# Help! Jinx is laying and I have some questions



## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

I posted about this in another forum, but I decided it was probably best to post here because Jinx is a tiel. Also, I know you guys give excellent advice. I've never had a hen lay before, so I'm brand new to this.

Two days ago one of my girls, Jinx, layed an egg. I've had her for about 18 months and the shop owner said she was probably between 2 and 3 when I bought her. She was an aviary bird so she may or may not have experience with laying and rearing chicks.

My Cockatiels live indoors, in a group of five. Jinx has mated with Flash in the past although he is in a bonded pair with Ivy. I haven't seen them together lately so I'm not sure if the clutch has been fertilised or not. Even when he does mate with the girls, he never gets into the right position. Then again, those matings have never led to the girls laying before, so who knows - maybe he finally got it right!


Jinx is easily disturbed. She does lay on the egg but will leave it for hours. I've read that sometimes hens will lay their clutch and not sit until the whole clutch has come so the chicks all hatch at the same time, and that the eggs can remain viable for up to 7 days when first layed without being sat on, is that true?

Jinx layed the egg in the bottom of the cage in the corner on bare bars. I tried to move her into a private cage last night with Flash but she wouldn't settle. I put her back in and she settled down. I bought a nest box today and have put it in the cage, I'm hoping to pique their interest.
I also put some Breeder's Choice litter in the corner and layed the egg on it so there was at least something there.

Is there anything I can do to encourage them to get interested in the nest box? Flash has been chewing on it a bit, and as I type he's investigating the entrance. I'm hoping this means he's going to 'prepare' it for Jinx and she'll lay her next egg (if there is one) in the box.

Should I put some bedding in the box now? Is Breeder's Choice okay as bedding? It was all I had on hand and they aren't eating it. I've moved the cage into my room so I can observe.

I've kicked up the greens in their diet, I've put in a new cuttlefish bone, and I've put some crushed eggshell in their food in case she wants to eat that. I've been lazy sprouting seed lately but I have some seed soaking and I should have a constant supply within two days. Is there anything else I should add? Am I forgetting anything?

I'm sorry this is so long, but I've never done this before and it was very unexpected since it's the middle of winter! Flash has been mating with Jinx and Ivy for about 14 months now and this is the very first egg that's been produced. I want to make sure Jinx and the eggs are as healthy as possible. 

I have to admit, I always intended to shake the eggs if this happened but I just can't bring myself to do it. In spite of myself I'm kind of really hoping for at least one chick even though I know the eggs are probably not fertilised.

Advice and answers would be greatly appreciated.

If anyone's interested, Jinx is a cinnamon whiteface and Flash is a cinnamon pied pearl (who still has most of his pearls after 4 moults). I'll post photos when I can!


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

*Flash*











*Jinx*


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

I think you have done the right thing putting them together if they will settle, the eggs will still be good provided the hen does not sit and start egg development then leave them, although they can survive being left for up to 2 hours I think provided the chick is slightly more developed in the egg and also the general temperature will also play apart in this too, but if the egg is in early stages of life I don’t think they can survive too long without heat.

If the egg is around a week old and has been incubated if you can get the egg you can candle it and see if there is early stages of life candle is basically shinning a bright light through the egg with a torch and if they are fertile the first signs of life you will see red blood veins within the egg, if the egg just looks clear it either hasn’t had long enough being incubated or the egg is infertile.

For the nest box you need to put aspen shavings in there about a 5 to 7 cm deep, this will hold the heat when the parents are not there, I found it hard to get a safe wood shaving for my birds but it is quite easy when you know where to look, if you go in the reptile bedding section you should be able to find the aspen bedding, my one is called aspen snake bedding and its in a yellow and green bag with a picture of a snake on the front this is safe for cockatiels nesting material.

If the two birds will not pair it is possible a hen can raise a clutch on her own, so if you think it is causing more stress the male being there it is possible she can manage on her own, although I have no experience with this.

Flash is lovely by the way, are you 100% sure he is male, because his pearls are looking really good.


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

I'm absolutely positive he's male; he whistles and sings, makes heartwings and I've seen him mating with Jinx and Ivy countless time. He's definitely a boy! He just has stunning pearls. I think it makes him a very good breeder, and I did sort of want to breed him with Ivy (who is a cinnamon pearl). 

She pretty much abandoned the first egg. I doubt it has any chance. She layed number 2 in her nestbox today. She's not very good at sitting and doesn't stay on them for too long so I'm not expecting chicks unless she suddenly begins sitting when they're all laid.

I will candle them when they're old enough. I've painted small dots on the eggs so I can tell which was laid when.


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## Berdnerd (May 20, 2010)

I don't have any advice, but Flash is beautiful! What a handsome boy, no wonder he gets all the ladies


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

Jinx has five eggs now. I candled 1 and 2 and as expected, they're clear. She laid three eggs in three days and I'm not sure which is which so I'll candle them all again in five days. Jinx is being a bit sloppy, she doesn't sit on them all but she doesn't deliberately leave any out. The eggs are always being scattered by clumsy Flash, I think they need more substrate.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Hey Danielle, what a surprise that would have been! I hope you get some fertile eggs when you candle again. 

Have you got any nesting material in the box? sometimes that can help so that they don't get scattered everywhere (helps keep them somewhat close) and doesn't risk the eggs knocking into each other/against the box and cracking.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

_*She laid three eggs in three days and I'm not sure which is which so I'll candle them all again in five days. *_
*------------------------------------*

Ok...a tiel will lay eggs every other day...so for three eggs this would be a span of 6 days.

Flash appears to be a normal pearl pied male. In rare instances a hen can immatate a male.


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

Jinx layed her sixth yesterday, so she should be done now.

Another surprise, though: Ivy has laid an egg.

The problem is I'm 100% sure she hasn't mated with Flash and he's being even meaner to her now. I've put her and Harley in their own cage since they've both been harassed by Flash. He doesn't react to Mozart so she's still in with them for now.


The nestbox has wood shavings as substrate, but Flash is always knocking the eggs out of place. Jinx is a big girl but she can't fit on all six eggs.


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