

Thanks for your replies, to be honest I forgot to check back here, but I will do more now. I don't know much about birds but would like to learn.

So the eggs hatched. I see two chicks. They are so cute, I wish I could stare at them all day long, but I don't want to disturb them. I never touched it at all and they are doing a pretty good job looking after them as they are growing so fast. I don't want to disturb them too much so can't see if the other two eggs hatched or not. I will know shortly I guess.

I have been giving them vitamins in their water so I hope they will get everything they need.

[Florence]

Pebo, that is so sweet - little chicks {Love-0002011D}

[bad_danny]

I am new to the forum......<br><br>Post edited by: Florence, at: 2009/07/22 07:04

[Florence]

welcome. refrain from spamming though. thank you.