# Egg laying single female



## MeanDonnaJean (Dec 3, 2011)

My poor single baby girl (well, she's not _really_ a baby...she's over a year old) began layin' eggs a week or so ago. So far she's laid 2 1/2 (see pic...& what the heck is THAT all about anyway?) but I do know to leave well enuff alone & not dispose of 'em. She spends waaaaay too much time sittin' on 'em inside her "hut" but just today she decided to come outta her cage for a nice lengthy free flight/play time with her two budgie buds. She took a quick bath and she even ate her favorite treat, so I'm hopin' she'll be finished layin' soon. I just worry cuz naturally, she's not actin' like her usual happy clingy noisy always hungry self. Other than that she seems well, and it seems like she'd make a fantastic very protective mom. 

Awwww, perhaps someday, Zoey. Some day.


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## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

I believe the half an egg is either a fluke or she's not had enough calcium in her diet to form a complete egg. It is rather odd, I agree 

Because she's in breeding mode, she won't be as interested in hanging out with her human companion (you) and will be seemingly obsessed with sitting in her hut until she's bored with them. Once she's lost interest (should take about 2-2 1/2 weeks)I would recommend that you remove the hut just so it doesn't trigger breeding behavior again. Once her hormones calm down she'll be happy to hang out with you again 

But that half an egg...wow. That is weird!


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## Clair (Jul 31, 2012)

I love your perch in front of the window!!!


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## sweetnsour924 (Oct 20, 2010)

I have NEVER seen an egg like that. I'de like to know what causes that too.


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## MeanDonnaJean (Dec 3, 2011)

vampiric_conure said:


> Once she's lost interest (should take about 2-2 1/2 weeks)I would recommend that you remove the hut just so it doesn't trigger breeding behavior again.


Absolutely will do. I don't think *I* can handle another round of that...so I can just imagine how Zoey feels!



vampiric_conure said:


> Once her hormones calm down she'll be happy to hang out with you again


And I can't wait. I really do MISS her :-(



vampiric_conure said:


> But that half an egg...wow. That is weird!


Ain't it tho? I've done a LOTTA readin' here in the forums but have never found anything similar to it, so that shoulda given me a clue as to just how odd it really is. Hmmmm, I wonder if there's a place for it in Ripley's Believe It or Not! ;-)


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## MeanDonnaJean (Dec 3, 2011)

Clair said:


> I love your perch in front of the window!!!


Thank you, but guess what? That's NOTTA perch. It's actually the "spring arm" (? if that's what it's called ?) on the back storm door she's sittin' on in that pic. She USED TO love to sit there 'n look out the back door winter, spring, summer, & fall....until I bought her the T-Stand below. Now she _really_ can sit there all day and have her water & treats & toys right at hand. Whatta lucky lady!


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## MeanDonnaJean (Dec 3, 2011)

sweetnsour924 said:


> I have NEVER seen an egg like that. I'de like to know what causes that too.


If ya find out anything about it could ya clue me in? I've gotta admit I was pretty darn shocked...and a bit worried...when I first saw it. But since she seemed to have no ill effects afterwards, I just left it with the others (and kept my fingers crossed!).


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm not an expert on abnormal eggs but I think that's a soft-shelled egg. Please see the thread at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=19866 and particularly the pictures of abnormal eggs near the bottom of post #2. Please do something about her calcium intake IMMEDIATELY and keep a close eye on her. She could be at risk for egg binding and/or egg yolk peritonitis.

The link above recommends getting a shot of Calphosan from an avian vet. If that isn't feasible, then probably the fastest way to get some useable calcium into her is to get a liquid calcium supplement made for birds. There are several different brands, but it seems like all of them contain vitamin D and magnesium in addition to calcium, which will help her absorb the calcium. Not all pet stores carry liquid calcium, but if there are several pet shops in your area it's likely that at least one will have it, so you can call around before you go shopping. If you can't get it locally then order some on the internet.

In the long run, you need to make sure she gets enough vitamin D and calcium on a regular basis. Eating a substantial amount of pellets or nutriberries will contribute to this, and so will getting natural sunlight (not filtered through glass) or full spectrum lighting.

Here are some additional threads on diet:
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27479
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27549

Also one on egg-laying single females:
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=2678


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

also, you mentioned "hut", was this in her cage before? if so, once she gives up on these eggs, remove the hut to prevent further egg laying. cockatiels should not have huts or tents because they tend to get very nesty over them.


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## MeanDonnaJean (Dec 3, 2011)

tielfan said:


> I'm not an expert on abnormal eggs but I think that's a soft-shelled egg. Please see the thread at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=19866 and particularly the pictures of abnormal eggs near the bottom of post #2.
> 
> The link above recommends getting a shot of Calphosan from an avian vet. If that isn't feasible, then probably the fastest way to get some useable calcium into her is to get a liquid calcium supplement made for birds. There If you can't get it locally then order some on the internet.
> 
> In the long run, you need to make sure she gets enough vitamin D and calcium on a regular basis. Eating a substantial amount of pellets or nutriberries will contribute to this, and so will getting natural sunlight (not filtered through glass) or full spectrum lighting.


I checked the link ya gave me (thank you!) and I found it most helpful (as are most of the forums here). Ya know what the funny thing about that "abnormal" egg is? It was the second one she laid. The first and the third are absolutely normal in size/shape. I happened to notice that a few days prior to her layin' she was chompin' a-plenty on the large cuttlebone in her cage (which she hardly EVER did before) and she was also hittin' the wooden Bird Kabob pretty darn hard too and shreddin' it to pieces....both of which were pretty good warnin' signs of what was to follow.

As far as the calcium goes, its on its way and outta be here tomorrow. I ordered it online rite after she laid that weird egg. Luckily tho she DOES eat plenty of Nutriberries & pellets, she WAS gettin' plenty of natural sunlight from sittin' in front of the screened-in back door on a daily basis (it DOES go thru screen, correct?) and there is a full spectrum light on over her cage anyway.

Sheesh, with all that's goin' on with her, I may as well have another baby in the house (at almost 56 years of age? Oh NO, Donna...I don't THINK so!). THATS how much love 'n attention these beautiful creatures need and deserve


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## MeanDonnaJean (Dec 3, 2011)

DallyTsuka said:


> also, you mentioned "hut", was this in her cage before? if so, once she gives up on these eggs, remove the hut to prevent further egg laying. cockatiels should not have huts or tents because they tend to get very nesty over them.


Oh YES honey, dontcha worry....that trouble causin' lil' sucker is gettin' pulled rite after all this mama drama is OVER!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Also too, you mentioned you had budgies correct? If there is a male budgie that is interested in her, this could also stimulate her.

As to the eggs...the pink one is thin-shelled. The malformed one happened most likely because it got stuck to her uterus as it was rotating the egg to deposit calcium. The last one is denser most likely from the remaining calcium of the other two eggs. I would definitely try to prevent her from laying.


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## MeanDonnaJean (Dec 3, 2011)

roxy culver said:


> Also too, you mentioned you had budgies correct? If there is a male budgie that is interested in her, this could also stimulate her...I would definitely try to prevent her from laying.


Yes, I DO have two budgies in a separate cage from Zoey but all 3 are always let out 'n about together at the same time every day. Holy crap! Is THAT why my what-I-thought-was-a-female-but-just-found-out-was-a-male budgie has been CONSTANTLY & relentlessly chasin' her around for quite a while now? It NEVER dawned on me that could be the reason! Up until, what, 2 days ago when I found out that _she_ was really a _he_, I thought "she" was always chasin' Zoey around just cuz she wanted to "play". Stupid ME.

Well, in any event, there's still just the 3 eggs in the hut but Zoey IS still sittin' on & guardin' 'em with her life. Today her droppin's have gotten a bit smaller and slowly but surely she's becomin' a bit more social & vocal like her old self. But I DO plan on removin' that darn hut to prevent this from happenin' again. 

It's funny but, in all this time that the hut has been inside her cage (since day 1 when I brought her home) she never even gave it a second glance - until one day maybe 1 or 2 months or so ago when she started playin' peek-a-boo in it with me. 

And THAT was the beginnin' of what is soon to be the END of that darn thing/game (but it WAS soooooo much fun while it lasted!).


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Our brand-new sticky thread on hormone control and unwanted egg laying might be helpful: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=32330


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