• 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

Overcoming excessive egg laying

angondguav

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
5/18/22
Messages
4
Hello!

I believe that my female cockatiel is experiencing excessive egg laying. In the last few months (beginning of Spring to now) she has later 3-4 clutches of eggs. The first clutch or two was because I let her out with my other male cockatiel; once I noticed mating behavior I separated them and it seems as if these other clutches of eggs are hormonal. I do have fake eggs that I have been using to get her to stop laying eggs and upping her intake of seeds and a calcium supplement. Is there anything else I can do? I am slightly worried.

Any help would be appreciated.
 

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
39,968
Location
Northern Mitten Michigan
Real Name
Shawna [she/her]
What kinds of seeds and calcium are you supplementing? Anything else in her diet?

Protein and fats are abundant in seeds and in some hens can contribute to egg laying. This is because the body is sending signals that say YES! we can support a clutch of chicks! Let's do this! Seeds by themselves are also usually low in calcium and devoid of D3.

Does she have a nest box and nesty materials available to her?
 

angondguav

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
5/18/22
Messages
4
Our vet had recommended we switch over to pellets and mix it with a little bit of seed which is what I have been doing. I have tried to introduce greens and fruits to both my pets but have been having so much difficulty.

I line her cage with paper towels and she usually folds it around in her cage and starts laying eggs.
 

CeciliaZ

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Joined
11/7/11
Messages
9,146
Location
Mentor, Ohio
Real Name
Cecilia
Female cockatiels are known to be prolific egg layers. They will lay with or without a mate. Decrease her daylight hours. Rearrange her cage and toys. Remove the paper towels and any other shredding items.There is a lot of info on this topic. Talk to your vet. You can try Lupron injections and there is also an implant available.

My female tiel was also a chronic egg-layer. I tried everything. She also had Lupron injections. She did not have the Suprelorin implant. I just lost her to egg-binding. She was 12 years old and it was the first time she was egg-bound.
 

angondguav

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
5/18/22
Messages
4
Thank you for these tips. I just moved her into a different room to increase her nighttime hours. She has been at the bottom of the cage nesting in her paper towels all day and is incredibly territorial. I can not put my hand in the cage without her biting me or striking at me.

I am unable to reach an avian vet in our area as all of them are booked. I don’t know what to do and will try to implement less paper towels as soon as possible.

With the information I have just given, is there anything else I should do?

I have made sure that she has fresh water, and food with calcium supplement as she is on the floor shielding her eggs currently and that’s what online sources recommended. She’s hissing at me really bad.
 

Attachments

CeciliaZ

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Joined
11/7/11
Messages
9,146
Location
Mentor, Ohio
Real Name
Cecilia
My tiel was also very protective of her eggs. Do not take them away from her.
 
Top