Unfertilized Eggs

User Question
Do eggs get fertilized before or after they are laid?

I had two Parakeets and one just died and we found an egg in the bottom of the cage, then 2 days later we found another egg.

So we were wondering if they could be fertilized or not, and if they are what should we do to ensure a hatching.

Lisa's Answer
It sounds like you really haven't talked to your vet at all about breeding! Please, please make a vet appointment IMMEDIATELY if your keets are laying eggs and you're not sure how this works. You have a critical responsibility if you are allowing your birds to breed, and need to make sure you have the books, the equipment and the knowledge necessary to handle the young parakeets.

In general, just like with chickens, the egg is fertilized by the male bird putting its penis inside the female bird. Just how humans have sex. Sperm doesn't somehow get "into" the egg shell after it is laid.

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