Help! My female grey won't eat after laying eggs!

johnnapyranha

New member
Mar 12, 2022
1
3
Parrots
Kona and Kaleia (bonded African greys)
Hello Parrot People!
I have 2 bonded african grey parrots. This is the first time my female has laid eggs. I do not want to breed birds, so I have replaced her 4 eggs with dummy eggs and she is sitting on them. I was told to remove them after 35 days or so and if I remove them earlier than that, she. may try to lay more??! I provide food and water right by where she is nesting and I bring both birds out of the cage every evening to socialize and eat dinner with us as usual. She will only eat a few bites, even of her favorite foods, and then wants back in her cage to sit on her eggs. She is getting thinner and thinner and I am super worried about her. What should I do?

Any advice is very appreciated!
 

Ria.345

Banned
Banned
Jun 23, 2021
261
834
New York City
Parrots
Sun Conure and Umbrella Cockatoo
Female birds that become egg bound should really get checked up by an avian vet since I know that it can cause a lot of future heal to issues and can damage some organs overtime if continuing constant egg laying. Your concerns are valid.
You do not need to replace the real eggs with dummy eggs. When she lays, just immediately remove the egg since birds could (like yours right now) can become obsessed with protecting the egg. Even to the point of starving themselves and not socializing.
And then you make an appointment with a CAV immediately to rule out any other concerns and find ways to stop your grey from continuous egg laying. Your CAV will also consult with you on post visit care for your grey and any dietary needs or other things your bird may require to prevent such egg laying or breeding behavior.
Speaking of diet, in the meantime make sure to provide extra calcium for egg bound birds as this can help with the situation without worsening the condition.
 

Laurasea

Well-known member
Aug 2, 2018
12,593
10,702
USA
Parrots
Full house
Hi welcome to the forum.

Because there is a possibility of a retained egg..which would be a medical life threatening emergency. Getting her checked promptly by an avian vet is best advice.

If this is a behavior of nesting I have no experience. I've only had parrots lay eggs twice, and I pulled them immediately. Tho others have received different advice from their veterinarians, including swapping for fake eggs.

But a bird not eating is enough to send me to the veterinarian.
 

ScottinSoCal

Member
Sep 7, 2019
66
73
Ventura County, CA, USA
Parrots
Had a Blue Front Amazon. Now have an African Grey (CAG)
Hello Parrot People!
I have 2 bonded african grey parrots. This is the first time my female has laid eggs. I do not want to breed birds, so I have replaced her 4 eggs with dummy eggs and she is sitting on them. I was told to remove them after 35 days or so and if I remove them earlier than that, she. may try to lay more??! I provide food and water right by where she is nesting and I bring both birds out of the cage every evening to socialize and eat dinner with us as usual. She will only eat a few bites, even of her favorite foods, and then wants back in her cage to sit on her eggs. She is getting thinner and thinner and I am super worried about her. What should I do?

Any advice is very appreciated!
Scooter has laid eggs (no male, she just has an incredibly strong nesting instinct) twice in the time she's been here. She also wouldn't abandon her nest to eat, so I put the food in where she could eat it, as she sat on her nest. She gobbled everything down, and I kept it up as long as she needed it.
 

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