This broke my heart...

[Parro]

Hi all, this is to tell you something very sad... Lora (my female cockatiel, and Harry, my male cockatiel, are a couple) Lora laid an egg 3 days ago, her very first fertilized egg. But we didn't build a nest under the cage. Under the cage is iron bars. She laid the egg. But it fell down into the bottom of the cage. And it cracked. Now the poor baby is lost forever hope he is now happy in heaven. but will Lora surely lay another egg? If yes, then how much could it take? I was at my grandmas house but my dad saw the cracked egg at the bottom of the cage. And then the news passed to me. That's when I was going to cry about the poor baby. like I said will Lora lay another egg one day?

 

[crimson]

yes she will, nesting hens lay every other day....don't worry!

I am curious though, how did you know it was fertile if it was only laid three days ago?

normally you can determine that around 7 days or so.

The very first chick that hatched for me I kept, he was just too special to sell.
I still have Num Num, and now Nummies is a dad too!

 

[Pajarita]

My dear, please don't feel bad, there was no baby in that egg. She had not incubated it so the embryo would not have formed, if it was ever going to form because even when they have sex, it doesn't mean that the hen will lay a fertilized egg (they can prevent this from happening).

Also, I don't know about your tiels but mine are all molting right now and that means no breeding.

 

[Parro]

Thanks guys. I'm looking forward to a small incubator (I saw them, really) once Lora lays another egg but I'm afraid it would crack again. I have a small wooden house for both of them, what are signs that they are going lay? Since Lora is untamed and Harry is. I want to place them inside the wooden house once they will lay the egg. Further help is appreciated very much.

 

[crimson]

you can't just place them in and hope they lay...it won't work that way.

let mother nature take it course, after all they know best.

 

[Parro]

you can't just place them in and hope they lay...it won't work that way.

let mother nature take it course, after all they know best.

I meant what are signs they will lay? So I can build them a nest in the wooden house and put them inside once they are going to lay before it's too late.

 

[lotosha]

Pay attention for your female tiel' now, some times they can have egg binding, which have to be treated quickly by vet. We had such thing and we were very lucky as we got to a very good vet, who saved her life.

 

[Parro]

Pay attention for your female tiel' now, some times they can have egg binding, which have to be treated quickly by vet. We had such thing and we were very lucky as we got to a very good vet, who saved her life.

Yes, she may have an egg binding and I will take her to a vet today. I don't know any vet since my birds never became sick. I'm very afraid that if she had a serious egg binding (by that I mean a big egg binding, I read sometimes to cure egg binding your animal should go under surgery, hope that doesn't happen to my precious Lora.) Lora is young so is Harry. They are like as I remember 9 months or maybe 1 year and a month.

 

[crimson]

provide a nesting good size nesting box with care fresh bedding, and some aspen shavings. do not use pine,or cedar.
make it about 2" deep, if they are interested in nesting they will go in when they are ready to.

after mating many times, the male usually will check out the box first, then the hen will follow. If things are acceptable to them, she will sit in the box a few days on her own before she lays. she will lay every other day.
do not disturb them.

Pajarita made a good point, no breeding if cockatiels are moulting, mine are as well. Actually none of my birds are the least bit interested in breeding right now ....maybe around Sept.or October yours will mate....right now you can boost her up with plenty of very good foods, lots of protein, and CALCIUM.

 

[Pajarita]

My dear, please do not take the wrong way because I am not scolding you but you sound very young and completely uninformed and breeding birds is not a matter of 'letting nature take its course'. You need to know what you are doing. The birds need to be in excellent physical condition and that means the hen needs to be two years old and allowed to fly for months prior breeding season because she will need those muscles to lay her eggs. It also means a healthy endocrine system and that means been kept at a solar schedule for, at least, three season prior so she only breeds when she is supposed to and not any time of the year. They both need a good diet for about a year. You need to learn about how to supplement calcium without over or under doing it (VERY VERY hard); how to recognize disease symptoms as well as eggbinding; a good avian vet (and an emergency 24/7 clinic); how to handfeed and all kinds of implements (not just a nest) like feeding syringes, heating pad, humidifier, air purifier, full spectrum as well as UV lights, etc. But no incubator. Incubator birds have all kinds of psychological issues...

The prospect of having baby birds is wonderful but they are living creatures and they are our responsibility so it falls to us to ensure that we don't create a situation where they would be harmed because of our lack of knowledge or proper planning and preparation.

 

[Parro]

Well I am actually young and I don't know anything about breeding soo... Yes I am confused right now. I am giving them good food, I give them veggies and fruits but they don't eat it. I cut the veggies and fruits it very small pieces. Then serve it. They don't eat it. I also use a mix of different seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. And eat it very well. The food I give them is rich with vitamins and other things. And is guaranteed to be very good. I won't use an incubator I will let the hen just sit on the eggs. And yes. They both are over 1 year old. But still not 2 years. Well.. They are about to become 2 years old. And I don't think I'm up to hand feeding the babies. I'll leave it to my dad. He loves birds very much. Almost as much as me. Also please if you find a video how to handfeed/breed cockatiels right post their link, I'm not sure if I'm up to this... I never handled it before. If I'm doing anything wrong. Please tell me.