Lovebird Laying Eggs

[johnnyt]

Hello everyone

I was wondering if someone would be so kind as to try and give me an answer to a problem?

I have a female lutino lovebird of around 11 months old. She does not have a 'mate' and in the past 4 days she has laid 2 eggs. While I know this is common in many
of the parrot species I was wondering if you had any tips as to how I may discourage this process? She is relatively protective of the eggs and does sit on them often. She also
bangs around her cage with her toys but doesn't leave her cage as often as normal.

I have removed all her paper/shreddable toys so she's no 'nesting' material and was wondering if I should leave her how she is (when does it stop) or remove the eggs totally?

She is eating and drinking normally and her diet consists of Harrisons/Optibird pellets, organic seed and fruit and veg. She does however seem very tired.

I would greatly appreciate any advice as I have read so many conflicting tales on the internet and am not sure of the correct approach. I would just like my bird to return to her normal
playful, busy self again.

 

[Pedro]

Does she have some form of calcium as in cuttlefish bone if not get some ASAP, I am concerned she maybe lacking in calcium by the fact she is tired.

Leave her sit on the eggs she may even lay more. Incubation is around 18 days so the eggs can be thrown out after that. If you keep taking the eggs as they are laid you risk chronic egg laying. That can be dangerous & life threating to such a little bird.

Leave things as they are for the moment & after the 3 weeks are up, then rearrange the cage, take anything out that will make her nesty. Also reassess how you pet her, she is probably very affectionate before she lays.

 

[johnnyt]

Thanks for the reply and the tips. I read somewhere that I should stop with seeds and just give her a pellet diet during this time? Is that the case or can she still have a little bit of seed in the evening?

 

[Pedro]

If she is on a seed diet i wouldn't take that away. She should be eating a variety of fruits & veg, along with some pellets if you wish. Also you can sprout seeds for her. Fresh foods are way better for our parrots & a better source of vitamins & minerals. Just keep an eye on her being her first time laying watch out for egg binding.