# Surprise...eggs...and a panicked soon to be grandma



## Izzy_Meadows (Jun 6, 2013)

So I have 5 tiels now. 3 rescues two of which are semi tame and one is not tamed at all (and at his age probably never will be). I have a large room that I've converted into one big indoor aviary. None of the untame ones have ever tried mating, but my tame ones are having eggs. What on earth do I do? I've read the files but still don't feel prepared. Also how will the other birds take to the babies? Do I need to protect the babies from the other birds?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Is it their first time mating? because if it is there's a chance that they might not have done the job properly and the eggs may not be fertile. I would suggest candling them to see if they are. As for the other birds I don't have much experience with that at the moment I only have storm in the same cage as Randy and Swinger which have a baby but it's a large cage, one time when storm jumped on the nest box Randy pretty much lunged at him but no damage was done and storm has never entered the box or harmed the baby yet (keep in mind the chick is only 6 days old though) I think it really depends on the individual birds and how well they get along.


----------



## caterpillar (Oct 14, 2013)

If it makes you feel any better, if you haven't optimized the cage for breeding conditions, there's a really good chance the eggs won't be fertile. My two female tiels (I only have one now) used to lay literally dozens of eggs. Even though there was a male in the cage with them, they were NEVER fertile -- in the older female's 8 years (6 of which were spent with a male) she laid a fertile egg a total of 3 times and only one of the three babies managed to make it out of the egg.

Agree with previous poster... hold the eggs up to a light and you'll get more clarity.


----------



## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

If you are running a rescue, you do not want your birds mating. I suggest freezing the eggs so they become infertile, or replacing them with dummies. Let them go through the motions as they are going to do what they will, just don't let them raise any actual chicks.


----------



## caterpillar (Oct 14, 2013)

Darkel777 said:


> If you are running a rescue, you do not want your birds mating. I suggest freezing the eggs so they become infertile, or replacing them with dummies. Let them go through the motions as they are going to do what they will, just don't let them raise any actual chicks.


Out of curiosity, why is this specific to rescue birds?


----------



## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

caterpillar said:


> Out of curiosity, why is this specific to rescue birds?


I was under the impression that if she converted an entire room of her house into an aviary that she was actually running a rescue. In a rescue you need to care for the birds on hand not breed more. If I am mistaken feel free to disregard Izzy.

Edit: But if my advice is any way useful in your situation it will keep them from reproducing. Babies can be hard work. :/


----------



## caterpillar (Oct 14, 2013)

Darkel777 said:


> I was under the impression that if she converted an entire room of her house into an aviary that she was actually running a rescue. If I am mistaken feel free to disregard Izzy.


Ohhhhh okay yeah that makes sense if so. I was wondering if it had something to do with not knowing enough about the bird's past or something.


----------



## Izzy_Meadows (Jun 6, 2013)

The bird left her "nest" and I finally was able to get a ladder and get to it. There were no eggs and she has not gone back or acted any differently. I'm glad I didn't think they were old enough to raise babies. No I don't run a rescue I'm just a sucker. I have cats so an indoor aviary seemed the best option. I'm hoping that is the end of her nesting for a while. I don't want baby birds, at least for a long time but I don't exactly feel comfortable killing the eggs either.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk


----------



## Izzy_Meadows (Jun 6, 2013)

I knew it. The brats. There is an egg today. I really don't want them to breed or to have baby birds but I'm not sure if I am comfortable boiling/freezing them if they are fertile. So far there is just one egg and a bump. Winter hours obviously have no effect on these two. They are brother and sister and only like 6-7 months old. They are still babies. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk


----------



## Fredandiris (Nov 27, 2012)

You may not like boiling/freezing the eggs but at this point, it's your best option. Brother and sister breeding at a young age, it's a recipe for disaster and pain in the long run. The baby, if it hatched, could be severly deformed and suffer horrible pain. Destroying the possibility of the egg hatching would be the best you could do, in my opinion.

You need to look through the hormone treatments that we have on this forum. There are plenty of different methods you can employ to get these two birds to calm their hormones down.

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=32330


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

I know how you feel, I don't think I could ever boil/freeze an egg but I think I have to side with Fredandiris on this one, it may be for the best as they are related.


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Please boil the eggs, it would be so much more painful to see a chick deformed than to boil an egg, make sure you mark the eggs you boiled/freeze


----------



## Izzy_Meadows (Jun 6, 2013)

I've always assumed they were related. I bought them from a pet shop together. The pet shop bought theirs from people in the community. Some were older and less handled. Alex was just a baby, still missing some feathers. Ava I just picked because she would step up and I wanted a friend for Alex. I don't know anything about how old she is. Just they came from the same place. I'll let her finish laying and see if any are even fertile. With mercy they won't be.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk


----------



## Izzy_Meadows (Jun 6, 2013)

Could a DNA test tell for sure? Someday very far into the future I would like Alex to have at least one baby. He's such a goof.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

You should boil/freeze the eggs even if you haw the slightest doubt that they aren't related, the egg is just an embryo and your not hurting the chick at all.
If you want Alex to have a baby, the best way to go is to pair Alex up with another bird that you are 100% sure they aren't related or you can foster a few eggs to him and Ava, but make sure you mark the ones you are fostering and boil the eggs that they laid


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

You should boil/freeze the eggs even if you haw the slightest doubt that they aren't related, the egg is just an embryo and your not hurting the chick at all.
If you want Alex to have a baby, the best way to go is to pair Alex up with another bird that you are 100% sure they aren't related or you can foster a few eggs to him and Ava, but make sure you mark the ones you are fostering and boil the eggs that they laid


----------



## Fredandiris (Nov 27, 2012)

Yes, I'd allow her to finish laying but meanwhile, employ some hormone control techniques. With luck, she'll abandon the eggs and both birds will stop trying to breed. 

I'm not sure if conventional DNA testing companies do that, but im sure there's a company somewhere that checks for familial ties.

If you want to breed Alex, wait for another year or so, just to make sure he's of age and mentally mature enough to handle babies. Also, I would recommend pairing him up with a different female. And definitely do your research.
Breeding is a lot of stress. You always have to be prepare for the worst because sometimes things just don't work out no matter what you do. If you're willing to deal with all those problems though, I can tell you that breeding is an incredibly enriching experience.


----------



## Izzy_Meadows (Jun 6, 2013)

He is so not mentally matyre enough for babies. I'll see if the hormone control will help. She's been in the nest all day -.- 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk


----------



## Izzy_Meadows (Jun 6, 2013)

They just have one egg and they are already incubating it. Maybe that's all they will have the first time? I candled it and it is fertile. Birds are decidedly weird when they have eggs. It is almost like they forget who I am when I go near the nest. But once I'm there they remember and let me see the egg

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

If its fertile, boil it. I'm sorry but if there is even the possibility that these birds are related this is not fair to the baby. It could be born deformed or die a horrible death of pain. It is not worth it. 

Do you have a vet nearby? They may be able to recommend who could analyze to see if your birds are related.


----------

