21 yr old just laid an egg...

[Timbersmom]

That is a good question!

[Dave007]

I find it fascinating, the egg laying. But I am so grateful, Sophie doesn't do it! So the question for Dan and Dave, is why some DNA sexed females lay eggs and others don't? Nancy

 

Climate changes, sexual stimulation with things that have nothing to do sexual situation, Overactive hormones, A wild bird's instinct to do what nature intended. Diet. Lots of other reasons. Luckily enough, most female greys won't lay eggs no matter what. Some will. In this thread there's a 21 yr old bird that never did this before and most likely will never do it again. We've had others in the past who's adult birds have done the same thing. Even male greys have the ability to lay eggs in extreme conditions. I remember a few years ago when a guy came here. He owned a DNA sexed male who had laid an egg. To say the least, he was disturbed. He even thought that the bird had the same condition similar to hermerfidhites Before you bombard me about how or why males do this, simply start searching the net until you come across that subject. Tiels are the leaders concerning laying eggs with or without males around. Many die because of extreme calcium loss. Many get egg bound. Most that do this will not need any type of nest box to start them off. It's sad to watch.

Edited August 31, 2013 by Dave007

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Thanks Dave! Glad Sophie doesen't lay eggs. Remember to be patient, when you meet parents that chose to ignore your wise information.It frustates me, when parrents dont understand shoulder status. Ryan keeps me grounded. He always reminds me, what works for us, doesn't always work for other families. Nancy

[murfchck]

Just an update on Gabby. After her second egg, we removed the first egg. She had her second for a few days and didn't pay much attention to it at all. In fact the second night she went to her cage at bedtime and the egg didn't go with her. She is back to her normal self, talking and dancing and roaming the house.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Yay for Gabby! All is well. Nancy

[murfchck]

I should know better. Talk about it and things will change. 3rd egg on the bottom of the cage this morning. No sign at all that this would happen. She was full of herself yesterday, helped me shred chicken for dinner, her way of course, and even helped feed the dogs. (also her way, by tossing half of what she shredded onto the floor) She was flying and pooping normal. When do i start to worry? I know 3 is normal but what should i be looking for as far as getting her to the vet? What i really need is a day to myself to have a pity party and just sit and cry without 3 birds laughing at me. I tried yesterday when my washer broke and had my cloths trapped inside it, but Cotay, Bongo and Bubba just laughed at me. I am about worn out. 4 feathers in the bottom of Olivers cage, lots of down in Bubbas cage and dog poo in the corner of their room and then the egg. The rooms are gated, when did they get in there????

 

Oh yeah, Cotay bit my side this morning too when i was leaning past her cage to open the blinds. Now i have to go to work and deal with the public, i don't wanna play nice today!!!!!

[Timbersmom]

Yikes what a day already!

[Dave007]

I should know better. Talk about it and things will change. 3rd egg on the bottom of the cage this morning. No sign at all that this would happen. She was full of herself yesterday, helped me shred chicken for dinner, her way of course, and even helped feed the dogs. (also her way, by tossing half of what she shredded onto the floor) She was flying and pooping normal. When do i start to worry? I know 3 is normal but what should i be looking for as far as getting her to the vet? What i really need is a day to myself to have a pity party and just sit and cry without 3 birds laughing at me. I tried yesterday when my washer broke and had my cloths trapped inside it, but Cotay, Bongo and Bubba just laughed at me. I am about worn out. 4 feathers in the bottom of Olivers cage, lots of down in Bubbas cage and dog poo in the corner of their room and then the egg. The rooms are gated, when did they get in there????

 

Oh yeah, Cotay bit my side this morning too when i was leaning past her cage to open the blinds. Now i have to go to work and deal with the public, i don't wanna play nice today!!!!!

 

You're thinking about this situation in the wrong way. She's already showing disinterest in those eggs. She lays the eggs and then takes off, ignores them, then gets involved in what else is going on. A bird who goes through a 30 day cycle without any hatching she starts to reaize that the eggs aren't good. Normally, after 30 days or earlier she leaves them and goes about her business. Your bird hasn't reached that 30 cycle yet but she's already disinterested. I doubt there will be more than 4 eggs. I already told that to another person here and that's what happened and the bird was fine. She added nesting material and kept returning the eggs to the nesting area as soon as they showed up which was no good. She was told that she had to take the nesting material out but she said she was afraid of how bad her bird's mentality would be if she removed the eggs. They were simply infertile eggs as yours are. If you have 3 eggs in the cage right now, remove one when she's not around. She's not gonna lay an egg just to replace it. She probably won't spend much time looking for it. If she's due to lay another egg, it's got nothing to do with replacing a missing egg. When 3 days have passed remove another one. Do the same in approx 4 days and remove another one. Before you remove any of these eggs wait one week or 10 days from now. You're doing much more worrying about those eggs then she is. If she was worried, she would never leave them whether they were fertile or infertile and more than likely, she would bite you when you came near those eggs. As far as now, she doesn't care who goes near them. That's not me telling you that; that's her telling you that. As far as the vet-----that's up to you. If you feel worried, go to the vet and see what he says.

I can remember a couple of birds that laid infertile eggs in the bottom of the cage and started playing with them like they were ping pong balls Eventually the eggs cracked and she simply went to the next egg and eventually cracked that one. Your bird doesn't sound sick. You're starting to connect Gabby's shedding of down feathers to what's happening. Just remember that greys lose down feathers all year long.

So, the decision is yours. Most people here can't give the exact info you want so maybe a vet has to put you on the right track.

Edited September 3, 2013 by Dave007

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

I really like Dave's advice! I also think you are deserving of a day out all on your own and do whatever you want! Nancy

[murfchck]

i am not worried about the eggs at all. There are no eggs in there. #1 broke when #2 came about, # 2 went away when she went to bed without it and didn't want it all day, #3 broke when it hit bottom. She cares less about them, i asked when do i worry about her health, calcium etc. lol. What signs should i be looking for? At her age with her disability, i worry about her health and it taking too much out of her. Since she started doing this, she has become my lil baby girl. Lets me hold her and love on her now. I have even been able to pet under her wings!

Edited September 4, 2013 by murfchck

[Dave007]

i am not worried about the eggs at all. There are no eggs in there. #1 broke when #2 came about, # 2 went away when she went to bed without it and didn't want it all day, #3 broke when it hit bottom. She cares less about them, i asked when do i worry about her health, calcium etc. lol. What signs should i be looking for? At her age with her disability, i worry about her health and it taking too much out of her. Since she started doing this, she has become my lil baby girl. Lets me hold her and love on her now. I have even been able to pet under her wings!

 

There's nothing to worry about anymore. The problem is over. Her health is fine. She's acting very much like a bird who hasn't even had a problem. Her calcium levels have nothing to do with what has happened. ( what disability??). Do you think that a person immediately goes to a vet after one of their breeders has had a clutch of successful fertile eggs that have all hatched and grown successfully? The time for the vet is next year when breeding is about to occur. The situation is now past tense. Let things go back to normal. It happened and now there's no obvious reason why it happened and a vet can't do an exam to physically tell you how it happened. There's loads of reasons why it could have happened. Your grey is a wild animal. It will always be a wild animal. This type of thing constantly goes on in the wild with multitudes of wild birds--all kinds of species, soft bills, hard bills, hook bills, parrots. Towards the end of autuum, I find infertile eggs in chickadee nests, titmice and once in a great while in hummingbird nests. Nature has done what nature has done and even vets can't overcome nature but they can definitely overcome your finances.

Edited September 4, 2013 by Dave007

[murfchck]

I wasn't rushing her to the vet, just wanting to know if there is anything to watch for as far as her getting weak or anything like that. She has a leg that is deformed so her balance is bad and after the first egg and the struggle she had according to hubby i worried about her falling off the perch. I think weak bones and if she is laying eggs what is she depleting her own body of. No biggie, i know she is fine just being prepared. Nothing to compare to so this is brand new to all of us! With her being extra nice to me, i worried because that is NOT normal for her. She lets me be her taxi but not touch her or even pet her and now i can pet or hug and even touch her under her ever so protected wings, lol. I am a murphy and murphy's law follows me around, the good before the bad theory.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

murfchck... You are doing everything right. As far as the deformed leg, they eventually figure it out, and compensate. Nancy