Ask the Swan Specialist
Date: 9 June 2014
Hi Nancy:
If an egg is infertile or not viable (cygnet dead in the egg), the parents will roll the egg out of the nest so that it does not explode in the nest and ruin everything inside the bowl of the nest. If the eggs accidently got kicked out by the parents and they could not get the eggs back into the nest, then your maintenance staff helped the swans by placing the eggs back into the nest. As long as the eggs were not out of the nest for too long, i.e., did not get too hot or too cold or the embryo detached from the egg, then it is possible that the parents are still going to try and hatch the eggs. Swans know when the eggs are good and when they need to abandon them. So, you would be better off letting them make the decision.
Also, due to our extreme cold weather and late fronts this year, many birds were late in mating/nesting. Birds do not count like we do for incubation purposes. Incubation does not occur until the last egg has been laid, not the first. So, if you began counting based upon the first egg being laid, you are probably 1-2 weeks off in the count. The Regal Swan
Messages In This Thread
- Eggs rolled out of the nest, placed back; mother swan still sitting after 2 months -- Nancy -- 9 June 2014
- Re: Eggs rolled out of the nest, placed back; mother swan still sitting after 2 months -- The Regal Swan -- 9 June 2014
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