Egg binding in cockatiel

I suspect that my young female cockatiel may have some egg binding issues. She had been laying many eggs, and we separated her from her mate for a period of 5 months or so. We are not raising young, and have found that excessive egg laying can be harmful or fatal to the females.

We have reintroduced them, as the male was very depressed. He's better, but she has for a second time in two weeks, showed depression, and some shallow breathing, and general listlessness. She had laid a shell-less egg a week ago, and then seemed fine.

I have insured that she is warm, dry and has plenty of food. any other hints?

Do these events resolve on their own. I know it can be cause for emergency treatment.

I also have a second post related to beak growth in the same bird.

thank you.

Well, I can tell you she definitely needs calcium. Provide her with a cuttle bone or mineral block. You may even have to scrape off some cuttle bone onto her soft foods to ensure she is getting it. You might also make her some scrambled egg and crush the shell into it to get her some as well.

Quite honestly as well, it sounds like she needs to see an avian vet. IF an egg is bound that is an emergency. So it doesn't sound like she's had one yet, but that she might. Plus she should be seen for the lump.

Like it was mentioned you need to provide mineral block, cuttle bone, oyster shells, etc. Calcium supplement is essential!!! Egg binding is a serious issue and you need to be prepared to bring her to the vet if you don't know how to help her. If you try to help her pass the egg and you do it wrong you can kill her! I have helped several of my hens to pass the egg and it's not 100% proof. I've lost only one female in my hands when she give up as she was overly exhausted and the rest I was able to help as long as I was around to catch it.

MikeyTN said:

Like it was mentioned you need to provide mineral block, cuttle bone, oyster shells, etc. Calcium supplement is essential!!! Egg binding is a serious issue and you need to be prepared to bring her to the vet if you don't know how to help her. If you try to help her pass the egg and you do it wrong you can kill her! I have helped several of my hens to pass the egg and it's not 100% proof. I've lost only one female in my hands when she give up as she was overly exhausted and the rest I was able to help as long as I was around to catch it.

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Mikey, that's so sad.... I'm sorry

It broke my heart, her egg poped out the moment she give up so I was so upset I threw that egg against the wall....

The causes of egg-binding includes obestity, calcium deficient, chilling, lack of exercise & infection in the oviduct.

If your sure she is egg bound place her in a warm, humid environment & give her a calcium supplement such as 0.1ml per 100grams body weight of a liquid calcium. (Calcium Sandoz Syrup) every 1-2 hours until the egg has passed. If she is weak or depressed she will need to see the Vet.

I also saw your other thread regarding the growth on the cere. That could very well be a cyst or a cancer growth. Either way she needs to see the Vet that way you can have both problems taken care of.

I would also make sure she has access to some form of calcium at all times.

I may have read your post wrong but this pair haven't had a clutch of young yet have they. I am thinking that she maybe a chronic egg layer. Do you throw her eggs away as she lays them. If that is the case, maybe you could get some duds for her to sit on for the 3 weeks.

Thanks, Pedro and MikeyTN for providing that info. I just learned some things myself, and with 2 hens here that was good to know.

I'm really sorry about the one you lost, Mikey.

Thanks, all. Rosie has recovered 95% from her episode, passed some watery yellowish stool or maybe egg related malfunction.

All our birds get exceptional care, plenty of calcium block/cuttlebone, as well as occasional scrambled egg, as we suspect she will be begin laying, and your comment on "overweight" is interesting. On a previous vet visit with another bird, he pronounced her "chubby", so if anything, they are a bit overnourished. She does get as much flight time as she wants.

I would describe as a chronic egg layer. She had subsided for a while, being separated from her mate for that reason. We do gradually ween her from laying by separation and letting her brood old eggs.

A visit to our avian vet is scheduled, and I appreciate the support in that direction.

Thanks, all, I'll follow up more later.

Best wishes and let us know how it goes.