Meesha won't quit laying!

[sdellin]

Hey All,

Just joined the forum and I posted in the welcome forum for new members.

Anyway, I have a six-year-old female eclectus parrot. She and I have bonded strongly since I got her. I'm trying to avoid her seeing me as her mate, but maybe that's what she's doing. She's started laying eggs. Her previous owner said she had laid before. However, she started doing that crouching thing when I pet her, then started laying eggs. I removed the first one, so she laid another. I replaced it with a very small chicken egg, thinking to let her hatch it, but she cracked it and lost interest, which was good. She laid another then which I left in her cage to maybe cause her to maybe get her fill and quit. She eventually cracked that one, then laid another, so I left it in her cage for awhile.

I have found, through this process, that if I don't put a towel in the bottom of the cage she will just drop an egg from a branch, then sit on the bottom of the cage, above where the egg fell through. So I put the towel in there to give her a place to lay so the egg won't crack. I've tried removing the egg, leaving the egg and replacing the egg with a sturdier egg. She still wants to lay.

My next plan is to get her a wooden egg, maybe two, so she can't crack it. Hopefully she will lose interest once she sits on those for a while and this will be over.

I've read that repeated laying can deplete her body of essential nutrients, so I'm giving her lots of pasta. But, if anyone has suggestions on what I can feed her to keep her healthy/replace what she's losing laying eggs, please comment here. If anyone had a different suggestion on how to dissuade her from laying, please comment.

Thanks, Sharon

 

[RescueMe]

First of all, welcome to the forum. I think that adding lots of pasta to her diet is not the best way to add nutrients to her diet. You can add some birdie bread with crushed eggshell in it to add some calcium. this is a great one: Pumpkin Bread - Phoenix Landing Blog — Phoenix Landing Blog
I just ordered some fake eggs to help my chronic layer. A female will rarely stop laying until her full clutch is layed, this means that she must have a certain amount layed in her nest before she will stop. Providing her with a place to lay will decrease the amount of stress for her in the long term. Good luck with her.

 

[sdellin]

First of all, welcome to the forum. I think that adding lots of pasta to her diet is not the best way to add nutrients to her diet. You can add some birdie bread with crushed eggshell in it to add some calcium. this is a great one: Pumpkin Bread - Phoenix Landing Blog — Phoenix Landing Blog
I just ordered some fake eggs to help my chronic layer. A female will rarely stop laying until her full clutch is layed, this means that she must have a certain amount layed in her nest before she will stop. Providing her with a place to lay will decrease the amount of stress for her in the long term. Good luck with her.

Thanks, I added the pasta to make sure she doesn't get skinny. I do need to know how to add back nutrients, so I will look at the recipe. That's what I need.

So I'm not alone with my cronic layer. I won't say I'm glad, but it's not so scarey now. Please feel free to offer advice/suggestions any time.

 

[MikeyTN]

Just make sure you offer her lots of fresh fruits and veggies. Since she's laying on the bottom, it may be wise to just provide her with a nest box to lay in so she doesn't break the eggs. She probably was spooked when she breaks them. My girl started laying too and I've dealt with chronic egg layer in the past and I know it's not fun to watch what so ever. You almost have to cut tides with her for a bit by not giving her too much attention. But I know sometimes chronic egg layer will find a way to do it anyways. Good luck, I hope everything works out for you!

 

[Spiritbird]

Need to be careful of depleting her calcium. If the egg laying is excessive I would take to the vet for an injection of Lupron. What is excessive - you vet will know. It is a series of 3 injections at $50 each or about that. If the eggs get jelly bean like she is in need of more calcium.

 

[cdog]

Make sure you are providing a cuttlebone at all times. She also needs fresh fruit, veggies, grains, beans, and sprouts if you can provide them. I agree that providing a nest box might help the breaking but she may not even use it. Gool luck.

 

[henpecked]

Sorry to hear of your hen, i know this can be very stressful for both of you. Yes ,get the fake eggs, give her plenty of calcium, but be very careful of giving her extra fat. You could probably stop the whole process by monitoring her fat intake. Most hens won't lay unless they are healthy and have fat reserves. Maybe this link will help.Hormonal Behavior in Pet Birds - Introduction — For The Birds DVM — Avian Vet

Opps,sorry, welcome to the forum, hope you hang around.