Female Cockatiel & egg laying..

[Katy]

My Ozzie doesn't talk a lot, but he'll say, hi birdie, morning birdie, the woody woodpecker laugh, wolf whistle, he likes to laugh along with laugh tracks on tv...and a couple of other things I can't think of right now. He used to talk more when the kids still lived at home.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

So far she hasn't laid another egg but she acted like she was going to this morning..still snaps at me, she never did that before this started....doing the same things she did yesterday...I took the egg and picked up the shedded paper...I don't want to lose her so will keep a close eye on her...she is out of the cage everyday, talks up a storm with garble, doesn't speak english...lol... nothing has changed around the house so I'm at a loss...

 

[BarbK]

Increase her time in the dark and that should help prevent her from laying. I will talk to the cockatiel rescue tomorrow and get more info on how to stop the egg laying. It is hard of them.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Thank you, Barb...Why didn't I think of that...it's what I would do to try getting a hen to stop laying...

 

[BarbK]

OK got back from the rescue.
Move the cage to a different location. Make everthing different in the cage (move things around). Take out the nesting material. Cover with a dark blanket for 12-14 hours a day for 5 days. Remove for two days and see if she lays eggs. If she lays repeat.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I was just getting ready to post she laid another egg!!

I'll try your suggestions...thanks so much for helping...I was away from the house today and did keep her covered all day but I guess I was too late for this last egg!!...Thanks!!...

 

[GoodEgg]

Hope you get it under control. FWIW, my clutches were usually anywhere from 3-6. Keep an eye on her and watch for signs of egg-binding ... I believe you can often help them with that. I read about it a lot, but never had a problem with any of my birds, so I don't have any personal experience.

As far as calcium (and other nutrients) I used to make a mix for mine. I would use shredded and pureed fruits and veggies (or quality baby food in a pinch). Especially nutrient-dense foods like sweet potato. I added chopped peppers and broccoli as well. I used enough cornmeal to make it bake-able, and when I added the eggs I used shell and all, crushing them into bits so they'd be well mixed in (usually saved shells too). Milk as well, for calcium. It turns out like a very thick, lumpy cornbread mixture (weird color tho), and I'd bake that. After cooling, I'd break it into pieces and freeze what they didn't eat within a few days.

I used a good quality feed mixture, but I was never really satisfied that it provided enough variety. The mix was an easy way to get my smaller birds to eat lots of fruits and veggies, as well as providing eggshells.

I also cooked a mix of as many beans as I could find, with whole brown rice, and corn, and fed that in a separate dish.

Everyone seemed to love it, and I had very healthy birds. They raised babies with no problems (except one anxious-to-breed male cockatiel who used to start pecking the babies at about 3 weeks to get them out, hoping he could start again! I had to keep him separated from his female much of the time).

trish

 

[BarbK]

Oh I forgot to ask. Is she on a seed mixture or a pelleted diet. The pelleted diets are usually better for them.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

She was a gift to me from a friend and has always been on the seed mixture...I can change that tho if you think she would do alright on it.....she is 3 or 4...

 

[BarbK]

Everyone I knows likes the pelleted over the seed becaues it is formulated to give the bird everything they need. (sorry I am beat and I dont know if my thoughts are coming out right.) If you do switch make it gradual.