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Pet Forum / Birds / Birds / May 2004My only lovebird laid an egg
I have a strange situation. On February 28 a lovebird flew onto my family's 11th floor apartment terrace in New York City, and we've been caring for it ever since. We've kept in the house ever since, and bought it many things (such as a good cage, and a nesting box, wher eit sleeps in every night.) It has had no access to other lovebirds for months, yet it laid an egg today inside the nesting box, where it's spent an unusual amount of time during the day for the last few days. I know the egg is infertile, but I'd like to know if she is going to this again, is it healthy for her to do it again, is she going to try to incubate the egg, how to prevent this from happening again, etc. Any advice on what to do would be very appreciated. It's not really that unusual :). But you can lessen the chances of it happening again. First, don't put up the nesting box, or any other cozy-hidey places that could be construed as a nest. Second, minimize her exposure to daylight; at times I've had to go down to 10 hours (or 14 hours of darkness) to stop the cycle. Third, minimize the protein in her diet; offer a good mixture of seeds and grains but vastly reduce the amount of high-protein foods (including pellets if you're feeding those). Fourth, make her space less "secure" (for lack of a better word) by rearranging the toys and items in her cage, moving her cage, etc. The triggers for laying don't necessarily have to include the presence of a male - as you've discovered - but do include dietary (too rich, esp. in protein) and environmental (cozy nesty spots, photoperiods, security/safety) factors. Eliminating as many of these as possible will reduce or even eliminate her egg-laying behavior. If it doesn't (some hens become chronic layers no matter WHAT you do), sometimes your avian vet can intervene with hormone therapies that can be more effective...but the majority of the time it doesn't come to that :). One of my loveys has had chronic egg-laying issues for several years, on and off, depending on how I manage her diet and environment. Sometimes I get complacent and allow her to eat all the goodies that I feed the rest of my flock, or let them stay up to late, or whatever...and we're back to square one <sigh>...  Signatureowly http://www.ittybittybirdiebites.com - healthy natural treats for birds MAY SPECIAL IS UP! www.ittybittybirdieibites.com/special0405.html 34 sprouting links! (Click on Sprouting Resources) UPDATED Nutrition Page! (Click on Nutrition) >Got seed junkies? http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seedjunkies NEW BOARD!! http://www.featherforum.com (referrer - chiaowl) > I have a strange situation. > On February 28 a lovebird flew onto my family's 11th floor apartment [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > egg, how to prevent this from happening again, etc. Any advice on what > to do would be very appreciated. I strongly agree with everything owly has said. I've had a couple of birds who were prone to chronic egg laying so I've had experience with that problem. Take out the nest box. That's what's causing her to lay. Make sure there is no paper that she can shred up and make into a nest as well. Move around the contents of the cage, and then move the cage to a different location. These things kind of shock her system and get her out of "the mood". I just did those last two suggestions with a female budgie I have, and she immediately stopped laying. Also, make sure you have a good AVIAN vet who has had extensive training in bird care (usually called an avian vet--regular vets are often useless when it comes to birds). Ask if they know how to remove an egg from an egg bound bird. It's not hard to do at all if they've been trained properly. Birds die slow, painful deaths every day from being egg bound, and it's completely unnecessary. Kale is an excellent source of calcium for a bird. They need plenty of calcium when they are laying eggs. Dave > It's not really that unusual :). But you can lessen the chances of it > happening again. [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > egg, how to prevent this from happening again, etc. Any advice on what > > to do would be very appreciated. My lovebird too has laid eggs in the past and had to take her twice to vet in order to stop the process. The vet gave her a hormone shot and she seemed to be fine for about three months. Now, she seems to be starting again....with the paper shredding etc. Why is the hormone shot the vet gave her not working anymore?? > My lovebird too has laid eggs in the past and had to take her twice to vet in > order to stop the process. The vet gave her a hormone shot and she seemed to > be fine for about three months. Now, she seems to be starting again....with > the paper shredding etc. > > Why is the hormone shot the vet gave her not working anymore?? The shot only works for awhile, not permanently. She may need another now. What you need to do though is take away the paper and anything else she will collect and make into nesting material. Also, try the other suggestions in this thread like re-arranging the cage, moving the cage, and 12 hours of darkness. Make sure she eats food with calcium, like kale. Dave They don't last forever :(. One thing I've found with mine is that she can't have paper, even under her grate, as she'll do anything to reach it and once she gets even a corner, she starts shredding. We just wash her plastic tray every day... Is she on a very basic low-protein diet? Signatureowly http://www.ittybittybirdiebites.com - healthy natural treats for birds MAY SPECIAL IS UP! www.ittybittybirdieibites.com/special0405.html 34 sprouting links! (Click on Sprouting Resources) UPDATED Nutrition Page! (Click on Nutrition) >Got seed junkies? http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seedjunkies NEW BOARD!! http://www.featherforum.com (referrer - chiaowl) > My lovebird too has laid eggs in the past and had to take her twice to vet in > order to stop the process. The vet gave her a hormone shot and she seemed to > be fine for about three months. Now, she seems to be starting again....with > the paper shredding etc. > > Why is the hormone shot the vet gave her not working anymore?? > I have a strange situation. > On February 28 a lovebird flew onto my family's 11th floor apartment [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > egg, how to prevent this from happening again, etc. Any advice on what > to do would be very appreciated. Females of any species don't need a male to make eggs. http://www.cockatiels.org/articles/breeding/eggs.html http://www.aviannetwork.com/articles/eggs.htm http://www.wctropicalbird.com/bird%20education/egg_laying.htm Will give you plenty of advice. > I have a strange situation. it's not strange at all. > but I'd like to know if she is going to this again, How in God's name is anyone here going to know what your bird is going to do? SignatureJames |
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