conure egg laying

[Lisa9125]

We have a bonded male and female conure that messed around last year but are fully mating and egg laying this year. This is not a pair we use for breeding. These are are family members. We don't want babies and want to get her through this as safely as possible. They are out most all day, and started going into a cabinet to hide away. When we leave the house or go to bed they go in their cage. Skyla the female laid an egg in her food bowl very early one morning. I made them a box and attached it to the cage but she didn't lay on the egg. When let out of the cage they go back to the cabinet. I try to make them stay in the cage but they fuss to come out. Several days later she laid another egg, in the box. But again doesn't lay on it. Though she will go in there at times. But when let out the go o the cabinet. I don't think they are fertile. She actually had pushed the first egg out before laying the second. It's been several days and they are back in the cabinet and when I looked she has layed an egg in there. I can't leave them there over night. It's just not safe. So should I put the other eggs in with her today so she won't think she has to keep laying eggs? And later or tonight should I put them all in the box? Should I just make them stay in their cage not matter what? I mean this can go on for weeks and if they aren't laying on them when they are in the cage, it seems mean to make them stay in there. This is my first time and I'm not handling it well I don't think

 

[JerseyWendy]

Hi Lisa, and welcome to the forums.

Are your birds housed together in the same cage? If so, they WILL do 'their' thing (mate), whether you want them to or not. How old are they?

If you don't want to end up with babies you can replace the eggs with 'dummy eggs'. Since your female doesn't seem super interested in sitting on her eggs at the moment, I would just leave the eggs wherever she lays them (but I'd replace them with dummy eggs since they could be fertile).

I think if you leave them together, it's just a matter of time before they get it right, and you WILL end up with a clutch of chicks, especially if you provide them a nest box.