Quaker, two, laid an egg (no other birds here)

[space0matic]

How do you know when the bird has laid all the eggs she has? It’s been 20 hours since egg #1, and I’m worried, but vigilant. Frightened she might get x, y or z. Does anyone know? Thanks in advance!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

When in egg laying mode, they generally lay an egg every 36 to 48 hours. Occasionally the interval is 24 hours.

 

[LaManuka]

Welcome to the forums, @space0matic! Quakers can apparently lay anything between 5 and up to 12 eggs in a clutch, although that number may vary where there has been no involvement from a rooster. You can get pretty good faux eggs from a website called www.dummyeggs.com. Best thing to do is to remove your hen's eggs and replace them with dummy eggs so she can work off her maternal yearnings on those. Alternatively, you can boil your hen's eggs too - obviously they are already infertile so won't hatch, but if you boil them it will make them more durable while your hen is sitting on them, and while you get yourself some of those dummy eggs

 

[space0matic]

O. I might need some valerian root to calm my nerves. This parrot is not listening to my explanations. Not having it. “This is normal. Relax.”

 

[space0matic]

Thank you. I bought some ‘dummy eggs’. I have to get some liquid Calcium per the suggestion found here. I only have powder, but I would rather be prepared. Calcivet.

 

[LaManuka]

O. I might need some valerian root to calm my nerves. This parrot is not listening to my explanations. Not having it. “This is normal. Relax.”

I've had a cockatiel and a lorikeet hen lay infertile eggs, and they were more than happy just to sit on the one faux egg although that may differ with a quaker. Once she has finished with this cycle, do remove anything that she may perceive as a nesting site, such as any tents or huts and/or access to anything she may consider a good place to lay, hopefully to lessen the chance of this happening again. Having said that, some birds can get VERY determined about laying those eggs, like the cockatiel hen I had some years ago who would lay on the bare floor of her cage with ZERO stimulus whatsoever. Valerian root may help you, my avian vet used to (jokingly) offer me "client Valium" for myself too!

 

[space0matic]

I've had a cockatiel and a lorikeet hen lay infertile eggs, and they were more than happy just to sit on the one faux egg although that may differ with a quaker. Once she has finished with this cycle, do remove anything that she may perceive as a nesting site, such as any tents or huts and/or access to anything she may consider a good place to lay, hopefully to lessen the chance of this happening again. Having said that, some birds can get VERY determined about laying those eggs, like the cockatiel hen I had some years ago who would lay on the bare floor of her cage with ZERO stimulus whatsoever. Valerian root may help you, my avian vet used to (jokingly) offer me "client Valium" for myself too!

It’s STRESSFUL! It’s like my Baby. XO
I’m not sure where I saw this, but some vets will suggest ‘fixing’ a bird if it’s a danger to their lives, but since then I read there is a chemical component that does the same thing. I should probably not read those stories, but it’s good to know in Worst Case Scenario. My Vet is close, too.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Surgery to "fix" a bird is known to be very risky because of the location of the sex organs and risk of injuring other structures. Especially in a small bird (as in most parrots on down). It would be wonderful if it was an option.

Lupron is a long acting injectable drug that's used in humans to reduce sex hormones in men with prostate cancer. It can be used in parrots to prevent egg laying and stop excessive sexual behavior. It's sometimes effective to stop plucking.

 

[space0matic]

Lupron is used in human IVF cycles to slow down the growth of eggs and give a better chance of other follicles to catch up to produce more mature eggs for the retrieval process and have more chance of one to implant itself after transfer. I can see how it could be useful in preventing an egg from developing the same way in mammals and birds - as most species share the same hormones from the pituitary that trigger ovulation. We women ovulate before conception usually, instead of the egg fertilization taking place before the eggs form - and you really don’t want to know how cats eggs are fertilized unless you’re into a really gory conception. I just love Mother Nature, but cats are seriously into S&M, for sure. Bullfrogs take second place.
She just laid another egg. That makes two. This one had a schmear of blood on the shell. I wish it wasn’t Sunday. I wish my Vet was open. I wish I hadn’t seen that tiny bit of blood - since it’s only her second. I read that it’s OK to moisten her food a little with water? Or should I keep my mitts off and let her do what she’s supposed to do?

 

[LaManuka]

She just laid another egg. That makes two. This one had a schmear of blood on the shell. I wish it wasn’t Sunday. I wish my Vet was open.

The interval between first and second sounds normal, and it's not unusual for there to be a bit of blood on the shell. Suprelorin implants can be useful where the egg-laying becomes chronic - I've had occasion to use it on two of mine but I don't think you're there just yet, but it's always worth having that conversation with your vet. Hope those dummy eggs you ordered arrive soon and are helpful, they have been quite effective in preventing further laying when I used them on my girls!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Are you going to let her brood the eggs? If so, where? Keep in mind that hens dont usually start full time brooding until several eggs have been laid. Until tjen she may appear to ignore them.

When your dummy eggs arrive I would substitute them for the real ones and put two more dummies with them at the same time. If she thinks her clutch is large enough she may not lay more. I've also seen a smear of blood on a recently laid egg and it doesn't necessarily indicate that there's a problem.

I just looked up Suprelorin (deslorelin) for parrots to see if it was available in the US and it is. I may look into it for my budgie Joey.
I hope it not only stops egg production but also stops excessive sexual behavior. I'd love to integrate Joey into my living room flock but I can't with her crazy sexual behavior.

 

[space0matic]

The interval between first and second sounds normal, and it's not unusual for there to be a bit of blood on the shell. Suprelorin implants can be useful where the egg-laying becomes chronic - I've had occasion to use it on two of mine but I don't think you're there just yet, but it's always worth having that conversation with your vet. Hope those dummy eggs you ordered arrive soon and are helpful, they have been quite effective in preventing further laying when I used them on my girls!

The are supposed to arrive Tuesday, and the liquid calcium Monday, but I could probably find that calcium at my Avian Vets or a specialty store tomorrow if I can’t wait. Ughhhh!

 

[space0matic]

Are you going to let her brood the eggs? If so, where? Keep in mind that hens dont usually start full time brooding until several eggs have been laid. Until tjen she may appear to ignore them.

When your dummy eggs arrive I would substitute them for the real ones and put two more dummies with them at the same time. If she thinks her clutch is large enough she may not lay more. I've also seen a smear of blood on a recently laid egg and it doesn't necessarily indicate that there's a problem.

I just looked up Suprelorin (deslorelin) for parrots to see if it was available in the US and it is. I may look into it for my budgie Joey.
I hope it not only stops egg production but also stops excessive sexual behavior. I'd love to integrate Joey into my living room flock but I can't with her crazy sexual behavior.

Is it your Joey that’s going for the world record of laying eggs? I think I read that, and thought, “I’m worried over one egg while this budgie is going for a record?” It’s good that you saw this - she might respond very favorably to that and become more like her old self! You must miss her the way she was. I do NOT intend to let her brood. I’m having panic attacks at a schmear of blood. My breeding days are over (unless it’s an emergency - then I can’t say no) but not intentionally. That’s for stronger folks than me.

 

[LaManuka]

The are supposed to arrive Tuesday, and the liquid calcium Monday, but I could probably find that calcium at my Avian Vets or a specialty store tomorrow if I can’t wait. Ughhhh!

Cuttlebone is good for calcium too, and if she doesn't like the idea of chewing on one you can just scrape some over her food

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Try not to worry. Egg binding occurs but is not common. A young, healthy physically fit bird is not at high risk.

 

[space0matic]

Try not to worry. Egg binding occurs but is not common. A young, healthy physically fit bird is not at high risk.

Thanks for that! I just love my little chubby bottomed Quaker to bits. No judgement, please. She barely lets me change her water!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Joey has only laid 4 back in April at 6 months old. She stopped when put her in a different room with no other birds. Her older sister Bennington has probably laid 18 since February without physical contact with a male, and Rocky has laid 5 or 6. Joey's mother Tilly laid more than 30 eggs over a four month period before I separated her from all males birds and caged her with two of her daughters. Most of Tillys eggs were subbed with dummies and she only raised four chicks from three clutches. I raised one of her chicks (Joey). Joey is a delightful budgie and very bonded to us because we hand raised her. I wish I didn't have to segregate her.

 

[space0matic]

Joey has only laid 4 back in April at 6 months old. She stopped when put her in a different room with no other birds. Her older sister Bennington has probably laid 18 since February without physical contact with a male, and Rocky has laid 5 or 6. Joey's mother Tilly laid more than 30 eggs over a four month period before I separated her from all males birds and caged her with two of her daughters. Most of Tillys eggs were subbed with dummies and she only raised four chicks from three clutches. I raised one of her chicks (Joey). Joey is a delightful budgie and very bonded to us because we hand raised her. I wish I didn't have to segregate her.

Maybe you won’t after all. That’s what I love about forums, sometimes you just stumble upon a perfect solution!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

My concern about Suprelorin is whether it can be used in small budgies. Joey's a very small budgie (I have budgies twice her size) and the drug is an implant that must be implanted under the skin. It would require anesthesia and I don't want to lose her or cause her a lot of pain. I have excellent avian vets but I still worry.

 

[space0matic]

My concern about Suprelorin is whether it can be used in small budgies. Joey's a very small budgie (I have budgies twice her size) and the drug is an implant that must be implanted under the skin. It would require anesthesia and I don't want to lose her or cause her a lot of pain. I have excellent avian vets but I still worry.

See what her Vet has to say about it. They could have a solution that’s just for the small ones. You never know until you ask.