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My young female lovebird laid only 1 egg

JoAnn

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hi, my female lovebird, approximately 9 months old laid her first egg 3 days ago. She is doing fine, no distress, flying around and normal behavior. my male is feeding her and very attentive. Is it possible that she will only lay the one egg since this is her first time laying an egg? Thank you, Jo Ann
 

Gigibirds

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Hi JoAnn! Yes, that is very possible. Usually it's 2, but as long as her vent is not swollen (the under-her-tail-area doesn't have a bump) then she should be fine! Lovebirds usually 2-5 eggs, laying 1 every other day. Since you have a male and female are you hoping for this egg to be fertilized? If you don't wan't a baby bird, you should probably remove, boil it, let it cool down and then put it back. Also did you give her a nesting box? or where did she lay this egg? And (sorry for all of the questions) is she sitting on it/brooding?

9 months old is a little young however...Make sure that she is getting egg food and calcium supplement! Laying eggs really takes a lot out of the little birdies!
 

Gigibirds

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I'll just tag @Zara in case I missed anything. Good luck! :)
 

JoAnn

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Hi JoAnn! Yes, that is very possible. Usually it's 2, but as long as her vent is not swollen (the under-her-tail-area doesn't have a bump) then she should be fine! Lovebirds usually 2-5 eggs, laying 1 every other day. Since you have a male and female are you hoping for this egg to be fertilized? If you don't wan't a baby bird, you should probably remove, boil it, let it cool down and then put it back. Also did you give her a nesting box? or where did she lay this egg? And (sorry for all of the questions) is she sitting on it/brooding?

9 months old is a little young however...Make sure that she is getting egg food and calcium supplement! Laying eggs really takes a lot out of the little birdies!
Thank you for your response, she and my male have a large ceramic pitcher that is perched on top of a bookshelf an inch or so below the ceiling which they have been nesting in since she could fly (I know, crazy, but my birds are "cage free, free range" and very active and happy). A proper nesting box is coming tomorrow which I will introduce them to. Their current nest is filled with nesting cotton, organic botanical hay which they carried and set up themselves, as well as shredded newspaper. Their nesting box will be placed in their cage, along with their current home for safety. My male is feeding her, she is brooding but still going to their cage a couple of times a day to eat and to get more hay to put in their nest. She looks bottom heavy, no distress, not egg bound, will check for a second egg tomorrow...I just was not sure, since she is so young, if it was normal to only lay one egg. They eat a variety of pellets, millet, some nuts, seeds and dried fruit, egg, fresh kale, lettuce, apple, lettuce, lots of variety fruits and vegs. Very spoiled, social and very happy. Hope that helps, and Ivwill do what's best for them. Thanks
 

Zara

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Average clutch size is 4-7 But they can be anywhere from 1 to 12.

Given the birds are so young, I would recommend boiling the egg, then putting it back once it´s cooled. I would wait at least another 6-9 months before allowing any clutches to develop, so that your birds are mature and have the best chance of success raising the chicks.
This will also give you some extra time to read up and research breeding birds so you are prepared for the chicks and know what to do if something goes wrong, as well as purchase all the necessary equipment.

Two of my girls laid 2 eggs as their first clutches.
 

JoAnn

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Average clutch size is 4-7 But they can be anywhere from 1 to 12.

Given the birds are so young, I would recommend boiling the egg, then putting it back once it´s cooled. I would wait at least another 6-9 months before allowing any clutches to develop, so that your birds are mature and have the best chance of success raising the chicks.
This will also give you some extra time to read up and research breeding birds so you are prepared for the chicks and know what to do if something goes wrong, as well as purchase all the necessary equipment.

Two of my girls laid 2 eggs as their first clutches.
Thank you so much, really appreciate your suggestion, yes I thought she is too young to care for a chick. Should I separate them for a while? If so, for how long? Thanks for all the info and support.
 

Zara

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Should I separate them for a while?
That´s not needed. Plus she will likely want to sit on the egg, and the male will help feed her.
Boiling the egg and putting it back where you found it is enough. If she want´s to sit on it, she can for a max of 3 weeks.
 

Gigibirds

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Well to be fair, my 7/8-month-old lovebird raised 2 chicks with another female (shed decided that she wanted to 'adopt' them). So they potentially could raise the chick, but it depends on their personality and mothering instincts (some birds are amazing, others are......not). But yes, boiling the egg is probably the best idea. (I don't really like that idea though because I would hate to kill a baby lovebird - but if you boil it soon enough then theres no life yet)

Good luck!
 

Zara

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I don't really like that idea though because I would hate to kill a baby lovebird
I´ve smashed so many eggs, so many, and I have never killed a baby lovebird nor a living embryo or anything like that. It´s just a matter or taking the eggs once they´re laid in that window before brooding. There´s a good few days to do it, plenty of time.

Well to be fair, my 7/8-month-old lovebird raised 2 chicks with another female
To be fair you also allowing inter-species breeding, which is very questionable from the get-go.
 

Gigibirds

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^ the breeder misinformed me of the genders of the birds. I would not have allowed it if I had known that there would be real babies and that they would be hybrids. Also how does that relate to my lovebird adopting a baby?
 
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