Why do birds lay infertile eggs?

Falconry · Sep 26, 2014

Infertile egg laying

Why do parrots lay infertile eggs? I have a 3 year old parrotlet pair and the eggs are all infertile. She had two clutches and both clutches were infertile. Could it be they are too young? I candled them after a couple days of incubation.

Falconry · Sep 26, 2014

My parrotlets who are three and a proven pair layed their first two clutches infertile.

MikeyTN · Sep 26, 2014

Did you bought them as proven pair from a breeder???? Beware! A lot of breeders or sellers do and will lie about such things....Make sure the male is a male! But it does happen though, nothing you can do to prevent that.

Mekaisto · Sep 26, 2014

Sometimes birds don't quite match up - the female gets too excited and starts producing eggs before the male is ready.

But have you only candled them a couple of days after they were laid? If so, that's too early, you probably won't see any definite signs until the eggs are at least 6 days old.

Falconry · Sep 26, 2014

No, I candled them a week and a half after they began incubating.The male is a male as he has the male markings and the female is a female. How would you tell if they arent really attached to each other?

Birdman666 · Sep 26, 2014

It only hatches if it gets fertilized first...

The male of the species still provides that "necessary ingredient" for life to be produced.

JerseyWendy · Sep 26, 2014

Birdman666 said:
It only hatches if it gets fertilized first...

The male of the species still provides that "necessary ingredient" for life to be produced.

Hilarious!!! (...and true, of course)

Mekaisto · Sep 26, 2014

Have you witnessed them mating?

Kiwibird · Sep 26, 2014

Infertile egg laying is the avian equivalent to menstruation in a female bird. If the ovum does not become fertilized within a certain period of time, it passes down the reproductive tract, the albumin and protective membrane are wrapped around the infertile yolk, a shell forms and then the bird lays (body expels) the unfertilized egg(s).

Essentially, your female has not had the male fertilize her eggs. If you are sure they are a proven pair and are mating, I would take a look a diet and nest box. I'm not sure about parrotlets but certain female animals can "block" the fertilization of eggs if conditions aren't ideal.

Why do birds lay infertile eggs?

Falconry

New member

Falconry

New member

MikeyTN

New member

Mekaisto

New member

Falconry

New member

Birdman666

Well-known member

JerseyWendy

New member

Mekaisto

New member

Kiwibird

Well-known member

Losing down

A must read : Animal madness

Most Reactions

Similar threads

Latest posts