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How to Take Care of a Crow Bird Egg

If you found a crow's egg, your first instinct might be to pick it up and take it home. While that seems like the kindest thing to do, it is not the best thing for the egg. The egg has better chances of survival if it is left where it is or is returned to the nest. Trying to incubate and raise the egg yourself is rarely successful and illegal unless you are a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. But that doesn't mean there is nothing you can do about it.

Things You'll Need

Ladder
Empty hanging planter

Instructions

- 1
  Leave the egg in the nest if it is undisturbed. If there is just a one or two eggs in the nest, the mother crow has likely not started incubating them yet. Crows lay one egg a day but don't start incubating them until the next-to-last egg is laid. A crow clutch can be anywhere from three to nine eggs.
- 2
  Return the egg to the nest if it has fallen and appears intact. If you find a crow's egg on the ground, it may have accidentally fallen out of the nest or it may have been dropped by a predator. In all likelihood, membranes in the egg have ruptured and it will never hatch. But if it looks whole without any visible cracks, you can attempt to return it. Crow nests are usually located in the top third of the tree either in a crotch near the truck or on a horizontal branch. It is usually made of twigs and lined with pine needles, grass or bark. If the mother bird is sitting on the nest, do not approach her. It is better to have one abandoned egg than an abandoned nest.
- 3
  Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator if it appears that the nest has been abandoned or if you cannot return the egg to the nest. Keep in mind that most rehabilitators will not attempt to incubate crow's eggs because they are not an endangered species. Even if the is egg still viable, which is unlikely, incubating it is extremely difficult. Even if the egg does hatch, the chances of raising it to adulthood are low. Wildlife rehabilitators can be found by using the links listed in the resource section or contacting your local humane society or veterinarian.
- 4
  Replace the nest if it has fallen out of the tree. If the entire nest has fallen out of the tree, you can attempt to either replace it or create a substitute nest. The mother crow may not return to it, as she is more likely to create a new nest and start a new clutch. A hanging planter is perfect for this task. Place the nest into the planter and hang it securely into the tree about 6 to 8 feet from the ground. If you can't place it in the original spot, find a location within 20 feet to place the nest.

Animals & Science