I also have 2 cats that think they're dogs and one jokster of a ferret.I am by no means a breeder, but you can't tell my birds that because they don't care! Since then I have spent countless hours online reading up on how to successfully bring these eggs up so that they might become sweet, healthy and happy little balls of feathers. But there are just some things those sites don't cover and thats why I need all of you. In everything I've read from your posts, you are more educated that many vets I've met. So hopefully I can make some new friends and learn more with all of you!
My female CJ and my male Buddy mated on June 17th (to my horror, I've done everything I can to keep the cage from turning into a "nestable" place. I respect breeders for what they do) and she laid her first egg on June 21. I read that it is supposed to be 7 to 10 days before they lay eggs so, was this too soon? Is there a chance that it affected the babies or are they just super fertile? She has since laid 6 eggs, generally 1 every other day (one was laid with a shell so thin it immediately broke open and it looks like one got a bit crushed and is no longer alive.) I've candled the remaining 4 and they seem to be healthy, no red rings. Both Buddy and CJ are sitting on them in turns and have been doing wonderfully but I am wondering if this is taking too much of a toll on their bodies. They have both become constipated (or are at least not going to the bathroom very often at all). It started with CJ a week ago, and I figured that it was just from having a couple remaining eggs in her and that they hold it for long periods of time because they are in the nest. But now the consistancy has changed and it looks like there are no eggs left in her and she is still doing it. A week ago CJ went without any stool or urine for over 55 hours (and when she did, it was projectile dark green peasoup consistancy out the side of the cage. I made sure to thank her for that mess.) Since then they both only have one stool a day, hers are huge and very watery and the scent is absolutely horrid. It is sour and lingering. His don't have much of a scent but they are looser and larger than normal. They have a 50/50 diet of pellets and seed (One bowl of each, though they prefer the seed) and dried fruits and greens. They don't seems to much like the dried fruits, greens or egg (hard boiled and scrambled I've tried) I have tried providing them with, though CJ loves plain Cheerios (I only allow her 2 or 3 a day a couple days a week). Is there something else I should be adding to their diet that is causing their stool to be like this?
Also, any tips or further information on what else I should be doing or help on what lies ahead would be welcome with open arms. I'm nervous about this entire process and want to make sure I do it right, for the babies and parents sake. They deserve it!
PS. For anyone in the Massachusetts/Rhode Island Area, do you have a Avian vet you reccomend? I currently have Dr. Greg Mertz ("The Odd Pet Vet") as my birdy doctor but was hoping for a few options incase he is on vacation or unavailable should an emergency arise. Having a couple vets on hand never hurts.
Thank you for reading my mini novel and I can't wait to get to know you all!!
). All I can say is that it takes about 2 or so days for an egg to be created, so the egg would have needed to be fertilized at least on the 19th or before. If it was not fertilized the egg will not hatch. In order to find out whether or not the eggs are fertilized, you need to candle them [use a flashlight or pen light, holding it up to the large end of the egg] about 5-7 days after incubation [sitting tightly] of the eggs. Fertile eggs will have red veins, and as the chick grows, an orange dot that turns red and grows larger to fill the inside of the egg. If an egg is not fertile, leave it. Otherwise, the hen might try to replace the egg and could cause more stress to her body than need be.
