Breeding in Lovebird Pairs (infertile)

[JoeJoe]

Hi

Rescued 2 lovebirds from CL Pets in the summer. They are for sure bonded to each other. I am wondering why she keeps laying infertile eggs that don't have the red veins in them. I have let them sit on a clutch for a month, and they still do not hatch. They have shavings in their breeding box, get millet, etc.

Since I have owned them they've laid about 3 different clutches. Always have 3 eggs

How can I improve their needs so they can lay fertile eggs next clutch? Is there any possible way to reverse this?

 

[Sunset_Chaser]

Are you sure they are male and female? Were they proven for their previous owner? I once bought a "proven" pair of blue fischers only to DNA them after 1 year to find that I had 2 males.... People aren't always honest!

 

[JoeJoe]

Well, I have seen them cling on to each other and mate. Also something to point out - they seem very determined to lay eggs. Now, I don't know if a Male bird can lay eggs, but yeah.

Maybe another thing I should note is that, the lovebirds both look identical. This was something I always questioned because they seem likely to be relatives.

 

[Sunset_Chaser]

Males don't lay eggs and from past experience if you had 2 females you would usually be getting more than 3 eggs in a clutch. Sometimes it takes awhile for a new pair to "figure things out". If you want to know for sure what their genders are you can DNA them through Avian Biotech at $25 per bird. I take it you know how to candle eggs?

 

[JoeJoe]

I have never candled them, just looked over them in the light. Maybe they just need to lay a few more clutches before I will see them hatch

 

[Sunset_Chaser]

Without candling them it would be very hard to tell if they are indeed infertile. Candling is easy enough to do, I leave the eggs in the nestbox (the less you jostle the eggs the better) and gently hold a flashlight to each egg, if you see red veins it's fertile, if you just see a yellow yolk it's "clear" (infertile) Sometimes the small chick will die and at that point you will see a blood ring, but that's a different story.

 

[EAI]

I'm just taking a shot with this, I have no breeding experience...
Could it be because they are related and inbreeding has caused a sharp decline of successful hatchlings?

 

[MikeyTN]

My question for you is do you have any experience in breeding and raising chicks? Since they were rescued, what's the purpose of raising more? Yes they could be siblings but at the same time you don't just put them together and expect babies to come out. There's other things you must do such as diet, humidity, etc.

 

[mh434]

We have several Lovies, all paired up, and most of the pairs are female/female. These pairs lay eggs frequently - in fact, sometimes BOTH females will lay eggs, in opposite corners of the cage, and take turns sitting on each other's (infertile) eggs.

Regardless, even a pair of females will put on a VERY convincing mating act, resulting in egg laying, even though there's not a male to be found.

I suspect you don't have a boy bird!

 

[veimar]

I know a person who had a pair of cockatiels who were mating a lot, and was extremely surprised to find out they were both male. Things happen. LOL So you never know.
If you don't have intention of breeding them, it's actually great that they don't produce chicks.
On the other side, one of my piano students has had a bonded pair of budgies for years, male and female, and they never mate or lay eggs.

 

[MikeyTN]

Budgies does better in a colony breeding situation then single pairs alone. Not saying they couldn't raise chicks as they could have done so if they wanted to. I've seen some folks with just a pair and raising chicks left and right.

 

[MikeyTN]

I just read your past post during the late summer time, if they've been laying eggs all this time, it is best for you to remove the nest box and let them rest. It is not wise to let them keep on laying over and over! It is harsh on the female's body as it can cause potential issues such as egg binding. Since they've been having eggs, you can easily sex them by putting your index finger between their pelvic bones, if it fits through, it's a female. If it's close together then it would be a male. Please let them rest!!!