What Encourages Egg Laying

[Lightning57]

I've had two cockatiel hens in the past that laid eggs. Each time this happened we only had the one bird. There were no other birds in the house. The first only laid a few, but the second got to where she laid quite often. I would remove them, but she still seemed to be moody and became more aggressive it seemed with age.

I had read about certain lighting having something to do with laying. Can someone that raises birds help me? I want to get another cockatiel and would prefer a male because of this "problem". I prefer the lutino colored ones, but understand that it isn't as easy to tell their gender. Should I end up with a female I'd like to know how to lessen the chance of her laying so many eggs.

 

[Lady Jane]

The longer hours of light stimulate hormones. You can put them to bed one hour earlier. Warm foods should be avoided. Some people rearrange the cage and move it to a new location. No touching below the head.

 

[JLcribber]

Some insightful reading,

Hormonal Behavior in Pet Birds - Introduction — For The Birds DVM — Avian Vet

 

[Serin]

When I had cockatiels, they laid eggs and raised chicks without a nest box, in the middle of winter, on about nine hours of daylight. If they want to lay, they'll lay no matter what. You can maybe try to discourage it with at least 13 hours of sleep, no nest, nothing in the cage to resemble a nest, but mine still went through all the motions and hatched a bunch of healthy babies.

 

[Lightning57]

Thanks everyone for your replies and links.

There was nothing in the cage that would encourage laying. I'm guessing that the lighting might have had the most to do with it.

 

[TikiMyn]

High fat Diets can also encourage hormonal behavior. High fat dies would be a diet including a lot of seeds or nuts for example. Dark corners and nesting material are contributing factors as well. But even if all those things are absent, they can still start egg laying.

 

[JLcribber]

Thanks everyone for your replies and links.

There was nothing in the cage that would encourage laying. I'm guessing that the lighting might have had the most to do with it.

The hormonal cycle is a biological function that comes every season. There is no stopping it. We "manage" the situation to hopefully minimize the effects.

 

[Mizzely]

Petting areas other than the head and surplus of food are also triggers