but I candled my Caique's eggs this morning and they have three VERY fertile eggs in their sleeping box!

OH MY!!

Congrats to Skittles and Otis on their first attempt at a family! And I have to say, they are still as friendly as ever. You would never guess they are incubating a family. Even I had no idea. They come out everyday for love, scritches and play time. It is truly amazing.

congratulations - birdie babies, how exciting

Wow! Caiques! Congrats! There's a reason they carry such a high price tag.

Yes, I know and I am a little worried. The mortality rate in Caique chicks is VERY high. Polyoma is another worry...

I keep thinking I should pull the eggs and give her dummy eggs. I couldn't emotionally handle a catastrophe.

I truly hope all works out well! Please keep us posted!

A breeder friend of mine in Michigan also reports that her breeding pair of caiques are tame and social as though they were not parents. Something unique to that species, I gather. I have also heard that caiques often make bad parents. Sure hope your pair prove to be the exception!

Congrats, since you are experienced I think they should be allowed to keep the eggs and whatever hatches. I much prefer parents to raise babies or at least try. If the babies don't survive think in terms of a "miscarriage during pregnancy" we don't not get pregnant in case we miscarry. Next time they will know. I don't believe in labeling parents, as bad parents, if they make a mistake the first try. It may sound harsh and "law of the jungle" but they will be successful next time. On the other hand if you decide to destroy the eggs and give fakes you still have support and best wishes whatever your choice.

I am going to let them keep their eggs/babies and let nature take its course. I try not to label myself a breeder, but it sure seems like everyone in this house likes to pair up and breed! And the ones I really want to breed just are not interested or clueless (Zeke!).

I figure about 2 weeks and the first egg should hatch... so mid September I assume.

Cool Deb, Caique babies. Best of luck!!!

Just a comment or two. Seems you already agree & will do whatever you feel necessary to increase the odds of getting healthy lil babies to hatch out and be safe afterwards.

I would by no means, ever destroy any eggs that are fertile. What you might consider doing is to purchase a spy type camera or similar, etc.. and install it in such a way to view what is going on inside the box at all times (maybe unsafe or too late to do that now though).... If ya have time to be around and monitor the goings-on in there, ya might be able to step in, in time, to keep the parents from either destroying the eggs or killing the babies - otherwise if this idea is not an option, just be ready to take over the feeding of the babies when & if necessary which I'm sure you will be. Hopefully they will be a normal pair and not damage, break the eggs for any reason and you will have healthy babies before ya know it.

Maybe you could do all that is possible to reduce the stress etc. to your parent birds to increase the odds that this possibility does not happen. A couple things would be: to make sure the cage/nestbox is located in a low traffic area and noises are kept to a minimum in your house/on your property and the diet is especially good at this time to include plenty of calcium rich foods and all the other good things they need. Again ,best of luck to you and the lil unborn Caiques.