# Egg Laying



## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

Hi guys.

You might remember my last posts a few months ago where I wasn't sure if Trevor was a male or female.

Well *SHE*, just proved it beyond all doubt by laying an egg right infront of me 

Question is, what do I do with it ?, she's never been anywhere near a male bird so I presume it's infertile or whatever the term is, but do I take it away immediately or what ?, I don't want to upset her or anything, so I've left her watching over it in the bottom of the cage for now, any advice please ?.


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## lauracorn (Dec 31, 2011)

i left mine with her for 3o days or till she takes no more interest in it


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The hormone control thread at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=32330 has information in post #2 on what to do when a single hen is laying eggs. Post #1 has info on preventing birds from getting to the point where they start laying eggs, so that one is useful too.


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

Thanks for that advice, generally she's taking nil interest in the egg, so i'll take it out over the weekend.

Generally she seems in good health, but today has been at her cuttlebone quite a lot which is unusual for her and a few poops have been quiet watery, is this anything to be concerned about or normal behaviour after laying ?.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

She might be getting ready to lay another egg. Hens usually lay one egg every two days until they have a complete clutch. It's a calcium-intensive process so it's good that she's eating cuttlebone. Vitamin D is essential to calcium absorption, do you know if she's getting that too? More info on that at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27549


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

She has plenty of seed availible, I can open the curtains for more sunlight, but more concern there is her smacking into the glass thinking it's an open window ?.

I'll have a look round the pet shop next time to see if they have any pellets with D3, is the watery poop anything to be concerned about ?, it's unusual for her, but she doesn't look ill or anything, just want to put my mind at ease really.


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## Erinsmom (Sep 7, 2012)

The watery poop and the eating of the cuttle bone usually are the prelude to egg laying. The poop probably has a bit of a nasty odor too.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Sunlight that has passed through glass or a screen won't help with vitamin D since the barrier filters out most of the UVB. If she'll eat cooked egg you can feed her a bit of that, it contains D3 and calcium and lots of other nutrients.

The watery poop probably isn't serious, just the result of physical stress. But keep an eye on her to make sure she continues to act healthy.


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

Thanks, direct sunlight is a bit of a problem in the UK for now as it won't be warm enough to take her outside for a couple of months yet so I'll have to do with the eggs suggestion or pellets I think.

Seems to be spending a fair bit of time on the bottom of the cage today and when I go to look at her to make sure shes ok, shes look at me and hisses as if to say "GO AWAY!", but otherwise seems healthy, eating fine and moving around the room normally at other times, I presume the cage sitting/aggression is hormone related ?.

Edit: egg no 2 just arrived, how many would you usually get in a clutch before she decides she has enough ?.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Mine usually lay 4-6 eggs in a clutch. She's decided the bottom of her cage is her nest. You can try to get her a full spectrum light (featherbrite sells bird specific ones) that would provide the light she requires to absorb calcium.


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## sonic123 (Nov 2, 2012)

she is a female wow


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

Now shes got very possessive over the two eggs layed so far, constantly on the bottom of the cage watching over them like a good mother.

Once shes done this clutch, if she keeps laying more clutches, is there any amount I should be concerned by ?, hopefully she won't, but this is all a bit of an unknown to me, I've had Budgies and one Cockatiel before and non of which layed eggs, so apologies for asking questions which must seem dumb to some of you more experienced people.

I'm starting her on 14 hour nights now (ie under the blanket) for the hormone reduction, will it start to have an effect after the first clutch is done ?.


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

Hi again guys and girls

Bit concerned about Trev today, shes come out her cage today and is sitting on my shoulder a lot, ignoring her two eggs thus far.

While on my shoulder shes shutting her eyes a lot (probably not a surprise as I don't think she as well as me got much sleep last night), but I can see her straining every so often and feel her shaking through her feet on my shoulder, the straining suggests a 3rd egg is going to put in an appearance, but two hours since she got up, nothing yet, is the shaking normal ?, she layed the other two on the bottom of her cage so I'm unsure, is it anything to worry about that shes straining and nothing happening so far ?, shes sitting on my shoulder with her wings slightly further away from her body than normal and eyes shut currently.

Reading some of the threads does make me worry, does she need to go to the vet ASAP or is it just simple egg number 3 is taking it's time ?, please help


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

She may be egg bound so it's best to take her to the vet ASAP. There's more info on egg binding at http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/breed-eggbinding.html


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

That was my fear, will take her in tonight.

Thanks for answering all my daft questions of late, you've really been a big help to me.


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

To give an update - Shes staying in the vets overnight, according to the Vet, there is an Egg there, but it's higher up then he'd otherwise expect by the sound of it, given her an injection to provide Calcium (forget what it called), no Egg tonight, so possibly another injection overnight and see what she's like in the morning, apart from the straining, she seemed relatively well so hopefully that's a good sign 

I'm not really sure I want to know the answer to this question, but are the chances she'll be ok ?, could do with some luck with pets for a change, the previous three (2 Hamsters and a male Cockatiel) didn't last too long purely down to bad luck.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

She should be OK...the calcium injections are to help her pass the egg safely. I'd definitely try to prevent her from laying eggs in the future and up her diet with lots of calcium rich food. Fingers crossed for you two!


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

Good news, the Vet says shes passed the egg overnight and will be coming home later, thankyou so much for your help everyone, I've really appreciated it the last week or so


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Yay, I'm glad she's OK! The most common cause of egg binding is calcium deficiency, so this incident is a warning sign to make sure she's getting enough. Vitamin D is also essential to calcium absorption. There's info on vitamin D at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27549

Liquid calcium made for birds can be a good short term solution because it contains vitamin D as well as calcium. But it's VERY easy for the body to absorb, so you have to be careful that you don't overdose on it.


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

Seems Trev hasn't heeded the warning of the trip to the vets the other week, as I awoke and took the cover off her her cage, thinking it was getting near the time to remove the 3 eggs laid previously, to the nasty surprise that a 4th has arrived overnight 

Now she has plenty of calcium, and a vitamin supplement with D3 in her water so hopefully no repeat of the Egg Binding, but quite clearly the hormone reduction I've been using to date isn't working, which mostly has consisted of 12-14 hour nights and disrupting her routine, I'm guessing either her cover isn't dark enough or theres too much noise disturbance in my room.

So I'm going to get more drastic now, shes going in the spare bedroom at night for the next week or more (new place to stress her a lil) which when the blind is down is virtually pitch black and very quiet with no one going in there and nothing making any noise (so should be good for 14 hours without much disturbance), There is now also just a bare tray in the bottom of her cage as opposed to newspaper to show her it's not a nest and I've put a toy in the corner she normally puts the eggs, though I've left the 4 eggs in for now, but in the centre of the cage.

Is there anything more I can do or anyone have any extra tips ?, clearly laying eggs with such regularity is not good long term, I read that reducing her food is good so she knows there isn't enough for babies, but I'm wary of giving her too little at the same time so haven't done that, can anyone say what's a good amount in this situation ?.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

What's her diet like? Limit the amount of soft foods she gets, because that will make her think she wont have enough to feed her "babies." The spare room sounds like a great idea, hopefully it works!


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

Generally seed and the occasional fruit as a treat like Apple but that's easy enough to cut out.

I know it' too late to stop what I guess is a second clutch, but hopefully afterwards that will be the end of it for a good while, I'll keep you guys posted


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Once you have her stopped in the laying area, it would be a good idea to change her diet and add fresh veggies to her diet. Pellets along with seeds are good idea too, especially if she lays a lot.


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

Just to give an update, just looks at though there are 2 eggs in this clutch as opposed to 3 in the first, I did wonder if she was straining for a 3rd on Sunday, but as she had just had a spray wash, I think she was complaining it was a little chilly once the water cooled, certainly she hasn't strained since so I presume a false alarm.

Just coming up to a week of the longer night/spare bedroom tactics, It's working so far in this she hasn't got into the bother she did first time round at least, though she is putting up a bit of resistance, taking occasional interest in her eggs still and even resorting to dragging the toy out the way i put in her corner to discourage her :blush: shes definetly got a character about her.

I think another week of the treatment would be a good idea, although it's having an effect, I don't think we're fully there yet.

Thanks for everyone's help on this thread, I would of been totally lost the last 6 weeks without this forum.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> I think another week of the treatment would be a good idea, although it's having an effect, I don't think we're fully there yet.


To keep her from laying again, you need to continue to do the hormone reduction techniques for the rest of her life. Just doing two weeks then going back to the regular routine will only stop her for a bit, she'll get hormonal again and lay. My birds are so used to this that they only lay when I make the conditions right for them to do so. 

Glad she hasn't laid again!!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> you need to continue to do the hormone reduction techniques for the rest of her life.


You may find that it's a seasonal issue, where you need to use hormone control in the spring and summer but not in the fall and winter.


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## Bird Junky (Jul 24, 2012)

david2905 said:


> Hi guys.
> 
> You might remember my last posts a few months ago where I wasn't sure if Trevor was a male or female.
> 
> ...


The advice given for the further prevention of any egg laying, entails a 
trip to the vet for anti hormonal injections. Plus some disruption such 
as, shorter daylight hours, a lowering of the protein level of her diet & 
a re-arrangement of her environment, (cage) to simulate the migration 
flights taken during the none breeding period. Unfortunately these 
changes take several days to have any effect & eggs may continue to 
be laid. There is always the hen which will lay despite all efforts to
dissuade her.....B.J.


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

Bird Junky said:


> There is always the hen which will lay despite all efforts to dissuade her


Afraid it looks like that's the case as I found another egg when I got her up this morning, I've tried almost all of the suggestions recommended, but they don't appear to be working 

Any suggestions ?, even the drastic change of enviroment, with longer nights and less comfortable conditions for laying doesn't appear to be working, tempted to book her into the vets next week to see what he says about it as it appears to be outside my control the way it's going.


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## ~SarahJayne~ (Oct 14, 2012)

I remember hearing somewhere on the forum that a series of Lupron shots can be used to help prevent egg laying, so that might be something to ask the vet about. Munchkin hasn't layed any eggs so far (knock on wood) so I'm afraid I don't have any personal experience to offer. I hope everything works out.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I would definitely ask the vet about lurpon shots only because it doesn't sound like a change in environment is working. How long has she been on the hormone reduction? It takes about two weeks to take affect. If she's still trying to lay after that, I would try 24hrs of light. This means light on at all times, no dark at all. She'll still sleep, but its going to throw her off and make her feel unsafe about laying eggs (at least that's the idea behind it.)


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## david2905 (Jun 27, 2012)

Thanks for that Roxy, I initially started the hormone reduction after the first clutch (about 6 weeks ago now) and then got more drastic with it with the spare bedroom and less safe enviroment after the second clutch which is about 3 weeks ago now, she just laid the second egg of the third clutch not 10 mins ago so she seems to be doing a clutch roughly every 3 weeks.

I suppose I could try the 24 hours lighting straight away, but do I need to do it just once and continue the hormone reduction or is a bigger frequency needed ?, also considering it will probably be another 3 weeks or so before I know if 24 hours light is effective or not, would be it best to take her the vets later this week or hang on and see if a fourth clutch produces or not ?.

I woulden't say it's an emergency as shes in very good health generally (all the eggs to date seem well formed with no obvious flaws) but at the same time I don't it going on for much longer if it's not good for her health long term.


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## mlew54 (Feb 27, 2013)

I don't know if your tiel will eat them but I give my birds cheerios for the extra calcium and fiber when they start laying eggs.


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