3 days between eggs?

[Day89]

we bought a pair of love birds last year they came with a cage and nesting box. Over the past few weeks we noticed one bringing shredded newspaper into the box. On Saturday I took a look in the box and there was one egg. It’s now Tuesday and there isn’t any more.. everything I have read says they lay a egg every 2nd day. Should I be concerned? She doesn’t seem to be uncomfortable or acting out of the ordinary, but she does have a bulge on her bottom (I assume this is where the egg is sitting in her) I have been peaking into the box twice a day but i was doing this before the 1st egg as well.

So... is this normal?

 

[JLcribber]

Its normal.

Just because a cage came with a nest box, doesn't mean you need to use it.

Since you haven't got the slightest knowledge or experience about eggs/breeding I would implore you to take that nest box away when this cycle ends and replace any future eggs with fakes. For the birds sake. Please.

What are you going to do if they don't look after the chicks (very common in captive birds)?

They're gone to have chicks every season. What are you going to do with all these babies?

 

[Birdbabe]

2 to 3 days between eggs is normal, but, some will only have 1 egg..just watch and if you feel something is wrong, then get her checked.. as John says, and weve all been there, you need be experienced in Eggies, egg binding, calcium issues, possible pulling and hand feeding, get fake eggs to replace..my birds are not allowed to have any more babies..

 

[Zara]

replace any future eggs with fakes

It´s not too late to remove the first egg. Boil it (allow to cool) and put it back. Lovebirds don´t sit ´til they are done laying, and you say she has another egg coming so she won´t have started brooding yet.
I second taking the nest away when she´s done with this clutch, and not to give her newspaper when you notice mating behaviour.

My hen sometimes has 3 days between eggs but her norm is every other day.

just watch and if you feel something is wrong, then get her checked..

Very important to keep an eye on laying hens, it´s very stressful for their little bodies and things can go wrong unfortunately.

Is she a good eater? Be sure to supplement her calcium intake.

Hopefully she lays her egg soon

 

[JenBirds]

Why do you tell her to get rid of birds ? Kill them essentially? I say help her be a better bird breeder! Isn't that what this group is about ? I shudder at the thought of boiling the eggs.. or throwing them away. If someone comes on here and wants to breed birds then help them do it, I say!!

 

[Zara]

If eggs are boiled the day they are laid, they are not birds. They are barely anything as life has not started growing. Kind of like a woman menstruating.

When a lovebird lays an egg, fertile or not, nothing grows ´til the hen broods.

If you don´t believe that, then candle a fresh egg and literally see for yourself, fertile and non-fertile all look the same until the hen initates incubation.

Now if this were a 10 day old egg that the hen has started incubating... Bad, wrong, cruel. I´m against that.

I shudder at the thought of boiling the eggs.. or throwing them away.

Do you know what I shudder at the thought of?
Of letting my birds breed and one of their chicks being homeless, unloved, left in a shelter, locked in a cage and never left out, treated poorly, abused for breeding purposes or dead.

If someone comes on here and wants to breed birds then help them do it, I say!!

See, that is one thing... but she didn´t. This member came and asked an egg question. Not advice how to breed. And considering she didn´t know about laying eggs, it´s not likely she will know how to care for any chicks. Or maybe hadn´t thought about it. It´s good people say something now while there is still time to do something about it.


If a member was to to say, I have a pair of X´s, and I want to breed them, they are in good health and are a good age. X´s are in high demand in my area, I know I could rehome all the chicks. I have been researching for the last 6 months, I know how to handfeed and I have a brooder setup on standby. Could you help me with XYZ?
People would happily give any advice they could. They will still ask questions, but will be more inclined to help.

People aren´t against breeding for no reason. If someone doesn´t know what they´re doing or they are in an area where rescues are full of that breed of bird, it´s best to advise them to not let the eggs be incubated.

At the end of the day the birds are the ones to suffer, and inexperienced bird breeders kill birds, you of all people should know that.

 

[Ripshod]

I shudder at the thought of boiling the eggs.. or throwing them away.

Why? As a breeder would be aware that a fertilised egg is not even viable until a few days after incubation starts.

If someone comes on here and wants to breed birds then help them do it, I say!!

There are always provisos for breeding. Mainly the knowledge and equipment to care for abandoned and sick chicks.
Yes we are here to help fellow breeders, and the best way we can do that is by sharing knowledge and experience. To make the above statements you show to everyone that you are not an established successful breeder and just want to smear everything with biased opinion.
I am ignoring you - not sorry.

 

[Ripshod]

Sorry guys. I've had a shower and cooled down.
@JenBirds, please if you want to continue this take it to my message inbox.
Let's get this thread back on track and help @Day89 eh?

 

[Lady Jane]

Why do you tell her to get rid of birds ? Kill them essentially? I say help her be a better bird breeder! Isn't that what this group is about ? I shudder at the thought of boiling the eggs.. or throwing them away. If someone comes on here and wants to breed birds then help them do it, I say!!

Birds do not have a way to control the baby population so we begin with the egg which as you read here is not viable when it is first laid. I believe that it is our responsibility to make sure the population of birds is to a minimum. Why? Just go to a bird rescue and you will see. Leave any breeding to the ethical breeders. Notice I said ethical.

 

[Day89]

Well I’m glad I didn’t come back to this until now
Mom did fine she laid 5 eggs and 1st baby hatched 21 days after it was laid (she wasn’t even in there sitting on it all the time so I believe that had something to do with our normal humidity and temperatures here) sadly one of our babies who hatched almost 2 weeks after the 1st passed away. (We believe the bigger babies were on top of him and he wasn’t able to get food from mom)

I did go to my local vet and got advice on handfeeding Incase we needed to. And we have everything prepared.

To clarify we weren’t against them having babies at all, it’s been a very exciting learning experience for us and especially our children.

 

[Day89]

Lovebirds don´t sit ´til they are done laying, and you say she has another egg coming so she won´t have started brooding yet

Interestingly enough the normal humidity and temperatures here are almost exactly what the eggs need to grow. I totally understand what you were saying though. I just thought it would be cool to pass this info along because we were super surprised when we had our 1st egg hatch way way earlier then we expected lol

 

[Day89]

One more addition. In no way would I be able to remove the eggs. These are my 10 year old daughters pet birds and I’m pretty sure I would traumatize her if I “killed the baby birds”

 

[Zara]

One more addition. In no way would I be able to remove the eggs. These are my 10 year old daughters pet birds and I’m pretty sure I would traumatize her if I “killed the baby birds”

The eggs aren´t laid with chicks inside..... You won´t be killing a baby bird.


One day old egg. Is it fertile or is it not? You tell me...

 

[Day89]

Of course not but try to have a 10 year old and a 3 year old understand that. The 10 year old get it but emotionally she knows in a day or 2 the baby will start growing. Not like chicken eggs you buy at the grocery store that didn’t even get fertilized. I put the quotation marks around the words to show what my child would be thinking not me.

 

[Zara]

I see. Then maybe you could teach them?
The first day, when you remove the egg, tell her, no baby inside. You can physically show her, it may be easier for her to understand.
Turn the lights down low and shine a strong light on the egg, like in my picture. She will see there is nothing inside. It will be clear, with a yellow yolk - just like an egg from the store.

 

[Day89]

I will be trying to prevent them from breeding again after this anyways. We have already discussed it and we are clear it isn’t going to happen again it’s not good for mom bird especially cornering we don’t know her past.
Our “wild” mom and dad have become a lot more tame even eating out of our hands through the bars of the cage during all of this (they used to bite if you even stuck your hand in the cage to change outs toys etc)
So it hasn’t been bad so far.

 

[MahaSarah]

Please watch the youngest baby bird to make sure he is eating and growing. It is not uncommon for the littlest one to not get much food and be malnourished and then die.

I am just wondering but what are you planning to do with the babies?

 

[Zara]

Trying to prevent it is one thing, but just be aware that sometimes they will lay on the floor. There´s no way to 100% stop egg laying. Maybe you could at least try my suggestion with your kids in the future. It is worth a shot. If that fails and the kids get upset, switch the eggs for dummy eggs while the kids are in bed.

How come they are wild?

Sounds like you are making great progress in handling the birds and building a relationship. Hopefully after these chicks have fledged, you will be able to work more on that and try socialising them.

Please watch the youngest baby bird to make sure he is eating and growing. It is not uncommon for the littlest one to not get much food and be malnourished and then die.

It is a good idea, especially since this has already happened to you, to check up on the chicks every few hours and if you notice his crop empty, feed him. Don´t wait. Make sure you have supplies now to be able to step in in-the-moment.