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Posted by jo marnick on Tue, 04/01/2008 - 11:03 :: Cockatiels
I have a 3 year old Cockatiel. She keeps laying eggs constantly, we cover her up at about 7pm and she has over 12 hours covered. When she lays her eggs I leave her to sit on them for about 2 weeks then take them off her, she seems to be ok for a week or so then starts again. We have children and when she has her eggs she is quite aggressive towards them. I fear she is going to make herself ill by keep on laying these eggs. Is there anything I can do to discourage her from doing this egg laying all the time?
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Posted by karen on Tue, 04/01/2008 - 19:52.
Egg laying can be problem in a lot of cockatiels.
They are a species native to a climiate with distinct dry and rainy seasons, and naturally breed during rainy seasons.
So sometimes changing the diet to a very dry, lower protein diet can help. That would mean mostly pellets and seeds (but very little in the way of fatty seeds like sunflower or safflower, other seeds like millet are better). You would feed much less in the way of fruits, vegetables, people foods. Also, offering baths less often can help.

Another thing to consider are hormone shots. Lupron is commonly used in birds - an injection will reduce the body's production of estrogen for a month or so and help get her to lose interest in laying.

Karen
Chico (conure) and Pippin (budgie)
WI
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