A few questions

Question
Hello, first of all should the lid of the nest box be open or closed? And if open or closed at different times when? Also I tried feeding the male hard boiled egg but he only nibbles on it and hops away. I found sea shells on the beach, can I turn it in a fine powder and mix it with their food? Finally should I attempt to clean the cage while the female is incubating because I am afraid she might get scared and abandon her eggs. I just want to be careful  because she ate her first four eggs one at a time and now she finally has a stable clutch of three eggs which is still getting bigger. Thank you!

Answer
I don't think it matters too much, but I usually leave it closed, except for taking little peeks.  I would try to avoid opening and closing it too frequently, just to keep from stressing them, or making them feel insecure.

He might just nibble at it for a while.  They don't always take to new foods right away.  You can also try mixing it in with something they like.

I've heard of some people grinding up shells to give them.  They sometimes like it, sometimes they don't.  Its usually pretty safe, but keep in mind they have impurities in them.  You can also buy gravel/grit at pet stores, which is basically the same thing.  If you want to try something like that, mix it in with the seed to start, and have some available to them in a seperate dish, so if they want it, they can get it.

Cleaning can be a bit tricky during the breeding season.  If they are very tame, and are used to you, its usually okay to clean them as long as you don't go nuts.  You can also try cleaning little areas at a time, to keep the cage reasonably clean without interfering too much.

Three eggs already?  Congratulations!