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1 broken egg in nest. Remove it or not?

Yonads

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
12/17/18
Messages
18
I am not a breeder. I have a pair of lovebirds with a clutch of 5 eggs, the oldest egg is about 14 days .
One of the eggs broke and there is gook in its place. It is now in a messy spot on the date palm leaves (of which the nest was made).
But the mother is still sitting on the other 4 eggs all the time.
My gut reaction was to remove the gook - it is probably not very healthy and will soon be harmful.

But I thought, what happens in the wild? There is no human to come and clean up these things? Maybe there is some benefit nature has in store?

So, should I remove the mess of the 1 broken egg?
 

Mockinbirdiva

Cruising the avenue
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Andrea
Yes, I would remove the broken egg and any of the soiled nesting material. I would prepare a treat for the hen to come out to eat, block the entrance hole of the nest box so she can't go back in while you are cleaning it up. If you end up removing a good portion of the nesting material replace it with the same material. Make a note of how the eggs are in place and try to keep it the same when she returns to the nest. She may not be happy about your intrusion so quickly and carefully do it. In the wild this would have attracted insects... natures cleaners. Not sure how it would affect a nest in the wild but I'm sure it happens.
 

Yonads

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
12/17/18
Messages
18
Yes, I would remove the broken egg and any of the soiled nesting material. I would prepare a treat for the hen to come out to eat, block the entrance hole of the nest box so she can't go back in while you are cleaning it up. If you end up removing a good portion of the nesting material replace it with the same material. Make a note of how the eggs are in place and try to keep it the same when she returns to the nest. She may not be happy about your intrusion so quickly and carefully do it. In the wild this would have attracted insects... natures cleaners. Not sure how it would affect a nest in the wild but I'm sure it happens.
Good point about the insects in Nature.
 
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