Single female with eggs

[Marlene]

I am really not sure what I should do with these eggs. A few months ago my single budgie laid an egg after I have had him (I swear it was male) for 8 years. I promptly removed the egg but was told I had done the wrong thing. She did not lay anymore but continues to act as though she wants to. She tears her paper and makes nests constantly but never lays.

 

Now my ringneck has produced 2 eggs. She also has no mate but she evidently does not know that she needs one. I always used sand in her cage because I had been told (when I got her) that she makes a mess of paper. A few weeks ago the sand was wet so I placed paper. I was so thrilled with the fact that I did not have sand all over (and I mean ALL OVER) the room that I kept the paper regimen.

 

Do I remove the eggs, go back to useing sand, leave everythibng as is or what?

 

What is prompting these girls to do this?

[Tari]

I don't know anything about the use of sand. I use newpaper and I don't mind if the tear it up some but most of my cages have a space between the bird and the paper so not really a problem. I even give them some paper to rip up and play with.

About the eggs I would leave them till they get broken or the bird loses interest. This helps keep them from laying to much.

[Marlene]

Thanx Tari, I don't mind her tearing the paper up - she just gets so grubby. I'm currently looking for unprinted paper.

 

Hope someone knows how I stop this from happening constantly.

[Tari]

The egg laying or the paper shedding?

 

Leaving the egg should help slow down the egg laying. I also believe if it becomes a problem there is a shot the avian vets give to those that lay to much but I would not do that if I could help it.

 

The other thing you can do is limit the light. Longer days is when parrots/birds lay so if you can limit the light to say 8 or 10 hours it might help.

 

As far as stopping the paper chewing thats what birds do. Other then keeping it out of reach not much you can do for it other then changing it out daily. That's a good idea anyways so it stays clean.

[lovemyGreys]

Any female bird is capable of laying infertile eggs when their hormones start raging...It is best to leave the egg/eggs until the female looses interest, continual egg laying can be detrimental to the birds health.As Tari rightly said if egg laying becomes a problem, a bird can receive an injection from an avian vet to stop the egg laying for a period of time.

[danmcq]

Don't mess with a hormonal females "possible" offs-spring.

 

I learned that as a wee Lad from my Father

[lovemyGreys]

He taught you well then Dan

[Marlene]

Thanx guys.

The paper shredding is really not a problem. My Gar never did this until December then all of a sudden she started shredding and laid. She still shreds but does not lay.

The ringneck keeps moving the eggs around and has now put a food bowl over them.

When I change her paper do I just put them back?

 

What's made these birds do this all of a sudden? I would have thought the Gar was a little old to start now (she's 8). Stupid question....I have 2 daughters one has recently matured and the other is heading that way - could it be related???NO LAUGHTER PLEASE!!!!

[Tari]

No telling. I have a female that is almost 8 years old and has yet to lay any eggs.

Am I right in assuming your bird can walk on the newspaper?

I would look into a new cage. One where there is a crate over the tray so the bird can not walk on its own poop.

[Marlene]

Yes, you assume correctly. None of our cages have grates over the paper. It has take SA forever to catch up. I see the luxurious new cages all have grates but the older ones did not. Yes, new cages all around are called for and will be bough. In the mean time I will have to make another plan.

[Tycos_mom]

If your worryed about the birds getting dirty from the news brown paper bags cut open make a good altunative until you get your birds new cages. There are so many birds that get rehomed these days just look on the Internet classifieds there a a ton of hardly used cages for sale for very little money. of course you'll have to disifect them but even with a cage you buy new needs to be disifeccted also. I bought 2 huge cages 1 for my African Grey and 1 for my Amazon both of them are like brand new and worth at least 1000.00 each and I bought them both for 200.00 so its just a suggestion Pat