Egg Death?

[Phocyn]

I have a few questions about lovebird eggs never hatching or failing to develop. My lovebirds decided to lay eggs this last month. I know it takes 23 to 27 days to hatch so I checked the birds and found one egg with a dead, half formed chick.

I intend to break this pair, but finding a joined cage with a divider is proving a challenge.

I plan to use a candling egg method later today.

 

[Garet]

Why are you breaking up the pair? If it's just because they're not producing live chicks, you might do more harm than good by splitting them up if they're really bonded to one another.

If there are other issues, ie: fighting, it may be good to separate.

I had to split up a male/male pair where one had tried to hurt the other and that went well. I think the younger of the two was happy to be by himself for a while, as his buddy was too hormonal and intense, leading to them falling out.

I have a bonded trio who I split up due to light squabbling between the boys. I was a little hasty and overprotective as one of them only has one leg, and they were miserable. I had to deal with the one I wanted to protect plucking himself, hiding to try and avoid being caged without the other two, ECT.

If they are bonded like my trio, just keep them together. You don't want to deal with upset birds.

 

[Phocyn]

I've had bad reactions from a failed nesting before with these two and followed the advice to not split them up. The female has a habit of going on the attack and the Male has a history of plucking himself bald. I have no intention of splitting them up unless it's best for their health. I've increased open door cage time, I have not used any method of clipping, and gave them their space. I still have four eggs of the original five left.

I'm not going to experiment with this. I have same species pairs in other breeds that socialize out of cage, so this is the method I am looking at. I just need to know if it's okay for a bonded pair? Or am going to need to look at other things?

 

[Garet]

Ah, if she's attacking and he's plucking, then yeah, they're likely not a bonded pair. Separating them would be for the best. My bonded lovebirds don't fight or show signs of distress (plucking). Giving them their own space and allowing out of cage socializing sounds like a good idea for these two. Yen is very territorial and will attack any boy who comes near her cage when she's in it. When outside, she's fine with them and hangs out on her cage with them.