• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Is my linnie going to get depressed?

8BitGhost

Meeting neighbors
Joined
10/15/19
Messages
46
Location
Ontario
Real Name
Jay
So we've done everything to try to stop Bitty and Taro from breeding, aside from separating them, which I really don't want to do cause they have no other bird friends and I simply can't afford to add another couple birds to my family and risk just even more of this chaos!! We've limited daylight, taken everything nest-like out of their cage, kept diet consistent, everything. But they still, every couple months, go to nest.

During this most recent round, Bitty has decided that her "nest" is one of her perches that I have a preening toy (basically just a bunch of felt strips) near. She's just stuffing her face into it so she thinks she's in a nest, then laying her eggs which, obviously, fall to the bottom of the cage and break. I still replace them with dummy eggs so she won't keep trying until they "don't break" lol.

My concern is, is this cruel? Can a bird get depressed if they have eggs like 3 times a year and they never hatch?

EDIT: Actually, the perch and preening toy in question are what they are sitting on in my profile picture. Taro is tucked under the toy in that pic. If anyone needs a frame of reference as to what Bitty will consider a "nest" in her desperation.
 

Mizzely

Lil Monsters Bird Toys
Super Moderator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
8/9/11
Messages
39,969
Location
Northern Mitten Michigan
Real Name
Shawna [she/her]
I don't think they really think of it that way. Animals breed because their body compels them to based on environmental factors.
 

Kassiani

Biking along the boulevard
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/12/20
Messages
6,832
Location
Southeastern U.S.
Is she still just as active and eating well? I don't have any hens, but I agree with Mizzely that they probably don't think that way.

I know @Zara has lovebird hens who lay regularly.
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,373
Location
Reino de España
My concern is, is this cruel? Can a bird get depressed if they have eggs like 3 times a year and they never hatch?
Personally I think it is crueler to allow them to breed every time they lay and deplete them of nutrients and exhaust them.
Even breeder birds have ¨breaks¨, where the breeder will not allow clutches at certain times of the year. Because the parents health comes before any chicks that haven´t hatched yet.

I don't think they really think of it that way. Animals breed because their body compels them to based on environmental factors.
That´s my takeaway on it too.
They sit on the dummy eggs, they don´t hatch, they move on and try again in the future. Their brains are just not like ours.

so she thinks she's in a nest
I would remove that toy. They are nice for a single bird to snuggle into, but a pair of birds have each other to snuggle so don´t need the dolly. Especially if it is being perceived as a nest.
 

8BitGhost

Meeting neighbors
Joined
10/15/19
Messages
46
Location
Ontario
Real Name
Jay
Thanks for the responses everyone. I did sort of realize a while after posting that there are some birds (ducks, chickens etc) who literally lay eggs their whole lives, sometimes never having babies, lol. I guess it makes sense that they wouldn't really care that much.

I will remove the preening toy.

As far as activity and appetite, yes, Bitty is fine. Every day the first thing they both do is stuff their faces, and she's dutifully eating cuttlebone too. When she starts laying, I tend to give more kale, broccoli, etc to help with calcium. Their poop is kinda smelly but that's apparently (according to what I have read) because they hold it in extra long cause they are trying not to poop near their "nest." Plus, you know, linnies and their messy morning poops...
 
Top