# Laying in bottom of cage



## sonjab314 (Nov 25, 2012)

I have a pair of young tiels (hen is 14 mos old and cock is 18 mos old). I was trying to avoid them laying until she was 16 months old but she has started laying on the bottom of the cage. I put a box on them in hopes that they would lay there however the cock has not gone anywhere near the nest and shes still laying on the grate (2 eggs so far tomorrow should be the third). I am considering artificial incubation but cannot find much info on it and the care of the chicks afterwards (I have handfeeding exp.). Any help will be appreciated. I have all the essential tools required (incubator and brooder etc.) for this task. The parents are beautiful and I want to see what their babies look like. I know it would be easier to wait until the next clutch and see if they will do it but I kinda feel like taking on a challenge.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Place the eggs in the box...it should get her to go in there. But don't be surprised if this first clutch doesn't hatch out since they're inexperienced parents. It may take them a few times to get it right.


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## sonjab314 (Nov 25, 2012)

I did put the eggs in the box. They totally ignored it. I have now put a pyrex pan in the bottom of the cage lines with paper towels and gave their eggs back to them. They are now rolling the eggs around in the pan. Im going to see what happens.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

A different type of bedding would increase the chances of success (see http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27688 if you need more info on that). But since the parents are being fussy you will have to make do with whatever they're willing to accept. Since they are so young, their breeding instincts might not be fully developed and it's possible that they won't incubate the eggs properly in any case.

Another possibility is that they will incubate the eggs but they aren't ready to start yet. Many pairs won't start incubating until several eggs have been laid, which results in several chicks hatching out at about the same time. Others will start incubating as soon as the first egg is laid.

Have you seen them mating? 

The North American Cockatiel Society has information on brooder temperatures and feeding schedules for babies at http://www.cockatiel.org/articles/handfeeding.html


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## sonjab314 (Nov 25, 2012)

tielfan said:


> A different type of bedding would increase the chances of success (see http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27688 if you need more info on that). But since the parents are being fussy you will have to make do with whatever they're willing to accept. Since they are so young, their breeding instincts might not be fully developed and it's possible that they won't incubate the eggs properly in any case.
> 
> Another possibility is that they will incubate the eggs but they aren't ready to start yet. Many pairs won't start incubating until several eggs have been laid, which results in several chicks hatching out at about the same time. Others will start incubating as soon as the first egg is laid.
> 
> ...


They mate ALL the time lol. I went ahead and plugged up my incubator and have it regulating temp and humidity. They have been playing with the eggs since I took them out of the box and put them in the pyrex pan. The fertility stays high for 7 days after the egg is laid. If they do not start sitting tomorrow, I will put them in the incubator. I think I have read enough that I can piece together a incubating, hatching plan. Wish me well.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Good luck, I hope it works out well! I assume that you're an experienced breeder since you actually own an incubator, so you probably know how to candle eggs for fertility.

It would be a good idea to put fake eggs in the nest to replace the real eggs, to keep the hen from laying an excessive number of eggs trying to get a full clutch. If the parents start taking good care of the fake eggs, you could even put the real eggs back in the nest later on. Realistic fake eggs are available at http://www.theeggshop.com/


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## sonjab314 (Nov 25, 2012)

tielfan said:


> Good luck, I hope it works out well! I assume that you're an experienced breeder since you actually own an incubator, so you probably know how to candle eggs for fertility.
> 
> It would be a good idea to put fake eggs in the nest to replace the real eggs, to keep the hen from laying an excessive number of eggs trying to get a full clutch. If the parents start taking good care of the fake eggs, you could even put the real eggs back in the nest later on. Realistic fake eggs are available at http://www.theeggshop.com/


Really good idea. Yes I used to raise birds from fiches to parrots years ago before I had kids. I had to sell my breeders to make room for my own babies. But I still have all of my equipment. The incubators have been used to hatch everything from quail to geese with lots of success. This will be my first time incubating tiel eggs. She should lay he third egg in the morning. We will see whats going on then


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