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How can I stop my cockatiel laying so many eggs?

8 replies

Threadworm8 · 05/06/2011 12:27

She is less than a year old. She laid a clutch at Christmas, then at the end of April, and she has just gone into lay again.

I'm worried about the egg-laying making too many demands on her strength; and I'm also saddened by the fact that when she is laying and nesting she can't come out as much (partly because I don't want to disturb her unduly but also because when she does want to come out I have to be on the alert for the mega-poos that she does whilst nesting, 10x bigger than normal poos.

I've heard that artificially restricting daylight hours will help; and I've also heard that withdrawing a lot of physical contact will help (so that she doesn't feel like she has a 'partner'). I'm loathe to try the latter unless I'm sure it is helpful. Would it help? Is there anything else I can do?

(PS I know she isn't a 'super furry animal' but MN topics discriminate against birds that aren't chickens.Angry)

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Threadworm8 · 05/06/2011 13:54

Correction, just over a year old.

Any cockatiel owners on MN?

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cornsilks · 06/06/2011 12:11

is she on her own? We have a female cocky as well. I have some books - will see if they say anything.

Threadworm8 · 06/06/2011 12:56

Thanks, cornsilks. She has no bird-mate, but she is handreared and has plenty of human contact, which is enough I think to make her feel like she has a mate.

This is the reason I would have preferred a male, ideally. I'm nervous about the possibility of her becoming 'eggbound' and getting very ill.Sad

She is such a lovely pet.

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Threadworm8 · 06/06/2011 12:56

Does yours lay?

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cornsilks · 06/06/2011 13:16

mine hasn't laid yet - didn't realise they could without a mate until this thread!Shock
My books say to leave the eggs with her otherwise she'll keep laying more to replace them - it says to let her sit on them for about a week. You can buy false ones as well. It also recommends calcium supplements in addition to cuttle bone once they start laying.
our cocky is lovely as well - not hand reared but getting tamer all the time.. I love her!

Threadworm8 · 06/06/2011 13:41

Interesting that it says you can remove after about a week. I've been leaving them longer than that -- for about three weeks until she loses interest in them completely. Perhpas I will try taking away a bit earlier.

She seems happy enough with laying. She gets a bit anti-social and quiet but will come off the eggs for a little while each day and ask for a fly-about.

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cornsilks · 06/06/2011 14:59

does yours talk?

Threadworm8 · 06/06/2011 15:26

She hasn't ever showed any sign of imitating any sounds. Shame, but she is so much fun in other ways.

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