# Preventing a second clutch?



## jellybean (Mar 20, 2011)

I read somewhere about someone having a second clutch soon after the first. How can i totally prevent this from happening. She has 4 eggs soon to hatch. Should i start giving them longer nighttime hours now? Do they have more eggs even with babies in the nest? Thanks


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## Dekey (Apr 21, 2011)

Reduce her food quantity long nights, don't provide bathing water rearrange the cae and move it


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

DON'T reduce her food until the babies are completely weaned. And if the babies stay in the same cage as her then there will have to be more available for them anyways. Rearrange the cage, extend nighttime hours to 12-14 hours, move the food bowls around, and put the cage in a different room/different area of the current room. Also make sure there is nothing "nesty,"...no happy huts, no nesting boxes, keep her out of dark corners and hiding spots..etc.

And birds need bathing water..but you can choose to mist her or just provide a bathing bowl a couple of days each week.


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## Dekey (Apr 21, 2011)

Oooops my bad didn't see that there were chicks there no don't reduce the foods !


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

I wouldn't suggest you doing Anything until the chicks fledge or you pull them for hand feeding. I do believe that if you change things around too much it could cause them to abandon the chicks. They can sometimes double clutch and lay more eggs due to hatch right around when the current chicks will fledge. I would suggest that if you don't want a double clutch, then replace the eggs in the possible second clutch with fake eggs. This way, she won't lay more to replace the ones you took out and will hopefully get sick of sitting on them and discard them.


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## jellybean (Mar 20, 2011)

So is it typical for them to lay eggs when the babies start to fledge? Do cockatiels normally lay a second clutch?
Ok then when the babies fledge i will immediately remove nestbox and extend hours at nighttime. Thanks.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

They usually start getting interested in a second clutch when the babies are about three weeks old. This is the time when they might start plucking the babies trying to make them leave the nest. The parents may start laying eggs before all the babies have fledged. 

So far I have never been successful at preventing a second clutch - the parents are too motivated and will lay eggs no matter what I do. But I've been 100% successful at preventing a third clutch because they're not so motivated at that point.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Yes its very common for them to double clutch, the 2nd clutch is the hardest to prevent a third clutch is much easier to prevent.


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## jellybean (Mar 20, 2011)

Ugh i never even thought about another clutch till i read someones post. I was quite happy with 4. Its a huge responsibilty finding good homes for these babies. I dont want to seperate this bonded pair, they have been through a lot together but dont want them breeding constantly.


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## 4birdsNC (Dec 4, 2010)

I know its akin to forcing an abortion on her but if they do double clutch, and you don't think you can find homes for them and you don't want to mess with a second clutch. Take the eggs out and take the nest box down when the first clutch weens. You may be borrowing trouble, I think you said you are worried about them double clutching, not that they have even started to mate a second time. They may not be a pair that double clutches, so don't worry about it until its time to.


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