doves/pigeon

Question
hi,my two birds(male,female-I dont know) laid two eggs five days ago-one day apart.they do not sit on them.How do i know the eggs are fertile and when do they start sitting on them?Thank you

Answer
Hi, Janette,

I really need more details about these birds and the situation (housing, are these feral birds, doves or pigeons, etc).

They should have started incubating these eggs when the first one was laid, but no later than when the second was laid.  Since they haven't, something else is amiss in their environment and/or you could have 2 females (however, with 2 females, there should be more than 2 eggs).  The eggs may not be fertile.  You can try candling them, but if incubation hasn't begun, you won't be able to tell anything by candling.  Eggs have to be incubated 7-10 days before you can see any development inside by candling.  If they don't incubate these eggs, nothing will develop inside, and no babies will hatch.

Chrys