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How to Take Care of an Un-Hatched Human-Touched Robin Egg

During the spring season, robins breed and lay beautiful light blue eggs, each the size of a quarter. Because robins are one of the most common birds in the U.S., you might occasionally find a lone robins egg on the ground. These eggs may have fallen out of the nest or may have been dropped by a predator. According to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it is unlawful to possess robin eggs, and hatching an egg in your home is rarely successful. For these reasons, it is best to leave the egg alone in most cases. If you or someone you know removed an egg from its nest temporarily for gentle examination, however, you should return the egg to its nest as soon as possible.

Instructions

- 1
  Examine the egg for any cracks. If the egg is visibly damaged or if it has dropped from the nest or suffered any trauma at all, leave it on the ground. The embryo will not hatch in most cases. If an egg is incubated after suffering trauma, the bird is likely to suffer deformities. Only attempt to return an egg if it appears intact and has not suffered any trauma.
- 2
  Look in nearby trees and shrubs for a robin's nest. Robins' nests are made with twigs and mud and lined with grass, and measure 6 inches wide and 4 to 6 inches high. The birds build their nests in plain sight, usually 5 to 15 feet above ground level. Female robins usually lay two to four eggs, so you may see additional eggs in the nest.
- 3
  Place the egg back in the nest. As birds have a poor sense of smell, they will not be able to detect human scent and will not abandon a healthy egg touched by humans.

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