# Egg Help



## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Cookie laid an egg this morning. In the past she has laid them off a perch, which causes the egg to break and she pays no attention to them. This time (I don't know if it's because now she has a male), she laid the egg just right, on the bottom of the cage. She was protective of the egg at first and laid on it for a few minutes and attacked me when I tried to touch it. After a few minutes she started licking it, stepping on it, and kicking it around the cage like it was a toy. She was very excited while doing it. Then she went back to her perch and left the egg alone, and even let me touch it. I noticed that there are some white streaks on the shell of the egg and I wonder if it's normal, or if it means that she has a deficiency of some sort. I am also wondering if it's ok to boil the egg and give it back to her, so that it doesn't hatch (if fertile). I am including links to the pictures of the eggs here, can you guys please take a look at it and tell me what you think the streaks are? Thank you.

http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/Carla819/media/image_zps6b23e43a.jpg.html

http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/Carla819/media/image_zpsc401ac38.jpg.html


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I'd boil it just to be safe and put it back. I don't think there are any deficiencies.


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Thank you, Roxy Culver. I have never seen those streaks before so I wanted to make sure. I am giving her egg with powdered egg shells everyday, is that ok or is it too much? I want to make sure she doesn't lack calcium. She also eats kale and/or broccoli everyday.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Shell swirl...










Abnormal shaped end of the egg










Some causes...


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Thank you for this, srtiels, the websites are very informative. I guess Cookie might have calcium deficiency, even though she eats broccoli and kale everyday. I will go to the pet store and buy calcium supplements for her. Do you recommend any?

Also, the tip of Cookie's egg is exactly like the picture that you posted, titled "abnormal shaped end of the egg". I could not find the cause of this on the websites that you provided. Do you know what this means? 

Also, I measured her egg and it's longer than 1 inch. From the pictures above I can tell that it's not normal. What else could cause this?

Here are more pics of the egg:

http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/Carla819/media/image_zps570873bb.jpg.html
http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/Carla819/media/image_zps7adee233.jpg.html
http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/Carla819/media/image_zpsdc22921d.jpg.html

Thank you


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

This illustration may help. Many breeders/people just focus on supplying calcium and think they have the bases covered. Sodium and natural forms of Vit. A (Carotene) are equally important.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

A good site that lists foods/veggies/greens and the nutrients available in them:

http://www.health-alternatives.com/vegetables-nutrition-chart.html


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Thank you. So her egg problems could be due to a lack of vitamin A, calcium, sodium, D3, or minerals? I am guessing that if I buy all of those recommended supplements and give them all to her it would be too much? What do you recommend that I give her? I just ran out and bought "avian plus vitamin and mineral supplement for birds" (it says that it's great for breeding programs). Is that enough?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*I could not find the cause of this on the websites that you provided. Do you know what this means? *

The 3rd illustration explains the cause. It could be a Vit A deficiency or an infection in the uterus...or both.


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

ok…so it looks like Cookie might have a calcium deficiency AND a Vitamin A deficiency. In addition to giving her foods that supply these nutrients, would it be safe to give her Vitamin A AND Calcium supplements?

I started giving her "avian plus vitamin and mineral supplement for birds". Do you think that should be enough as a supplement?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

If you still have the egg I would suggest you take her and the egg to your vet for a checkup. I do not think you should be giving more calcium...too much calcium is just as dangerous that not enough. A vet can give her a multivitamin shot that also includes Vit. A and also check to see if she has an infection in the uterus.


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

a multi vitamin shot would be nice. Ok. Thank you for your help!


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Cookie laid another egg today. This time she did it off a perch and the egg broke. Here are 2 pictures of the egg. It came out normal! Perfectly normal, the right shape, and the yolk looks perfect from what I can tell. It is smaller than the first one, but it is exactly 1 inch as it should be according to the illustrations provided by srtiels. Maybe the supplement that I'm giving her is working? 
My only question is, I know that all eggs are supposed to look exactly the same in order for them to be considered normal. Since Cookie's first egg was abnormal, and the second one normal, is this a good thing or bad?

http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/Carla819/media/image_zpscfc92076.jpg.html
(first egg on the left, second egg on the right (broken)

http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/Carla819/media/image_zps5e20c979.jpg.html
yolk of second egg


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Thanks for the update  I'm glad she is doing better.

*look exactly the same in order for them to be considered normal*

They should like like the 2nd one. The size and weight may vary a little with each egg, but the shape should the same.


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