Quick answers
Hummingbird eggs typically hatch in 14-16 days. If a hummingbird egg doesn’t hatch after 20 days, it likely won’t hatch at all for the following reasons:
- The embryo inside died
- The egg was infertile
- The incubation conditions weren’t right
If the egg doesn’t hatch, the mother hummingbird will eventually abandon the nest and egg. She has no way to remove the egg and will not continue sitting on an egg that will never hatch. The abandoned egg may be eaten by predators or decompose on its own.
Normal hummingbird egg development
Hummingbird eggs are very small, averaging just 0.5 inches long and weighing less than a gram. However, they still go through the same stages of development as any other bird egg:
Fertilization
– The egg is fertilized by the male’s sperm usually within a day of being laid. This allows the embryo to start developing.
Early development
– In the first week, basic organs and body structures begin to form.
Middle development
– Over the second week, feathers, beak, claws, and skeleton develop. The chick gets larger and starts to occupy more space in the egg.
Late development
– In the last 2-3 days, the chick gets into hatching position, draws its yolk sac into its belly for nutrition after hatching, and starts to pip through the air cell at the large end of the egg.
Hatching
– Using its egg tooth, the chick will pip around the entire circumference of the air cell until the shell falls away and it can crawl out of the egg into the nest. This takes 12-24 hours from start to finish.
The normal hatching period for hummingbirds is 14-16 days after the egg is laid. Chicks that pip early at 13 days or late after 18 days are less likely to successfully hatch.
Causes if hummingbird eggs don’t hatch
If a hummingbird egg still shows no signs of pipping or hatching after 20 days, it likely won’t hatch at all. Here are the main reasons why:
Embryo died during development
The developing chick inside the egg may have died at some point during incubation if:
- The egg was handled, bounced, or rotated incorrectly
- Temperatures were too low or high for too long
- The nest was disturbed or eggs tossed out
- The egg became infected with bacteria or fungi
- The egg was damaged or cracked
- The parents abandoned the nest for several days
If the embryo dies in the first week there may be no visible signs at all. Later deaths may be indicated by blood vessels or dark splotches inside the egg.
Egg was infertile
Up to 1 in 5 hummingbird eggs may be infertile – the female laid an egg but it was never fertilized by a male. Without sperm entering the egg, embryo development never begins.
Infertile eggs tend to have less visible vein patterns. They may dimple inwards over time as gases escape but the chick inside never develops.
Incubation conditions weren’t right
Even if the egg was fertile, improper incubation can prevent successful hatching:
- Insufficient or irregular incubation by the parents
- Incorrect humidity and ventilation levels in an artificial incubator
- Temperatures consistently outside the 99-104°F (37-40°C) range
The parents may abandon an egg that doesn’t hatch within 20 days, indicating development has failed. Removing the parents or egg early on can also lead to hatching failure.
What happens to unhatched eggs?
If a hummingbird egg doesn’t hatch after the normal 14-16 day period, the parents will not continue sitting on the egg indefinitely. Here is what typically happens:
Parents abandon the nest
If the egg hasn’t hatched after 3-4 weeks, the mother hummingbird realizes it will not hatch and leaves the nest for good. She has no way to remove eggshells from the nest and needs to move on to a new clutch.
This leaves the unhatched egg abandoned in the original nest without further incubation or parental care.
Egg is eaten by predators
Once the adult hummingbirds abandon the area, the unhatched egg quickly becomes vulnerable to predators. Jays, crows, squirrels, raccoons and snakes may raid the nest and consume the egg. This returns some nutrients to the ecosystem to be recycled.
Egg decomposes
If predators don’t find the nest, the unhatched egg may simply decompose on its own. The shell will slowly crack, collapse inward, and be weathered away over time, especially with exposure to moisture and sunlight.
Eventually only egg fragments or stains on the nest remain. The nutrients from the decomposed egg help fertilize the area around the nest.
Egg is collected by humans
In some cases, people who were observing the hummingbird nest may collect the abandoned unhatched egg. This should only be done once incubation has clearly failed and the parents are not returning. The egg can then be studied and preserved.
Collecting an active hummingbird egg is illegal under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. But salvaging a long-abandoned unhatched egg for scientific purposes may be acceptable.
When to assist an unhatched hummingbird egg
Most of the time, it’s best not to interfere with a hummingbird nest and let nature take its course. However, if certain signs are seen, it may be appropriate to step in:
Parents killed or missing
If the adult hummingbirds attending the nest are predated or disappear, the eggs have little chance of hatching without constant incubation. In this emergency situation, attempting to incubate the eggs artificially is justified.
Eggs tossed from nest
Strong winds or other disturbances may knock eggs out of the nest prematurely. If the parents do not retrieve the eggs quickly, it soon becomes impossible for them to hatch. Returning displaced eggs to the nest can restore their chance.
Egg pipped but chick stuck
On rare occasions, a chick may start to pip out of its eggshell but fail to fully emerge after 1-2 days. At this critical point, carefully assisting the hatching process by lightly cracking more of the shell may save the chick’s life.
Parents ignoring pipped egg
Once an egg pips, the parents may occasionally abandon the nest instead of helping the chick fully hatch. Gently opening the egg the rest of the way after the parents are gone gives the chick its only chance of surviving.
However, caution should be used when assisting hatching to avoid doing more harm than good. Leaving the chick to pip out naturally is best when possible.
Summary
Hummingbird eggs that don’t hatch within 20 days face low odds of still successfully hatching. The developing chick likely died at some point, the egg was infertile, or conditions for incubation were inadequate. Once the mother hummingbird abandons the unhatched egg after 3-4 weeks, it will either be eaten by predators, decompose on its own, or possibly be collected by humans. Intervention to help hatch an egg is only justified in certain emergency situations – otherwise, it’s best to let nature run its course.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for a hummingbird egg to hatch?
The normal incubation period for hummingbirds is 14-16 days. Eggs that haven’t hatched by 20 days have very low odds of still successfully hatching.
Do hummingbird parents remove unhatched eggs?
No, hummingbirds do not have the ability to actively remove eggshells or unhatched eggs from their nest. The parents simply abandon the nest once it’s clear the egg will not hatch.
What does a hummingbird egg about to hatch look like?
A hummingbird egg close to hatching will have a pip mark – a small hole where the chick starts breaking through the shell with its egg tooth. The chick may vocalize inside the shell and the egg will hatch within 24 hours.
Can you help a hummingbird chick hatch?
It’s best not to interfere with hummingbird eggs and chicks unless the parents are gone or the chick has pipped but is stuck in the shell. At that point, carefully helping open the shell the rest of the way may save the chick’s life.
Do hummingbird eggs hatch at the same time?
When there are 2 eggs in a hummingbird nest, they usually hatch within a day of each other, even if laid 2 days apart. The parents won’t abandon the nest until it’s clear neither egg is going to hatch.
