Bra Incubation Sparrow Egg

NotaChickenEgg

In the Brooder
May 23, 2018
14
32
36
Hi, I hope you guys don't mind me posting here, as I do not have chickens or ducks or anything. I joined up because over the last week or so, most of the info/threads I have found on bra/boob incubation are on here!
So, the story. I aquired 4 house sparrow eggs last monday (workmen removed them from our roof and I saved them from a box they'd chucked them in, they couldn't be returned). I dropped one egg. But the other 3 had little hearts beating upon candling them. No incubator meant I had them on a hot water bottle for the rest of the day, then a lightbulb went off in my head and I popped one of them into a little pot between my boobs, since I was worried the water bottle wouldn't stay warm overnight. Well I ended up overheating the other 2 on the bottle (although they stayed alive for a few days) so was left with one little Booblet. Candled every night expecting it to have died and it just kept developing. Last night it pipped externally and this morning it has made a bigger hole but no zipping yet. This is where I am getting worried. It just has it's beak out of the hole and is breathing, making a clicking sound (which I can hear from under my clothes haha). It's been at least 18 hours since the pip.. does anyone know if this is at all normal for Sparrows (or similar birds)?

I mean I'm absolutely floored that it has got this far, but now it has, I'll be gutted if it doesn't successfully hatch.
 
First, welcome. I don't have a lot of experience with sparrows, (that is to say, none really), but I would first suggest to contact a wildlife rescue near you for advice. I don't know where you are located, but here in California, the wildlife rescues usually don't take non native (introduced species ) but they might help you with advice. I do know that many people have good luck hand rearing seed eaters by using baby cereal (without sugar) in a syringe. Keep it warm and feed every 4 hours, except at night. There are also formulas for feeding baby parakeets and cockatiels that you can get from some pet stores. Good luck, and keep us posted.
 
Hi, and thank you. I'm in the UK where it's illegal to have a wild bird, unless it wouldn't survive in the wild, from what I gather (but a vet has to confirm that for a licence to be granted) but I think that's all a bit ridiculous in this situation.
I'm good with what to do when it hatches 'starlingtalk' website was very useful for that. Sparrows are omnivores and the babies need a higher percentage of protien than the adults, so cat food is recommended.

I'm just so worried about it getting through the hatch, like when or if should I intervene and try and help it along a bit. I have made sure to up humidity in my little pot with a wet piece of tissue among the dry bits (padding) as I originally thought it had shrink wrapped. But I've since seen it have a good wiggle, although it hasn't once moved it beak from the pip hole... should it stay there like that until it turns to zip?
 
Is it making a lot of noise in the egg? If it pipped and hasn't made any progress but it's lively, I would leave it be. If it starts getting quiet and weak, then I would start to get concerned. Whistle to it every so often to see if it responds. Best of luck, I'm surprised it made it this far!
 
It hasn't 'chirped' at all, but I'm not sure Sparrows would. Since even when newly hatched they only make that really quiet hissy noise when begging for food.
The only noise it's making is a click with each breath, because it's breathing with it's mouth open. Kind of like when a dog gets excited a clicks the back of it's tongue when it pants.
 
Ok it still hasn't progressed to zipping after 21 hours, but it keeps poking it's beak out further while having a wiggle and the clicking is very quiet. Seems it is either breathing more normally now (maybe less fluid in it's mouth) or it's giving up.
 

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