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I recently bought two pair of lovebirds. One of the pairs had eggs in the nest box that the previous owner knew little about. I do not know when they were laid, so my husband and I candled them. They look as if they may be fertile. We have left them alone since then. What looked like embryos looked fairly big inside the eggs and there were fairly large air sacs with red coloring (and veins) below the air sacs.

My question is (I used to breed over 15 years ago, and the process is just coming back to me a little at a time) how long should I leave the eggs in the box NOT knowing how old they are, and I have been peeking through the crack of the door of the room they are in, and it seems like the pair are out a little more each day. Now, they go back in after eating, preening, and playing a bit, but are definatly out more than prior. Normal?

I am sure that the stress of the move for them was very great, but they have seemed to be in good health and sitting A LOT at first and even after we candled them! I have been making sure to feed fresh veggies, fruits, pellet food, seed and egg with lots of fresh water each day. We have a humidifier we run on the cooler days, and turn it off on the warmer and more humid days.

So, what do you all think? Leave them a while longer? We have had them only 1 week yesterday, but again, the eggs were already laid and in the box when we got them and my fear is that the babies may already be dead in the eggs.

Thanks to all in advance!!!

I've heard of pairs on eggs having to go through moves (one at least was VERY stressful), and still be able to successfully hatch the eggs. I'd say leave the eggs alone for 2-3 weeks. The eggs were probably 1-2 weeks old at least when you got them....

MFids wrote:I've heard of pairs on eggs having to go through moves (one at least was VERY stressful), and still be able to successfully hatch the eggs. I'd say leave the eggs alone for 2-3 weeks. The eggs were probably 1-2 weeks old at least when you got them....

Thank you so very much for your advice. Will do just that.