Candling Lovebirds Eggs - is there more than two "results" of baby and no baby !

[Feathery Mom]

I am not trying to breed my lovebirds right now. But I have done it successfully in the past.

What happened was that my hen laid eggs on the metal grate floor, and semi-took interest in caring for them.

Today is the fourth and final egg's DAY 23, so if anything is going to happen I would think it is either going to happen any moment, or not at all.

The thing is that I candled the eggs about four days ago. That's when I found one was dented and hollow probably from the lovebirds jumping on them. (A few times I seen them) Two eggs were dark with no signs of blood vessels with zero transparency, and the fourth egg was liquidy inside, with no really sign of a baby. These eggs would of been all around 20 days old.

Can someone please tell me what the liquidy 20 day egg one means ?

Thank-you.

[luvbird22]

I'm no expert at this but I'm pretty sure that the liquidy egg was infertile. I'm not sure about the other two dark ones though...

[Dayna]

If they turn dark and never hatch, that is dead in shell. Generally there is a reason for DIS. Such as bacteria or not incubating properly. Dead in shell can happen at any time after fertilization.

[Monica]

It may also take a while for some eggs to hatch longer than others... but after 1-2 weeks after they are due to hatch, and they don't, then they are more than likely dead in shell...

[CrazyBirdLady]

Here is a link that shows a fairly simple way of seeing if an egg is fertile, infertile or DIS http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/B...1958/eggs.html

Average incubation time for lovebirds (peachfaces, fischers and masks) is about 21-24 days. Please remember that incubation often doesn't begin until the second or third egg is laid. Going by your description, it does not sound like anything is viable in the eggs. However, with that said, we have been fooled by a lovebird before and I'd allow the eggs at least a week after their expected due date before thinking of removing. If the liquidy egg appears yellow, with no viens at all, it's infertile. Let the eggs sit until the hen loses interest in them...which should be in the next week or so.