# Super smelly and oh so icky



## swagger87 (Apr 24, 2009)

As some of you know, I have seen my two Tiels Dale and Dee mating (Or trying to) for the past few weeks. (Its been almost a month) Well so far there have been no eggs. Dee is still munching down her food and cuttle bones like mad, but she has also been hanging upside down a lot and squawking and holding her bottom in the air (presenting herself to Dale I presume?) 
Other than that all has been normal. I have a nesting box for them and she is in it all the time. (Still no eggs, I check a few times a day.) But her poop has begun to stink to high Heaven!
Its so bad it makes my ferrets litter smell like candy. Its a little lighter in color than usual and its larger and mushier. I've heard of Breeding Poops, could this be it?


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

The stinky poop thing is common for a hen who is in a nest box for long periods. Don't lose heart. Eggs may be soon to come.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

welcome aboard the breeding train


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## swagger87 (Apr 24, 2009)

Thanks. Does any one know by chance how long it takes from the gut wrenching feces to the actual egg laying?


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## Jen144 (Nov 24, 2008)

About 2-3 days at most I think (at least this is true for my budgies) and more likely 24 hours or so.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

once they successfully mate, the 1st egg is normally laid 10 days later then 1 egg every 2 days until the clutch is done. Which tiels normally lay 4-6 eggs.


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## Raven2322 (Mar 1, 2008)

swagger87 said:


> Its so bad it makes my ferrets litter smell like candy. Its a little lighter in color than usual and its larger and mushier. I've heard of Breeding Poops, could this be it?


LOL! I had heard of breeding poop and I thought how bad can it really be. OMG I swear there were times it was so bad I thought I would puke. Cute little babies are great, breeding poop is not, and when they both sit, both of them had it, so freaking scary. I don't envy you that at all. I hope you get babies tho.


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## swagger87 (Apr 24, 2009)

Well, there's still no eggs in the box or cage. I don't know what to think.
I'm wondering if she's still waiting or if she was preggers at all.


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## Birdlette (Feb 25, 2009)

My hen had a talent for aiming out of the cage and covering the walls and floors with that stinky stuff... I was always careful to approach the cage if she was hanging on the bars after several near misses! Yikes!! What they don't tell you about the joys of breeding!!!


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## swagger87 (Apr 24, 2009)

Birdlette said:


> My hen had a talent for aiming out of the cage and covering the walls and floors with that stinky stuff... I was always careful to approach the cage if she was hanging on the bars after several near misses! Yikes!! What they don't tell you about the joys of breeding!!!


Oh Yuck! Lol. Lucky she doesn't have a sniper scope around!!!!
Well, the smelly poo has ceased. There are still no eggs, but they are still mating constantly. I know I shouldn't be impatient, I would just think that if they were both fertile, something would have happened by now.


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## Catherine (Jun 11, 2009)

Hi, swagger

Patience would be the key to it now. All the breeding signs are there, except maybe one. Has the cock been into the nest box and arranged things e.g. the nesting material, tried to enlarge the entrance to the nest box?
If you are perturbed by the pre-laying poo, just wait until the hen is incubating. She won't foul the nest and just saves it all for when she hops out. Don't let her sit on your shoulder as soon as she leaves the nest box!


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