Posted by eeee bbbb on July 6, 2007

Q: we have found one killdeer egg and want to keep it alive what temperature must it be kept at?? there is a six year old girl determined to try, plz give us an answer other than leave it alone

Habitat: pond/lake

State: Arizona

Habitat: pond/lake

A: The reasonable answer here is "leave it alone" just as you've noted! I don't have any idea what temperature to incubate a Killdeer egg I'm afraid. Although a great deal of study and research has gone into domestic ducks, chickens, turkeys, and geese incubation, little is known how to incubate wild bird eggs. And then if you did know what temp to keep the egg, you'd have to have an incubator. I'm sorry but the best thing I can suggest would be to go online and learn all you can about Killdeer with this little girl but assure her that this egg is just not going to make it. Sorry.

John Wiessinger ( July 7, 2007)

A: Ooh, just had a thought that didn't occur to me in my first answer - silly me. Killdeer nests are nothing more than a scrape (scratched out place) on the ground and it doesn't look at all like a nest. So, this egg the six year old found is probably from an active nest and is not an abandonded egg at all. Please be sure the egg is left exactly where it is so the parents can incubate and raise the young. I'm sure the child will accept this once it realizes that the parents will be quite upset to lose this egg. Thanks and sorry I didn't think of this sooner. Best of luck to you all.

John Wiessinger ( July 7, 2007)