lovebird eggs

[patti]

Hi. My name is Patti. I have a question for anyone who can help me on lovebirds. I have a breeding pair of lovebirds. Their laying on eggs and it seems to me that the eggs should be hatching by now. Since I am new on the lovebird hatching I would like to know if anyone knows how long it takes them to hatch. I would also like to know when it would be suitable to take one from mother to make it a personal pet , so that I may take it around with me ,ect . places outside of home , car rides. Thanks for any help and advice. One more thing does anyone know how to tell a sex of lovebirds without taking them to the vet , around here their Real High.

[crazeemama]

I think the incubation period is around 21 days. The eggs are not llayed at on time, i think it is 1 or 2 about every other day. So they won't all hatch at the exact same time.
Personally, I leave them until the hen tosses them out. This can be a short period or rather long. You may find them particularly fiesty at this period regarding cage maintenance. It is a very stressful time for the birds.
Many times, if you take the eggs, the birds will go back into breeding mode immediately. In my case, this is not dsesirable.
As for sexing I use Avian Biotech. www.avianbiotech.com
get the special cards/packets and follow the directions and mail it back to the company with the 20.00 (approximately).Be very sure you follow the directions exactly and donot contaminate the samples. Alot of vets also use avianbiotech, but they charge 80 bucks to do the same thing!
Good Luck.

[Jenny]

Hi Patti, Have you checked to see if the eggs are fertile? Also do you know the date the first egg was layed? About sexing, if they're a breeding pair you've obviously got a male and a female, do you just not know which is which? On making a lovebird a "personal pet", if you're not well educated on hand feeding and don't have another very experienced breeder around to show and teach you how, you have to let the parents finish feeding and weanign the birds themselves. If you are around the babies alot and handle them when the hen will let you (probably not until they are leaving the nest box on their own), they will in time get used to human interaction and be tame.

[patti]

Hi I do know that it is about time for them to start hatching , I'm sure that it has been about 21 days . I have two singles that I put together and their doing fine.Them are the ones I want to see which is which.

[Jenny]

Oh, I see! Yes, you can get them sexed yourself through a company like Crazee said or call around to vet clinics, some won't charge nearly $80.

[patti]

I think $80 is just way to much to have a bird sexed. I have heard of this inexact science that a person can do by themselves at home if one knows how to . Has anyone ever heard of the pelvic exam ? Can anyone tell me how to do this?I will see what the vets coast is , most of them here are real high priced.

[birdcrazee2]

Patti, the pelvic exam really doesn't work that great. You have to be VERY experienced and a lot of times even the most experienced breeders do it wrong. Tomorrow I will bring my planner and post an address where you can send a feather (yep, just a feather, no blood) and they will sex it for you. It's $5 just for the sexing (be sure to add contact info so they can tell you) or $7 if you want a certificate. The price is per bird. It takes a lot longer than avianbiotech BUT I figure it saves you at least $15 if not more and is worth the wait for the price it costs! Again, I will post this address tomorrow. :o

[Jenny]

Wow birdcrazee I'm definitely interested in that as well... Have you used that company for any of your birds?

[birdcrazee2]

I've used it for all of mine :) They're great and they're very very nice too! Oh, wait haha I can post it now. I'll post it under General Birds or whatever. I have my planner yay haha.