# Grace does it again



## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

I am a little bit concerned about Grace, she seems to be a habitual egg layer, but she doesn't hatch them. Except for one clutch when she and the father hatched one chick out of four eggs laid. 

Since she laid another clutch it sat in the nest for a month with only Grace sitting on them overnight. She didn't lay again and I thought she was over it, whew. But last week she laid her first of now 4 eggs. I don't know if I should let her keep them or not.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

If you don't want to let her keep the eggs you can always buy fake eggs and let her set...


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

She could sit on fake eggs indefinitely. It's worth a shot.


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## Kimchee2016 (Jul 11, 2016)

Make sure you give her lots of protein like Kimchee likes boiled chicken eggs. i personally don't think you should kill the eggs. It's a matter of conscience. But I wouldn't let her lay anymore eggs.


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

Maybe it's genuine because I have noticed the male taking an interest. He was on the nest today, maybe they will hatch them this time.


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

Kimchee2016 said:


> Make sure you give her lots of protein like Kimchee likes boiled chicken eggs. i personally don't think you should kill the eggs. It's a matter of conscience. But I wouldn't let her lay anymore eggs.


Don't have much choice, I don't know how to incubate them myself. So if she is not going to hatch them I have to dispose of them and I can't stop her from laying them, their nesting boxes are built into the wall of their aviary, I blocked off the nesting boxes once and she laid eggs on the floor.


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## Wulvena (Jun 9, 2016)

*Grace and her eggs*

From your message, it sounds as if your pair have a nest box all the time, is that correct? If that's the case, your hen will continue to lay as long as you're giving them a cozy place to do so. I would take away the nest as soon as you decide what to do with the current eggs. You can candle them (the eggs) to see if they are viable or not, there are lots of instructions for how to do that on the internet. Basically, hold the egg in front of a bright light and look to see if there is any sign of development inside or if it looks blank, like a regular eating egg. If they're not viable, throw them out. Then take away the nest or cozy shack or whatever they are using for a nest. If you put papers on the bottom of the cage with no bottom grate, put the grate back in so they can't pull the papers over and make a nest. Although it won't hurt her to sit on fake eggs all the time, it doesn't help the disposition of the pair any as they will remain hormonal as long as they're nesting. Hormonal birds do not make for friendly, loving pets. Additionally, they can't be getting much exercise and that's not good for their health either. If you want to breed the pair, I would wait at least 8 months, give them supplements such as Nekton S daily and Nekton E for the last 3 months and then provide a properly prepared nest box. They need at least one solid, sturdy perch as well or the mating isn't always successful. Good luck.


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

Wulvena said:


> From your message, it sounds as if your pair have a nest box all the time, is that correct? If that's the case, your hen will continue to lay as long as you're giving them a cozy place to do so. I would take away the nest as soon as you decide what to do with the current eggs. You can candle them (the eggs) to see if they are viable or not, there are lots of instructions for how to do that on the internet. Basically, hold the egg in front of a bright light and look to see if there is any sign of development inside or if it looks blank, like a regular eating egg. If they're not viable, throw them out. Then take away the nest or cozy shack or whatever they are using for a nest. If you put papers on the bottom of the cage with no bottom grate, put the grate back in so they can't pull the papers over and make a nest. Although it won't hurt her to sit on fake eggs all the time, it doesn't help the disposition of the pair any as they will remain hormonal as long as they're nesting. Hormonal birds do not make for friendly, loving pets. Additionally, they can't be getting much exercise and that's not good for their health either. If you want to breed the pair, I would wait at least 8 months, give them supplements such as Nekton S daily and Nekton E for the last 3 months and then provide a properly prepared nest box. They need at least one solid, sturdy perch as well or the mating isn't always successful. Good luck.


These are aviary birds not in a cage and I can't remove the nests they are integrated into the wall of the aviary, these birds are not tame nor are they pets. They have been in an aviary all their lives, I inherited them and I am learning how to care for them. I can block off the nesting holes, but last time I did Grace laid eggs on the floor. I am not breeding them but just letting them do what they do naturally. They get a lot of exercise, they are on a huge aviary and they can fly and play. Their nesting boxes are cleaned regularly and they get a varied diet. I was just concerned for her because I think she is infertile, but she keeps laying eggs.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

The vet could do a hormone injection to stop the laying but those get pricey.


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## tielbob (Mar 25, 2013)

It might be better to block off the nest holes anyway, and see if in time the egg laying on the floor diminishes. Make sure she gets lots of calcium - egg shells, cuttlebone, or another source as long as she's laying them in the meantime. I think the ever-present nest cavities are an encouragement to her and will just cause her to continue laying eggs nonstop until something changes.


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

tielbob said:


> It might be better to block off the nest holes anyway, and see if in time the egg laying on the floor diminishes. Make sure she gets lots of calcium - egg shells, cuttlebone, or another source as long as she's laying them in the meantime. I think the ever-present nest cavities are an encouragement to her and will just cause her to continue laying eggs nonstop until something changes.


Yep, I agree my partner is going to make me a slide that I can just slide across the holes and stop Grace from going in & out, but it will have to wait. Grace and her mate are now firmly entrenched in nesting, she sits at night and he sits during the day. Sometimes they are in the nest together and they have been sitting on 4 eggs now for at least a week.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

Flashfire said:


> Yep, I agree my partner is going to make me a slide that I can just slide across the holes and stop Grace from going in & out, but it will have to wait. Grace and her mate are now firmly entrenched in nesting, she sits at night and he sits during the day. Sometimes they are in the nest together and they have been sitting on 4 eggs now for at least a week.


I have a hen on 5 eggs now, 4 of the eggs are 5 days in and the 5th egg is 3 days in, all fertile.


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## Flashfire (Sep 16, 2015)

Grace abandoned the nest after 9 days of diligent sitting. So I had to dispose of the eggs, and she has now laid 3 more....


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