Help! She laid an egg

[Ange1seyes]

Hello all!

On Memorial Day weekend I brought home what was supposed to be a male. It never started singing so I have sent a couple of messages to the breeder but he insisted it was a male. Well she laid an egg this morning. And she was quite proud of herself. But now what do I do? There is no way this egg is fertilized right? This Saturday makes 4 weeks since I brought her home. How long do I leave it? I don’t want her to get egg bound. I have no experience in this area.

 

[Sparkles99]

It’ll help those experienced with breeding to know what species this is. I’d it a canary or a different species?

 

[Ange1seyes]

Oh yes of course…it is a canary.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Hello all!

On Memorial Day weekend I brought home what was supposed to be a male. It never started singing so I have sent a couple of messages to the breeder but he insisted it was a male. Well she laid an egg this morning. And she was quite proud of herself. But now what do I do? There is no way this egg is fertilized right? This Saturday makes 4 weeks since I brought her home. How long do I leave it? I don’t want her to get egg bound. I have no experience in this area.

Hi Rhonda, chances are the egg is not fertilized. Is she sitting on the egg? Where did she lay it? If she is ignoring the egg I would leave it where it is for a week or two. Removing the egg early could encourage her to lay again. If you are concerned she could become calcium deficient and or she continues laying eggs you can add a calcium supplement made for birds to a soft food 'extra' meal where you sprinkle a small quantity on top of finely chopped veggies or mix made for canaries. I wouldn't sprinkle it on a dry food like seed as it won't stick and be consumed. I also wouldn't advise a liquid ... though they are available ... because she may not drink enough water in a days time to receive benefits from a liquid mixed in the water cup. If she doesn't lay any further eggs it shouldn't be a problem but it doesn't hurt to provide a balanced supplement with fresh foods for her daily. I'm giving you a link to Chewy for one option - I would go with the smaller package since you have just the one bird. Or you may find something suitable in a local pet store. Share what diet you currently have her on.

https://www.chewy.com/zoo-med-avian-calcium-bird-supplement/dp/635742?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=22359145913&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22362842089&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V2jGU9SfmJ0JMSrHFoZSwkQp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_dTB9bmSlQMV_8KfCR3gOwjXEAQYASABEgK1k_D_BwE

 

[Ange1seyes]

Thanks so much! She is getting a balanced diet with seed, pellets, greens and various veggies and her cuttlebone.

She laid it in a nest and is sitting on it. I have not been able to catch her off the nest today to see if she had laid another one or not. I have heard different theories on when to pull the egg…wait until she is no longer interested, pulled after 2 weeks, etc.

I’m not new to birds…just new to eggs.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

It is that time of year when birds feel more hormonal and reproductive with the days longer. I'm not all that familiar with canaries but I assume they are sensitive to extended light from longer days as many birds are. How many hours of light does she get now if she is in an open room? Providing her with a nest would be one contributing factor in egg laying. Removing the nest and nesting materials can sometimes help stop solitary females from continuously laying. If after removing the nest and she continues to lay eggs you will need to add supplemental calcium to her diet.

 

[Ange1seyes]

Ok got it. Thanks so much for your help.

I got a nest because she was tearing up the paper towels and putting them in the corner of the cage and one morning I found her sitting there when I uncovered her. And thinking she was supposed to be a male I got a nest figuring it would be a nice place for her to not have to sit on a perch.

She is in a large open room with South facing windows. I am up at 6 and uncover her at 7:30. She naturally went to roost between 7 and 8 in the evening so I just cover her then. How long do I leave the eggs and nest? 2 weeks or until she just isn’t interested? She did lay another one yesterday. And she looks so proud of herself.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

The time is appropriate to remove the nest - after she is done laying - she could lay every day until there are 3-5 eggs. I would let her sit until she stops sitting on them. Canary eggs typically take 13-14 days of consistent incubation to hatch ( The countdown begins from when the female starts sitting on the nest full-time. ), though this can occasionally vary between 12 and 16 days depending on environmental factors. After she stops sitting - realizing her eggs won't hatch - and her nest is gone she may resort to trying to nest on the bottom of the cage again. You can wait and see what she does or keep any paper under the grate so she can't get to it to make a nest. But I totally get the ease and cleanliness of removing paper daily instead of scrubbing wire grates.

She should be proud. That's a big accomplishment!!!

 

[Ange1seyes]

Thanks so much. So far we are at 3 eggs. She didn’t lay one yesterday but haven’t caught her out of the nest today.

I will wait for her to stop sitting and remove the nest and put in the grates at the bottom.

Thanks so much!

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Does she do well eating the pellets? Check the ingredients to make sure calcium and D3 are included. Other calcium vegetables you can feed her during this time - lightly steamed before serving -Canaries can get their essential calcium from dark leafy greens and certain other vegetables. Excellent calcium-rich options include: Kale, broccoli, collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, and while spinach and Swiss chard contain calcium, they are also high in oxalic acid, which blocks calcium absorption and should only be offered very sparingly. Some people suggest crushed cooked egg shells or cuttlebone - I don't like either one for a calcium supplement and would personally prefer the product I mentioned above. It's really only essential before and during egg laying and a few weeks after to keep females from developing a calcium deficiency from egg laying. Share some photos if you like. We don't have many canary owners here.

 

[Ange1seyes]

She is actually a very good eater. She eats her pellets and the seed blend I got her doesn’t have any millet in it. She loves her greens, dandelion, radish leaves, broccoli, bell pepper, cucumber, and egg. I just found out she likes cantaloupe too.

I’ll try to get some pictures of her soon.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

She is actually a very good eater. She eats her pellets and the seed blend I got her doesn’t have any millet in it. She loves her greens, dandelion, radish leaves, broccoli, bell pepper, cucumber, and egg. I just found out she likes cantaloupe too.

I’ll try to get some pictures of her soon.

Sounds like she has a great diet! How many eggs has she laid now? Still sitting on the first ones?

 

[Ange1seyes]

Sounds like she has a great diet! How many eggs has she laid now? Still sitting on the first ones?

She stopped at 3 thank goodness. Yes sitting on them full time. We are just over a week now and I am praying they don’t hatch. She comes off the nest to eat a little and to fly across the cage a few times and stretch. But that is about it. She isn’t interested in a bath anymore either. On the positive side it makes cage cleaning much easier as there are only 2 spots where she goes.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

She stopped at 3 thank goodness. Yes sitting on them full time. We are just over a week now and I am praying they don’t hatch. She comes off the nest to eat a little and to fly across the cage a few times and stretch. But that is about it. She isn’t interested in a bath anymore either. On the positive side it makes cage cleaning much easier as there are only 2 spots where she goes.

If this is the first time she's laid eggs she may want to sit on them longer than the the normal 13-14 days depending on when she started sitting on the nest to incubate. She hasn't been around a male since May 25th so it's doubtful those eggs will hatch. You might also consider putting her food and water closer to the nest to encourage her to eat more. Male canaries frequently feed their hen while she sits on the nest ( and then there are some 'slackers' who don't ) so placing her food closer will benefit her in the long run. She will probably leave the paper towel alone if you want to place it where she poops but once she's fully abandoned the nest and you take it out I wouldn't put the paper towel back if she wants to tear it up to nest on the bottom.

 

[Ange1seyes]

Well it took 3 weeks but she finally gave up on her nest. Thankfully none hatched. Just last night she went to roost next to it instead of on it. I felt kind of sorry for her. She would sit on the side of the nest and just look at her eggs. but today she was back to her happy self and her very large appetite has returned too. I have pictures but have to figure out how to reduce the size.