Four eggs were laid. Three have hatched, and the babes are growing by leaps and bounds. One egg, still intact, has been pushed up to the top edge of the nest. What should be done with this egg? Is there a point at which to remove it and should that wait until the box is cleaned out?
If you can remove it without breaking it I would remove it, maybe use a spoon to scoop it up. I have had this happen two years in a row down at the park where I monitor nestboxes. Usually I don't see it until the babies fledge as the other hatchlings seem to hide it well.
This happened to me last year. My husband actually removed two eggs when there was a live baby inside. He slept through the entire thing.
He took a piece of heavy cardboard and carefully slid the nest on to it. Then, using a spoon that was bent (like what you would use to dip easter eggs) he carefully lifted out both eggs and handed them to me. Then he slid the nest back into the box.
The two eggs hadn't developed (it was during a really hot spell and they were almost like boiled eggs). Removing them gave the surviving baby more room in the nest and he really seemed to appreciate that. He fledged a week later.
We have 3 unhatched eggs out of 4 as of this moment. In the past there has been maybe one here or there and it always seems to 'disappear' ... i.e we think Mama deals with its removal. This time though, if nothing happens in the next few days we'll be following your advice Tara. : (
dzyg
fairychick
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