caspin22
Walking the driveway
We have a total of 4 cockatiels, three females and one male, but the three involved in this saga are two females and a male who live together (the third female is caged separately in a different room). "The Trio", as we call them, has lived together since we brought them home as just weaned babies, and they get along great.
A couple of months ago, both females started laying eggs on the bottom of the cage. We've seen the male trying to mate with each of the females, but he looks ridiculous, and I'm not sure he really knows what to do. So we have no idea if any of the eggs are actually fertile.
At first, based on what I've read, we'd replace each new egg with a dummy egg, and everything I read said that they would eventually lose interest in the eggs, and at that point, I could pull them. After a few weeks, I pulled the eggs, but they laid more to replace them. At this point, there are 8 eggs at the bottom of the cage (although they've each laid probably 8 or 9 each total including the ones I pulled), and all three of them take turns sitting on them, sometimes all three are down there sitting at once, but sometimes nobody is on them. They still come out of their cage every day, remain tame and enjoy our presence, everyone is eating well, playing, etc. They are all on zupreem natural and get fresh chop and sprouts every day, which all of them eat happily.
I brought this up with the vet tech when I was at my avian vet the other day, and he said don't use dummy eggs, don't worry about pulling the eggs, let nature take its course. I said - and what if they hatch? He said that's fine, the parents should feed them, I should just stay out of it. The problem is, we have no interest in breeding, or handfeeding. And I know for a fact my husband won't be able to handle losing a baby, or any of the potential emotions that would bring.
Any advice? They aren't trying to make a nest, there are no "nesty" places in their cage, they get 10-12 hours of dark sleep per night. Right now the eggs are just on the bottom grate of the cage, and that's where they sit on them. Should I put a washcloth or something down there to make them more comofrtable? I want them to be ok, but also don't want to encourage additional egg laying, so I'm not sure which way to go at this point. Any advice would be appreciated.
A couple of months ago, both females started laying eggs on the bottom of the cage. We've seen the male trying to mate with each of the females, but he looks ridiculous, and I'm not sure he really knows what to do. So we have no idea if any of the eggs are actually fertile.
At first, based on what I've read, we'd replace each new egg with a dummy egg, and everything I read said that they would eventually lose interest in the eggs, and at that point, I could pull them. After a few weeks, I pulled the eggs, but they laid more to replace them. At this point, there are 8 eggs at the bottom of the cage (although they've each laid probably 8 or 9 each total including the ones I pulled), and all three of them take turns sitting on them, sometimes all three are down there sitting at once, but sometimes nobody is on them. They still come out of their cage every day, remain tame and enjoy our presence, everyone is eating well, playing, etc. They are all on zupreem natural and get fresh chop and sprouts every day, which all of them eat happily.
I brought this up with the vet tech when I was at my avian vet the other day, and he said don't use dummy eggs, don't worry about pulling the eggs, let nature take its course. I said - and what if they hatch? He said that's fine, the parents should feed them, I should just stay out of it. The problem is, we have no interest in breeding, or handfeeding. And I know for a fact my husband won't be able to handle losing a baby, or any of the potential emotions that would bring.
Any advice? They aren't trying to make a nest, there are no "nesty" places in their cage, they get 10-12 hours of dark sleep per night. Right now the eggs are just on the bottom grate of the cage, and that's where they sit on them. Should I put a washcloth or something down there to make them more comofrtable? I want them to be ok, but also don't want to encourage additional egg laying, so I'm not sure which way to go at this point. Any advice would be appreciated.