When to throw eggs out

[cranberry]

Hi folks,

I've come to the conclusion that my 3 pairs of Gouldians are playing funny buggers and have not settled down into proper breeding mode yet. I have 6 nest boxes and 5 of them have eggs in them. I box has 8 eggs, another has 5, another has 3 and 2 others have 2. I believe they are all clear. Should I just throw all the eggs out and refill the boxes with fresh material or should I leave them be as a couple of the hens are sitting tight. Should I wait until roughly 3 weeks before throwing them out? Will it do any harm throwing them out early? It's only been a couple of weeks since they started laying. Is this normal?

[nixity]

I would be concerned if that many nests were showing duds..

In any case, If you have a clutch of eggs where the hen has been sitting tight and after 7 days you see NOTHING, I think at that point I myself would toss them and let them try again.
I don't make them sit the entire time if it's all for naught anyways.

[jusdeb]

I know its hard to beleive but my girl had 70 eggs in one nest , she had built a nest on top of another , the result was a very rung out bird who is still struggling to feather up .
I think you have to be vigilant with them and take eggs out if they are not looking like hatching , removing nests too if the hen is spending too much time on dud eggs , it takes it out of them laying and sitting on eggs especially if they go into moult at the same time.

[cranberry]

All eggs thrown out (all 20 of them) and nest material topped up. Lets hope the little buggers do things properly the next time around...

[kbroos]

i know how you feel i threw out 5 eggs 2 weeks ago now she has laid 2 more eggs see how she goes with them she started to sit on them yesterday they have been taking turns on the nest