Lovebird's Possible Chronic Egg Laying With Mate

[nomadsland]

Hi All!

I have a pair of lovebirds that have mated.
The female laid four eggs at the end of last month, immediately abandoned them, mated with her mate and is now laying more.

I am very worried about her getting sick or eggbound, especially if she abandons these and continues to mate and lay eggs, one after the other.

Should I remove the male while she is still laying, and wait to see if she incubates them like a good mom and then return him? Just to ensure they don't mate again, for a while. I don't want to remove him honestly but I don't know what to do. Just for her health.

 

[sunnysmom]

@Zara ?

 

[Zara]

, and wait to see if she incubates them

Sounds like you are trying to breed them?
So the hen will be on a good balanced diet, and be a good age, unclipped with daily flight opportunities. All these things will reduce the chances of egg binding, but it´s great that you are on the look out.

I had my hen lay eggs, stop for a few days but didn´t sit, then continue to lay until she had 10 eggs! She was fine and had no issues health wise. I still don´t know what knocked her off course.

Has this happened before? If this is something that happens often, then go see your vet. They may even say to hold off on breeding if she is a chronic layer (5+ clutches per year). An egg journal is a good idea. Keep good records so should you need to present htem to your vet, you can.

If these are your birds first eggs, then it could be the inexperience that caused this. (It would also mean your hen is not a chronic egg layer.)

Don´t remove the male. They are a bonded pair and they could get stressed being pulled from their partners.
Also, the male plays a key role. They feed the hen while she broods.

 

[nomadsland]

Thank you @Zara I don't want to pull the male at all if I don't need to. I guess I'm not trying to breed them per se but when I paired them I was totally prepared for the possibility and I am excited to be having my dear little girl and boy have their own kiddies. I have hand rearing experience but never dealt with fertilized eggs before (though my female cockatiel did lay an unfertilized clutch).
I did remove the first batch of eggs and put them in a new nestbox (her original one was too small, and my friend who is a breeder said it would be okay), but maybe that put her off, or maybe she's just young and inexperienced.
Thank you for the reply.

 

[nomadsland]

She is on a very good diet at the moment and quite healthy and happy otherwise.

 

[Zara]

her original one was too small,

That could be what put her off brooding.

I did remove the first batch of eggs and put them in a new nestbox

Are these the same 4 eggs you mentioned in the first post? Any eggs laid last month should be candled and if non viable then removed.

Nice to hear you have a friend who is a breeder helping you.

 

[Peachfaced]

What does the diet consist of?

If you can get them, there are dummy eggs you can purchase to replace her real eggs with.

 

[nomadsland]

@Zara Last months eggs are still sitting in the next box but too the side. I am too afraid to remove them in case she notices and tries to lay replacements!

@Peachfaced Her diet consists of a variety of sprouts, some vegetables and parrot pellets (with sunflower seeds only given as treats). She is also on a calcium supplement.

 

[Zara]

I am too afraid to remove them in case she notices and tries to lay replacements!

Does she tend to the eggs?
If she is ignoring them, you can remove them.
If she is tending to them then leave her with them

 

[nomadsland]

Does she tend to the eggs?
If she is ignoring them, you can remove them.
If she is tending to them then leave her with them

Okay no she doesn't seem to be.
Thank You Zara