Problem Parents?

[iamwhoiam]

I had to separate Lucy & Ricky not due to egg-laying, though, but because he started hurting her. They were OK separated. If you do that, you can let them visit but supervise so they don't mate although sometimes just the closeness can stimulate egg-laying. In fact, even females who don't have and have never had mates might lay eggs but, of course, the eggs will be infertile. If she continues to lay a lot of eggs you may have to add a calcium supplement to her diet.

 

[rocky'smom]

ok, now that I understand better, I can add some more information that may be helpful. I still believe you will have to separate the pair.
I have 2 cockatiels, one male and one female. they live in separate cages. my little hen has been laying eggs off and on for months (since March).
to make sure the female is getting enough to eat you will have coax her out of the nest box in the AM and block the opening with a towel or something.
reducing the light is a part the whole plan but not all of it. reduce the amount of soft foods also will help. make sure she is getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D3 and some sunlight that is not thru the windows. that means you may have to take her outside in a secure cage or get feather brite light bulbs. may sure she has a cuttlebone or liquid calcium in her water. if you feed pellets try moistening them instead of dry. you may pat her head but never her back, that is seen sexual stimulating to both sexes. here is another article for you to read:

Little Feathered Buddies hormone control

 

[Just-passn-thru]

Here's some links for your review...
Chronic Egg Laying: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Chronic Egg Laying in Parrots | QuakerParrots.com

Continuous egg laying | World Parrot Trust

 

[Laurie]

In all likelihood you will need to separate them if they are killing the babies. The only other possibility is that the babies died due to not being brooded, being fed or being sickly. In that case they may be cleaning up It would take several hours of not being brooded or a day or more of not being fed for the babies to die. If it is immediately after hatching then the parent have probably killed them

It's sad, I hope you can stop them from breeding.

If they are "cleaning up" then you could take the babies and hand feed them, but you do not seem like you have the schedule or know how to do that. So probably separating them is best.

Also 12 eggs is a ton, she will definitely need a good rest. Try changing up the cage arrangement and cutting down to 10 hours of light a day and see if that helps.

 

[JLcribber]

I would like to start with I bought these birds as pets in march and they started laying eggs. I have already pulled the nestbox and I'm waiting on the fake eggs I bought on amazon to get here and I have cut their lighting in half which is hard to do in Alaska this time of year. I wasn't "hobby" breeding. I have two jobs and I take college courses online. I bought birds that weren't breeding prior to me getting them and I came here for advice. Thank you everyone for your nice non judgemental advice.

It was the wording of your post that lead to the misinterpretation by most of us. My apologies.

 

[Learning89]

In all likelihood you will need to separate them if they are killing the babies. The only other possibility is that the babies died due to not being brooded, being fed or being sickly. In that case they may be cleaning up It would take several hours of not being brooded or a day or more of not being fed for the babies to die. If it is immediately after hatching then the parent have probably killed them

It's sad, I hope you can stop them from breeding.

If they are "cleaning up" then you could take the babies and hand feed them, but you do not seem like you have the schedule or know how to do that. So probably separating them is best.

Also 12 eggs is a ton, she will definitely need a good rest. Try changing up the cage arrangement and cutting down to 10 hours of light a day and see if that helps.

I came home from work and my male was eating the other half of the chick but the day before I had a "disappearing egg" that was due to hatch, nowhere to be found. But I actually tried with one of the eggs that I pulled after I realized what was happening. The chick was severely dehydrated in the egg so I had to help him hatch. He stayed alive for 36 hours and well I checked him/ fed him every hour and a half and found somebody to feed him and watch the temp while I was at work but unfortunately he didn't make it that far. I did just switch them to a bigger cage, so I'm hopeful. I don't want to have to separate them but I will do what I have to do..

 

[Learning89]

It was the wording of your post that lead to the misinterpretation by most of us. My apologies.

That's okay. You guys just really care about the birds and I get it.

 

[Just-passn-thru]

I came home from work and my male was eating the other half of the chick but the day before I had a "disappearing egg" that was due to hatch, nowhere to be found. But I actually tried with one of the eggs that I pulled after I realized what was happening. The chick was severely dehydrated in the egg so I had to help him hatch. He stayed alive for 36 hours and well I checked him/ fed him every hour and a half and found somebody to feed him and watch the temp while I was at work but unfortunately he didn't make it that far. I did just switch them to a bigger cage, so I'm hopeful. I don't want to have to separate them but I will do what I have to do..

Try the dummy eggs first...and keep all nesting things out of their cage see if that works .

 

[Just-passn-thru]

@Learning89 don't be a stranger . Keep us posted, hopefully they are just immature parents and will chill out as they get comfortable in their new surroundings.

 

[Learning89]

@Learning89 don't be a stranger . Keep us posted, hopefully they are just immature parents and will chill out as they get comfortable in their new surroundings.

Deal, thank you all for your help!

 

[rocky'smom]

I did some research for you, I called my cousin who is vet. her practice does see birds as well as other animals. because your two are eating their own young, her words were put them in separate cages for at least 2 months maybe longer. they can be let out to visit the other between the bars. she also said the is boatload of eggs and that female needs a good long rest to recuperate her body's losses of calcium and Vitamin D3. I will be going into the clinic tomorrow to volunteer (cleaning cages and tending to one very cranky CAG) and if Dr. Tony (the avian vet) is there, I will ask him, his thoughts also.

 

[Laurie]

I came home from work and my male was eating the other half of the chick but the day before I had a "disappearing egg" that was due to hatch, nowhere to be found. But I actually tried with one of the eggs that I pulled after I realized what was happening. The chick was severely dehydrated in the egg so I had to help him hatch. He stayed alive for 36 hours and well I checked him/ fed him every hour and a half and found somebody to feed him and watch the temp while I was at work but unfortunately he didn't make it that far. I did just switch them to a bigger cage, so I'm hopeful. I don't want to have to separate them but I will do what I have to do..

If they are dehydrated and having trouble hatching then you need to increase the humidity. Humidity is very important to eggs hatching and also to babies staying hydrated. I learned that some birds need more humidity and different temperature requirements. I have raise parrotlets and caiques and they are actually quite different from one another in habits and requirements. Also the less developed the baby the more precise things need to be. If you could find some good info on Quakers that would be helpful.

Where did they have their nest. Most parrots usually use boxes not open nests but I know Quakers build nests. So again I am not sure what they really require.

 

[rocky'smom]

@Learning89, after a long day at the clinic, I did get to talk to Dr. Tony. I showed him your post and let him read thru it and digest the information, before I asked him for his thoughts. his words were this; 'they both need a recuperation period from nesting. they maybe worn out, the female from laying 12 eggs and possibly depleting her calcium & Vitamin D3, grossly. the male from feeding her, guarding her, helping her nest that many eggs. his suggestion is separate cages for at the very least 3 months. to make sure the female is getting her calcium & Vitamin D3 daily is either her soft foods or in good quality pellets. she may continue to lay eggs even with dummy eggs, but by cutting her light in half, keeping soft foods to under 10grams: all veggies and moisten pellets. no nest box, just put the dummy eggs on the bottom of the grate on piece of folded paper towel. it should help. the male needs to fed good quality pellets/seeds and soft foods (amount 15grams and under) he needs his rest also, so no more then 10 hours of light. I know you said you lived in Alaska and there is a lot of light there right now. so using cage darkening covers will help, the darkest color sheets or blankets that you can get for the cages are best. if you are unsure how darkening those are put them over your head and look thru them if you can see any light they are not dark enough. he wish you the best and hopes that his advice will help.

 

[Learning89]

@Learning89, after a long day at the clinic, I did get to talk to Dr. Tony. I showed him your post and let him read thru it and digest the information, before I asked him for his thoughts. his words were this; 'they both need a recuperation period from nesting. they maybe worn out, the female from laying 12 eggs and possibly depleting her calcium & Vitamin D3, grossly. the male from feeding her, guarding her, helping her nest that many eggs. his suggestion is separate cages for at the very least 3 months. to make sure the female is getting her calcium & Vitamin D3 daily is either her soft foods or in good quality pellets. she may continue to lay eggs even with dummy eggs, but by cutting her light in half, keeping soft foods to under 10grams: all veggies and moisten pellets. no nest box, just put the dummy eggs on the bottom of the grate on piece of folded paper towel. it should help. the male needs to fed good quality pellets/seeds and soft foods (amount 15grams and under) he needs his rest also, so no more then 10 hours of light. I know you said you lived in Alaska and there is a lot of light there right now. so using cage darkening covers will help, the darkest color sheets or blankets that you can get for the cages are best. if you are unsure how darkening those are put them over your head and look thru them if you can see any light they are not dark enough. he wish you the best and hopes that his advice will help.

Thank you so much, I really appreciate the help and knowledge. I have another cage that I just bought from amazon so I can put her in it. Again, thank you all soo much for everything. I really appreciate the whole team here.

 

[Just-passn-thru]

You're very welcome, I hope things work out.