Started Laying Again

[andyjmcdermott]

A few mounths ago we were given two cockatiels, we were told they were both males and, very sad to say the least, we were suprised one day to find an egg in the cage she then laid another five both birds are sitting on them, we are not sure if they are fertile,yesterday was the 19th day , but this morning, we found another two eggs, please can anyone help as i dont know what to do next

Andy (Leeds)

[Sue]

Hi Andy, Welcome to the board.

Shirley will be able to help but I do know she is really busy at the moment and may not be here much today. Hopefully someone else may help.

Do you know if they are male and female,? as you don't know if they are fertile. Could they both be female? and is only one laying.
We had a female tiel that laid eggs once but we took them out as she was on her own they obviously weren't fertile.

[Sue]

Andy,
Here's some info...

http://www.cockatiel.org/articles/incessant_egglaying.html

[Shirley]

Hi Andy,

Welcome to the Board!!

Sue posted an excellent link for you. :thanx:

We have an Australian Bourke's 'keet who does that... mate or not. She's raised several families, and we haven't allowed her to raise more, but she still lays the occasional egg or three. We take them away (sterile, no mate) and toss them. She's fine, eats a healthy diet of seed, pellets, sprouts, veggies, has her cuttle bone for calcium. We don't give her a nest box, which encourages nesting behavior.

:wub:

[andyjmcdermott]

Many thanks everyone for your replies, we have just managed to get both birds out of the nest box, only to find she has laid another today (9) now, i took a random egg and candled it ,and im sure now it is not fertile, smudge was the only one to lay ,goldie is i think the male he acts like one (very asertive)and dominant. should i leave them to loose interest or remove the eggs now
Kind regards Andy

[Jim]

Hi Andy and Welcome to the board.

I'm not a breeder but it's my understanding with the situation you have at present, it's best to let it run it's course. If you remove eggs too some the hen will lay again.

Here is another article that may help.
http://theparrotuniversity.com/articles/chronic_egg_laying.html

If it were me I would try to find a reputable 'tiel breeder and ask what they suggest.

[andyjmcdermott]

many thanks jim

[Shirley]

We've removed our Bourke's eggs, and she lays again. We've left them, and she'll sit forever... like ... forever! So now I remove them, take the male totally out of sight... to the other end of the house (she lives in the bedroom) and put her in another cage altogether, and she quit laying for several months. then she started up again, no male in sight. But at least she had several months' break.

Btw, she's an excellent pet and also a great mom when she has babies.

Great link, Jim!