# Any tips?



## Ave (Dec 12, 2021)

Hello,
I have two cockatiels, my female is about one and the male is about nine/ten months old.
The female has been laying infertile clutches and I've tried to discourage her laying more as she's not really old enough. She sticks to the eggs for about a week before giving up on them.
I left the eggs from the second clutch where they were in hopes that they would discourage her from laying more; she went on to have a third clutch.
I've removed access from the area she was laying in, but this doesn't seem to be working either. Help?
Any advice is appreciated, thanks.


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## VIVAAN (Oct 21, 2021)

Similar Issues are going on with me. Try separating the male and the female one. cause you don't want to encourage her for laying any more infertile clutches. Put her to bed early. And are you sure one is male and the other one is female? Because t*here will be no successful breeding unless you have a true and compatible pair*. Same-sex cockatiels will go through the motions of breeding. Two males will mate and work their nesting box as a true pair would - except no eggs will be laid. And Two females will do likewise, except both females will generally lay eggs - which means you are going to have 8 or more eggs in the nesting box.


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## Jo Hess (Nov 22, 2021)

Ave said:


> Hello,
> I have two cockatiels, my female is about one and the male is about nine/ten months old.
> The female has been laying infertile clutches and I've tried to discourage her laying more as she's not really old enough. She sticks to the eggs for about a week before giving up on them.
> I left the eggs from the second clutch where they were in hopes that they would discourage her from laying more; she went on to have a third clutch.
> ...


Follow their circadian rhythm. I cover my tiels when dark and take cover off before I go to bed so that they wake with morning light. Natural for all birds.
If the girl wants to lay she will, even if right next to where you sit as her preferred person. Normally they will sit on eggs for around 21 days so don't understand a week. 4 1/2 yr old tiel died because she had no feeling to left leg after 2nd egg binding, just threw it around in cage and never left cage again as landing was impossible around home. Scratched, bit her leg to bleed big time (a phantom itch maybe). Vet trip, removed leg, but she died before the next day.
I've had two female birds with no male around who laid eggs just for me as their 'mate'. First was egg bound twice and died. Second did an escape through door piggy backing on my winter jumper when I didn't know she was there after laying 12 eggs in 1 clutch right next to my sitting place behind pillow and sat on to do what she was meant to do. My beautiful little white, light cinnamon pied. Gone just like that. As she was basically white, would have been a target for prey birds, dogs and cats as she didn't know the outside world.
I've had 4 boys who loved me. 2 out the door following me, learnt to close a door before opening the next. Last boy was there for 9 years seeing me through Mum's death from dementia and knew when I was down. Cuddle under the chin, he just knew my down and out time.
Changed his room, sold dining suite, so he landed on slippery surface buffet. Slid down the back, nothing broken but couldn't go up or down so his little heart just gave away through stress. That was harder for me than losing Mum at nearly 97. He was just there for me. I will forever miss him as my best baby. Cremated now so always around in spirit.


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## Ave (Dec 12, 2021)

VIVAAN said:


> Similar Issues are going on with me. Try separating the male and the female one. cause you don't want to encourage her for laying any more infertile clutches. Put her to bed early. And are you sure one is male and the other one is female? Because t*here will be no successful breeding unless you have a true and compatible pair*. Same-sex cockatiels will go through the motions of breeding. Two males will mate and work their nesting box as a true pair would - except no eggs will be laid. And Two females will do likewise, except both females will generally lay eggs - which means you are going to have 8 or more eggs in the nesting box.


Oh, they're definitely male and female. He sings heaps everyday and speaks quite often. The female is the only one laying eggs and incubating. Thanks for the tip.


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## Ave (Dec 12, 2021)

Jo Hess said:


> Follow their circadian rhythm. I cover my tiels when dark and take cover off before I go to bed so that they wake with morning light. Natural for all birds.
> If the girl wants to lay she will, even if right next to where you sit as her preferred person. Normally they will sit on eggs for around 21 days so don't understand a week. 4 1/2 yr old tiel died because she had no feeling to left leg after 2nd egg binding, just threw it around in cage and never left cage again as landing was impossible around home. Scratched, bit her leg to bleed big time (a phantom itch maybe). Vet trip, removed leg, but she died before the next day.
> I've had two female birds with no male around who laid eggs just for me as their 'mate'. First was egg bound twice and died. Second did an escape through door piggy backing on my winter jumper when I didn't know she was there after laying 12 eggs in 1 clutch right next to my sitting place behind pillow and sat on to do what she was meant to do. My beautiful little white, light cinnamon pied. Gone just like that. As she was basically white, would have been a target for prey birds, dogs and cats as she didn't know the outside world.
> I've had 4 boys who loved me. 2 out the door following me, learnt to close a door before opening the next. Last boy was there for 9 years seeing me through Mum's death from dementia and knew when I was down. Cuddle under the chin, he just knew my down and out time.
> Changed his room, sold dining suite, so he landed on slippery surface buffet. Slid down the back, nothing broken but couldn't go up or down so his little heart just gave away through stress. That was harder for me than losing Mum at nearly 97. He was just there for me. I will forever miss him as my best baby. Cremated now so always around in spirit.


Thank you for the info. Sorry for your losses.


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## Zionzion (Jul 29, 2021)

VIVAAN said:


> Similar Issues are going on with me. Try separating the male and the female one. cause you don't want to encourage her for laying any more infertile clutches. Put her to bed early. And are you sure one is male and the other one is female? Because t*here will be no successful breeding unless you have a true and compatible pair*. Same-sex cockatiels will go through the motions of breeding. Two males will mate and work their nesting box as a true pair would - except no eggs will be laid. And Two females will do likewise, except both females will generally lay eggs - which means you are going to have 8 or more eggs in the nesting box.


Hi your male is probably to young yet, best to breed over 12 months 18 is best, if you have a nest box take it out, infertile eggs in young birds is common


Ave said:


> Hello,
> I have two cockatiels, my female is about one and the male is about nine/ten months old.
> The female has been laying infertile clutches and I've tried to discourage her laying more as she's not really old enough. She sticks to the eggs for about a week before giving up on them.
> I left the eggs from the second clutch where they were in hopes that they would discourage her from laying more; she went on to have a third clutch.
> ...


Hi firstly both are to young to breed especially the male , don't give them any form of nest box, and try to not to give them artificial light long light periods stimulate them to breed, my lights go off 1 hour before nightfall and on when daylight , if kept in house cover them, females sing and talk I have one and she lays and rears chicks, only sure way is to DNA test ,


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## Jo Hess (Nov 22, 2021)

Ave said:


> Thank you for the info. Sorry for your losses.


Thanks for that. I'm 20 years in as a cockatiel owner. Each is different in their own, unique way. I just get them and learn from each one. On 7th bird (boy) who talks up a storm, amazing vocabulary, slightly more than my previous boys.
Love him to bits, now 1 yr old. Mates on my hands, let him, as Mollie girl at best, tolerates him as she is 11.


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## Jo Hess (Nov 22, 2021)

Zionzion said:


> Hi your male is probably to young yet, best to breed over 12 months 18 is best, if you have a nest box take it out, infertile eggs in young birds is common
> 
> Hi firstly both are to young to breed especially the male , don't give them any form of nest box, and try to not to give them artificial light long light periods stimulate them to breed, my lights go off 1 hour before nightfall and on when daylight , if kept in house cover them, females sing and talk I have one and she lays and rears chicks, only sure way is to DNA test ,


Way too young to breed. 2 years at best. Cover them when getting dark. My way is to uncover them when I go to bed so that they get early light. In saying that, I will pull east facing curtains mostly closed when summer hits. Keeps them calm and rhythmic to amount of light. Just saying.


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## Zionzion (Jul 29, 2021)

Jo Hess said:


> Thanks for that. I'm 20 years in as a cockatiel owner. Each is different in their own, unique way. I just get them and learn from each one. On 7th bird (boy) who talks up a storm, amazing vocabulary, slightly more than my previous boys.
> Love him to bits, now 1 yr old. Mates on my hands, let him, as Mollie girl at best, tolerates him as she is 11.


Hi yes iam also 40yrs in keeping and still get the odd one who baffles me , love um all 😍🎄🎄


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## Jo Hess (Nov 22, 2021)

Zionzion said:


> Hi yes iam also 40yrs in keeping and still get the odd one who baffles me , love um all 😍🎄🎄





Zionzion said:


> Hi yes iam also 40yrs in keeping and still get the odd one who baffles me , love um all 😍🎄🎄


So true. They are all so different in their own way. My current boy (1) loves the front window sills and landing on window opening sill. First bird to do that.
Talks up an amazing storm in the most amazing way. His vocab from me, plus an unintelligible, crazy conversation. Like copying conversations I have with people, non-sensible, and answers at end like yeah, huh on up note, then sometimes on down note. He truly believes he is "in the conversation". Given my age, he may well live longer than me. Haven't considered where Diesel (1)and Mollie (11) might go if I am no longer here 😢


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