advice warmly welcomed

[hellen]

i'm hoping those reading this wont think this question ridiculous. my kakariki female has recently laid 6 eggs, she's devoted to her eggs and works hard to keep them warm. They are not fertile so wont hatch. she's laid eggs before and after she realises they wont hatch she gradually lessens her visits to them until she becomes disinterested. i feel very sorry for her and wondered if it were possible to put one fertile egg in with hers, i was thinking of a budgie egg so that it may hatch and she can experience motherhood but not a kakariki because if it were a boy they would mate once he matured, i really dont want to breed. i also have a male cockatiel. I am more than happy to have 3 birds to care for. could this work or is this a bad idea? i'm fairly new to keeping birds and would just like the best for them, advice warmly welcomed

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Bad idea. She is already experiencing motherhood just by brooding the eggs. In the wild it is not unusual for parrots to lose their entire clutch of eggs to predators. She does not need to hatch a baby. I cull my birds fertile eggs and therefore use this method for birth control. The birds brood the infertile eggs until they abandon them and never seem to be depressed or unhappy when no eggs hatch. The brooding is enough to satisfy their need to reproduce.

 

[Lady Jane]

Good advice. In addition there is quite a difference in size. a larger bird mom could accidently crush and small bird such as a budgie. Don't worry about "motherhood" She will be fine without it.

 

[JLcribber]

is this a bad idea?

Yes it's a bad idea. Lois gave great advice.

 

[hellen]

yes good advice all round, thank you, i wont worry about it anymore