G'day everyone

[RuthnMolly]

Hi everyone, so happy I found Avian Avenue.


2xgxreen princess
2x princess blue parrots
1x Female Alexandrine parrot
2x Cockatiels
2x Indian Ringnecks Yellow & green
2x Rainbow Lorikeets

Our beloved female green princess parrot, Josephine is about 3 years old now and she has been clucking for about a month. Our male green princess parrot, George....well hiw do I say this politely...only seemed to play leapfrog with the female.
Imagine our suprise to find an egg!
I have so many questions in relation to this find, if anyone can answer it would be greatly appreciated-

1. Can they have false eggs or unfertilised eggs?
2. The blue princess parrots are occasionally sitting on the egg, is this ok? My female green (Jo) seems to be ok about it.
3. Should we be doing anything? Heat lamp? Remove the egg?
4. Jo doesnt appear to be sitting on the nest often...is this ok?
5. Jo still looks a bit humpty dumpty ...(sorry couldnt think of another term lol)....could she still lay more?

Some pictures to say gday



Thanks everyone

 

[Shezbug]

Welcome to the Avenue

 

[zoo mom]

Welcome.
To answer some if your questions.
1. Yes they can lay unfertilized eggs.
2. I am not certain about the blue sitting on the egg.
3. Best is to remove the egg, boil it and then return it. This will prevent any chicks if they managed to fertilize the eggs.
4. Birds don't usually start to incubate the eggs until they have a full clutch.
5. A female will usually lay eggs until she has a full clutch. About 1 every 2 days. Unsure what a normal clutch size is for princess parrots.

For the future you may want to get dummy eggs to substitute for any eggs laid.

 

[AussieBird]

I love Princess parrots! My family used to have a sweet green boy named Washington. Yours are beautiful.

 

[RuthnMolly]

Welcome.
To answer some if your questions.
1. Yes they can lay unfertilized eggs.
2. I am not certain about the blue sitting on the egg.
3. Best is to remove the egg, boil it and then return it. This will prevent any chicks if they managed to fertilize the eggs.
4. Birds don't usually start to incubate the eggs until they have a full clutch.
5. A female will usually lay eggs until she has a full clutch. About 1 every 2 days. Unsure what a normal clutch size is for princess parrots.

For the future you may want to get dummy eggs to substitute for any eggs laid.

Thank you thank you. Makes total sense! She's my favourite ...like I shouldnt have a favourite but she was named after my mum who passed in June 2017. Id love Jo to have babies she's a very good natured and healthy birdo.

 

[RuthnMolly]

I love Princess parrots! My family used to have a sweet green boy named Washington. Yours are beautiful.

Thank you. I'm a hopeless photographer! Photos don't do the breed justice such a lovely parrot and such a great community bird. So much character too. The girl who laid is my fave....i jokingly tell her to 'get in the bowl' (a feed dish) (i say it like the chocolate m&ms add on telly) and she gets in the bowl...she'll let me gently pat her like that...silly story but she's just an absolute character!

 

[Zara]

Welcome to the Avenue!

1. Can they have false eggs or unfertilised eggs?
Yes

2. The blue princess parrots are occasionally sitting on the egg, is this ok? My female green (Jo) seems to be ok about it.
If you were breeding, I´d say separate the birds. But if you will not be breeding, then I would allow it under supervision. If they are happy then fine.

3. Should we be doing anything? Heat lamp? Remove the egg?
With no expperience or research done into breeding birds, I would recommend taking this egg, pop it in boiling water for a few minutes, let it cool down then put it back where you found it. Extensive reasearch, vet checks, having a mentor on hand, all the equiptment and supplies bought, should be done way before any eggs appear so you are prepared, and less likely to fail.

4. Jo doesnt appear to be sitting on the nest often...is this ok?
If you are going to boil the egg it doesn´t matter.

5. Jo still looks a bit humpty dumpty ...(sorry couldnt think of another term lol)....could she still lay more?
Likely. Eggs are laid every 24-48 hours until they have a complete clutch. Be sure she´s getting good amount of calcium in her veggies, kale, bok choy, carrot, parsley, sesame seeds, and also vitamin D3 so the calcium can be absorbed fully (this can be either from pellets, check ingredients, or from direct unfiltered sunlight, not through a window, or a supplement).

Id love Jo to have babies she's a very good natured and healthy birdo.

Maybe in the future
I would hold off this time though. Dive in to research and get youself a mentor who will be able to give you hands on experience and guidence.
It will also be in your benefit to boil these eggs as you will be able to see how Jo handles a nest;
Will she care for the eggs well?
Will she eat them?
Will she abandon them?
Will the other birds destroy them?
Will the blue birds steal her nest?
You will be able to get the answers to all of those questions without having baby birds lives on the line.

Some further reading and questions to ask yourself before breeding - it´s quite a good article; Tips For Breeders

 

[AussieBird]

Thank you. I'm a hopeless photographer! Photos don't do the breed justice such a lovely parrot and such a great community bird. So much character too. The girl who laid is my fave....i jokingly tell her to 'get in the bowl' (a feed dish) (i say it like the chocolate m&ms add on telly) and she gets in the bowl...she'll let me gently pat her like that...silly story but she's just an absolute character!

Washington was a very hands off bird but still loved to have a "conversation" and a beak rub. Miss him very much

 

[fashionfobie]

Welcome to AA

I agree with what @Zara says. If you do want to have a clutch you need to be 100% prepared. Find a parrot society near you and look for a mentor who knows your species. There is no reason to rush into it. If your pair are happy together there is always next year. Rearing birds is no simple matter and it requires you to be prepared to help hand raise the chick if there is a problem, or even to ensure that you are providing the parents a proper diet. It is a lot of work for a parrot to raise offspring. They make it look easy in documentaries, but remember those docs aren't the whole story. Gisela Kaplan, author of Bird Bonds and Bird Minds, states that as few as 15% of birds are parents in the wild. Many birds simply aren't cut out to be parents, it is a very difficult job!

 

[zoo mom]

Welcome to the Avenue! View attachment 356230

1. Can they have false eggs or unfertilised eggs?
Yes

2. The blue princess parrots are occasionally sitting on the egg, is this ok? My female green (Jo) seems to be ok about it.
If you were breeding, I´d say separate the birds. But if you will not be breeding, then I would allow it under supervision. If they are happy then fine.

3. Should we be doing anything? Heat lamp? Remove the egg?
With no expperience or research done into breeding birds, I would recommend taking this egg, pop it in boiling water for a few minutes, let it cool down then put it back where you found it. Extensive reasearch, vet checks, having a mentor on hand, all the equiptment and supplies bought, should be done way before any eggs appear so you are prepared, and less likely to fail.

4. Jo doesnt appear to be sitting on the nest often...is this ok?
If you are going to boil the egg it doesn´t matter.

5. Jo still looks a bit humpty dumpty ...(sorry couldnt think of another term lol)....could she still lay more?
Likely. Eggs are laid every 24-48 hours until they have a complete clutch. Be sure she´s getting good amount of calcium in her veggies, kale, bok choy, carrot, parsley, sesame seeds, and also vitamin D3 so the calcium can be absorbed fully (this can be either from pellets, check ingredients, or from direct unfiltered sunlight, not through a window, or a supplement).


Maybe in the future
I would hold off this time though. Dive in to research and get youself a mentor who will be able to give you hands on experience and guidence.
It will also be in your benefit to boil these eggs as you will be able to see how Jo handles a nest;
Will she care for the eggs well?
Will she eat them?
Will she abandon them?
Will the other birds destroy them?
Will the blue birds steal her nest?
You will be able to get the answers to all of those questions without having baby birds lives on the line.

Some further reading and questions to ask yourself before breeding - it´s quite a good article; Tips For Breeders

Thanks @Zara I meant to tag you and I forgot.

 

[RuthnMolly]

Welcome to the Avenue! View attachment 356230

1. Can they have false eggs or unfertilised eggs?
Yes

2. The blue princess parrots are occasionally sitting on the egg, is this ok? My female green (Jo) seems to be ok about it.
If you were breeding, I´d say separate the birds. But if you will not be breeding, then I would allow it under supervision. If they are happy then fine.

3. Should we be doing anything? Heat lamp? Remove the egg?
With no expperience or research done into breeding birds, I would recommend taking this egg, pop it in boiling water for a few minutes, let it cool down then put it back where you found it. Extensive reasearch, vet checks, having a mentor on hand, all the equiptment and supplies bought, should be done way before any eggs appear so you are prepared, and less likely to fail.

4. Jo doesnt appear to be sitting on the nest often...is this ok?
If you are going to boil the egg it doesn´t matter.

5. Jo still looks a bit humpty dumpty ...(sorry couldnt think of another term lol)....could she still lay more?
Likely. Eggs are laid every 24-48 hours until they have a complete clutch. Be sure she´s getting good amount of calcium in her veggies, kale, bok choy, carrot, parsley, sesame seeds, and also vitamin D3 so the calcium can be absorbed fully (this can be either from pellets, check ingredients, or from direct unfiltered sunlight, not through a window, or a supplement).


Maybe in the future
I would hold off this time though. Dive in to research and get youself a mentor who will be able to give you hands on experience and guidence.
It will also be in your benefit to boil these eggs as you will be able to see how Jo handles a nest;
Will she care for the eggs well?
Will she eat them?
Will she abandon them?
Will the other birds destroy them?
Will the blue birds steal her nest?
You will be able to get the answers to all of those questions without having baby birds lives on the line.

Some further reading and questions to ask yourself before breeding - it´s quite a good article; Tips For Breeders

Thank you very very much for your reply. I'm sad that I hadnt researched prior to her first lay and will definetly look up your reccomendations. I will also see if I can find a mentor...there was a man that bred princesses locally a few years ago.
I would have loved to have Jo have babies, she's just such a great bird but I you are right we are ill prepared