Egg laying African grey

[BSH1F]

Some history, I recently took my parents 28 year old African grey into our home because my mom could not care for her anymore, she has taken to everything amazingly and she has laid 3 eggs in the past so I researched how to avoid the cycle and did everything we could since she got her to avoid it but she is such a loving bird, even if I don't pet her as soon as she gets on you she starts cooing and fluffing up and rubbing against you, she does this with everyone that holds her I think she's a bit of a lush if you ask me lol. But she laid an egg 3 days ago and today I came home and she must of accidentally punctured it with her claw, so should I leave it in there still or take it? She isn't sitting on it today I'm assuming because its broke so I'm not sure how to approach this.... I was planning on letting her cycle out of it and this happened any help is appreciated thanks!

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[noodles123]

I have a bird who also just laid an egg-- but here's the stuff you have to be weary of:


1. 10-12 hours sleep nightly is a must (just b/c they are quiet, doesn't mean they can't still hear you laughing, talking etc--- they can adjust to some of that, but consider cage placement if that could be part of it...They also need at least 3 hours interaction/out of cage daily...and plenty of toys that they must often be taught to play with (don't just shove new toys in, as they can be quite scary).
2. Watch diet and make sure it's not too fatty or mushy (these can be triggers)
3.Head and neck petting only- don't allow that rubbing stuff when she's in this mode..or in her case, ever (knowing how she is).Touching places like the wings=sexual for parrots.
4. Make sure she has no access to shadowy spaces-- no boxes, huts, tents, laps with long hair hanging over, pillows, blankets, paper piles etc--**this is important** Same with not allowing her to go under low ledges or under furniture---when I say shadowy, I mean anything remotely nest-like...even if it's just an overhang, if it is darker than the room, that is too shadowy.
5.If you see that you are causing hormonal behavior, change the subject and/or walk away and give attention for other behaviors, but keep contact somewhat on the lower end of the scale if your bird is heightened sexually---- in any adult bird, head and neck petting/avoiding shadowy spaces is solid advice, but it's super important in your case.


If an egg appears, do not remove it until she loses interest (unless it is broken, in which case you will need a fake). You can try a dummy egg online, but if you pull an egg when the bird is still interested it can start things over.


Lupron is an option (not without risk) if everything else fails.

 

[bigfellasdad]

if she isnt sitting on it, remove it.

My little girl is a total tart too.... funny, just don't encourage it, keep to petting her head, if she lifts a wing etc, ignore. Good luck, ive had enzo for 4 yrs now and each year she has laid twice, 4 eggs a time. The last 12 months, she hasnt laid, she as either given up with me or ive changed accordingly.

hth.

 

[ScottinSoCal]

Scooter laid eggs last year, just after she got here. She's a rescue, so I don't know her age, but she has an incredibly strong nesting/mating urge, so I'd guess she's fairly young. She laid two eggs that fell on the cage floor and cracked open. We removed those. We finally caved and got her a nesting bowl, she laid four more eggs, sat on them for 4-5 weeks, and when she abandoned them we took everything nest-like out.
This year she started mating behavior again, but I've discouraged it. When she starts bobbing her head, getting ready to drop some used food in my hand, I pick her up, talk to her a bit, then put her back in her cage. She's learned how to open cupboards, so I've rearranged the pans and appliances on the bottom shelves to block her access - when she opens a cupboard door, she sees a wall of pots and pans, a bread maker, a slow cooker, something she can't nudge out of the way to get inside. She also opens drawers and uses them as a ladder to get to the kitchen counters, so I've moved the fruit bowl, and anything nest-ish off the counters. No eggs this year, and she's backed off the worst of the mating behavior, so I think we're out of the woods. For now.