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Uh oh...I have an egg machine...

Monaco

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So, this is my first time dealing with eggs from a parrot. For anyone who doesn't know, she's an ekkie, just turned 21 in October (verified with first human) and has been with me 2 years now. The last egg she laid was mid October 2 years ago before she came to live with me. I don't know if I was successful in preventing nesting and hormonal triggers last year, but this year is different. She's laying #3 right now. The first two look great...based on my experience with chickens and checking shells for clues to nutritional issues. I've been giving her extra protein lately and a little extra fat for unrelated reasons. Her weight has increased, she's much more active and learning to fly, building muscle and losing what little cushion she had on the keel. Anyway. I have given her a few dollops of greek yogurt over the last week.

I think I'm just nervous. I don't even know what I'm asking for here. Reassurance, I guess. Her first mom says she's only ever laid 3 in any given season, so I'm definitely hopeful that she'll be finished after today. Her odd deportment and behavior and sounds through this eggy business has thrown me back to beginner status.
It's unnerving. I'm positive that she's not just uncomfortable, but I see a glint of murderous intent occasionally...I know I'm a terrible male ekkie, but I think I may pay for that with digits.
 

Shezbug

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I am sorry monaco is misbehaving and thinking it is Easter. I so miss reading your posts :laugh: I have no advice or help but I do have sympathy for you if you are seeing that murderous intent- I have just had a whole week of that with Burt for the first time :(

Hope Monaco gives the egg laying a break and doesn't punish you for being a terrible male ekkie.
 

Monaco

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I am sorry monaco is misbehaving and thinking it is Easter. I so miss reading your posts :laugh: I have no advice or help but I do have sympathy for you if you are seeing that murderous intent- I have just had a whole week of that with Burt for the first time :(

Hope Monaco gives the egg laying a break and doesn't punish you for being a terrible male ekkie.
Oh, sweet Burt? I was sure you were going to talk about the too being crotchety with you. Pesky biology! Getting in the way of our blissful birdventures!
 

Greylady1966

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Hormones with Burt?
 

Shezbug

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Oh, sweet Burt? I was sure you were going to talk about the too being crotchety with you. Pesky biology! Getting in the way of our blissful birdventures!
Hormones with Burt?
Just posted about it in macaw motorway- do not want to derail Monaco's egg production thread!
 

Monaco

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She's so busy with this behavior that she let me video it. She stops as soon as I shift her or myself. She will do it in her cage, on her perch in the window and on my hand/arm, but not on a high perch or her food/water areas or a new place, like the back of the couch. When her mouth is open like this, her tongue is up, and I can get a good look at the "basket." On the upside, she's accepted broccoli, snap peas, and some other veggies she normally wouldn't touch. I think I might be making it worse, or at least not helping by taking her food lately. This posture and movement starts with her normal moves that indicate she wants what I have or to get picked up...then this is what happens soon after.
December 6, 2021
 

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She's so busy with this behavior that she let me video it. She stops as soon as I shift her or myself. She will do it in her cage, on her perch in the window and on my hand/arm, but not on a high perch or her food/water areas or a new place, like the back of the couch. When her mouth is open like this, her tongue is up, and I can get a good look at the "basket." On the upside, she's accepted broccoli, snap peas, and some other veggies she normally wouldn't touch. I think I might be making it worse, or at least not helping by taking her food lately. This posture and movement starts with her normal moves that indicate she wants what I have or to get picked up...then this is what happens soon after.
December 6, 2021
I can't view the footage :( I will try again later (maybe from my phone) but a few of the youtube links are opening but not loading for me just lately

All good, I was able to view by going to your account :) What a weird pretty girl she is lol
 

Monaco

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I can't view the footage :( I will try again later (maybe from my phone) but a few of the youtube links are opening but not loading for me just lately

All good, I was able to view by going to your account :) What a weird pretty girl she is lol
Yes, it's weird. I sent it to her first mom, Ed, and she thinks it's a pain sound. I see another egg bulge, but I don't feel anything hard. It's the same texture as the first egg, shape of an egg, but soft... This is very light pressure with the back of my index finger.

The lights are low, and the house is quiet, but we may end up at an emergency clinic tonight.

Shez, should I be posting this in the emergency section? I can't tell. She is very alert and does not waste time if she thinks I've got something edible. Still doing that sound when she settles down again. Definitely still has an appetite.
 

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Yes, it's weird. I sent it to her first mom, Ed, and she thinks it's a pain sound. I see another egg bulge, but I don't feel anything hard. It's the same texture as the first egg, shape of an egg, but soft... This is very light pressure with the back of my index finger.

The lights are low, and the house is quiet, but we may end up at an emergency clinic tonight.

Shez, should I be posting this in the emergency section? I can't tell. She is very alert and does not waste time if she thinks I've got something edible. Still doing that sound when she settles down again. Definitely still has an appetite.
Oh boy Kelly, I have no clue tbh. I am not that familiar with Ekkie behavior nor parrot laying behaviors. If it is concerning you then by all means post there- a mod can always move the thread from 911 later if needed.

I hope she will be alright.
 

Kassiani

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Poor Monaco, hormones are raging all over the AA bird flock right now! I don't know if Ekkie's behavior is similar to IRNs, but that's kind of what she looks like...a female IRN indicating breeding readiness.

Ugh! Well, I'm glad she's eating veggies! Maybe add more calcium? Has she stopped laying eggs?
 

Monaco

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Poor Monaco, hormones are raging all over the AA bird flock right now! I don't know if Ekkie's behavior is similar to IRNs, but that's kind of what she looks like...a female IRN indicating breeding readiness.

Ugh! Well, I'm glad she's eating veggies! Maybe add more calcium? Has she stopped laying eggs?
We just got back from the vet. She never did produce a 3rd egg, and the open mouth swaying and tonal clicks are intermittent now... Limited to the floor of the cage mostly.
It was a different vet this time. Less fearful than the first one who jerked herhand away and said "no!" when she tried to step up for her, but at least as young. Nothing against age, but years do add experiential education. Anyway, she poked around quite a bit, and the swelling I see and feel (currently, as in right now) doesn't seem to be out of the ordinary for the vet. She didn't seem to think what I was describing is exactly as it is right now. Anyway, Monaco threw up on the way home, but she handled the whole thing like a champ. I requested blood work for a few weeks from now and an x-ray. I got the standard pamphlet about basic care and feeding mazuri. I wasn't prepared for the ekkie diet debate, and said so. I've had 2 hours of sleep, so maybe I sounded scattered or ignorant or something. She suggested a vitamin supplement without any blood work, but sounded surprised by her feather condition and physical exam. That is causing me a little cognitive dissonance. Maybe I'm just too tired, but there's a niggle in my gut about it. Especially since the tech came in later and specifically used the word "endorsement" on the diet topic.

It's put me off again just thinking about it. A friend said that their nutrition class consisted of food company reps talking about their products for a week in vet school. I get it, I do, but there's no need to parrot the sales pitch, right?

There's a couple more vets I can try, further north. They will have to wait. Maybe the blood work will guide things. It sucks that I will probably only use this office for emergent situations. I have no faith that they know how to manage her overall health.
 

Kassiani

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I’m so sorry she still isn’t feeling well! Especially that she threw up. I hope the blood work tells you something helpful!!
 

Monaco

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Well, @Kassiani , I have to agree about the posture. She was leaning her bum way over the perches and being "accessible" for a while. The sounds continue, and she's sleeping and hanging out on the floor still. Begging, kind of aggressive, for food I'm presuming too.

No more shreddables after October 1st next year...nothing near the floor at all might help. I put extra paper this year because of the incessant digging and worrying about her feet on the bars. Surely it will pass soon, or at least the swelling will go down. Nerve-wracking.
 

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Poor Monaco I'm so sorry that you and she are dealing with this stressful situation. I hope she will be OK :hug8:
 

Monaco

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Well, she's been mostly glued to the floor today...maybe she's moved on to hatching something. Her tonal clicks are more pronounced today, especially when I got going first thing it's been quieter since then, but they definitely sound like little cries. It sounds forlorn and painful. It looked like quite a bit of pressure while the vet was palpating her abdomen yesterday... I would be sore in body and mind too.

Hopefully the corner has been turned.
 

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Sweet little thing! Hopefully this will pass soon!
 

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Any update????
 

Monaco

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So far, still just the noise and head movement on the floor of the cage. I have to assume it's a broody/food begging combo at this point. No more eggs, thankfully. She's pretty violent with the dry food, and looks homicidal when I fill them, while she's scrambling to them, looking at them, looking at me, and of course while she's flinging things out of them. It's a very confusing combination of excitement and aggression. When she does travel to her external perches she looks like she really wants to interact, and I lean in for kisses if she's got her mouth closed and leans too far to do a lunge style bite move. I have let her have shoulder time twice, and she does want to be picked up and interact...but it can changeon a dime. I suspect that she's hoping for a very different kind of interaction, and I am the wrong shade of green!

I have a plan to gut the cage and rearrange everything while she's a safe distance next week...at the vet all day. Maybe it will trigger her to give up on the nest idea.
 
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