hi, i really need help with my question

[Guest beebs_inc]

Hi! i havent poste here in a while...sorry been busy with work and school. Its been about 4 weeks that my bird charlie has begun to lay infertile eggs. The latest one that was born was yesterday evening. However, i'm very concerend about it. I know that it takes up ALOT of calcium for the eggs, and i,m afraid she isnt getting enough calcium. What kind of calcium supplements can i give her, or extra vitamins? Also, another concern is about her stool. Ever since she has started laying eggs, they have been abrnormaly large, i would say probably the size of a dime. There was a 2 week period where her stool had returned to normal and it conencided with the fact that she wasnt laying any eggs. Does the size of her stool correlate to her laying eggs? I'm really worried because my budgies are precious to me and i wouldnt want anything to happen to them. I'm calling the vet on Monday to make an appointment just to make sure their alright. Thank you in advance for you advice!

[Guest Lin]

Have you got cuttle fish in the cage? That's a good source of calcium.

 

Has she got a breeding box? When they are in the box they will 'hold on' and just come out occasionally to poop, so, yes they will be larger.

Why do you say they are infertile? Is there no male in the cage?

[Guest beebs_inc]

No, i do not have a breeding box, should i get one? Also, there is no male in the cage, just two females. I also have two cuttlebones in my cage, one on each end. In the meanwhile, could i grate some cuttlebone into the bird seed so she can have some extra calcium? She has been pecking the cuttlebone alot more lately (thank god). Hopefuly, everything will be okay! Thanks again in advance.

[*Nerwen* 0]

sounds like she is using to add to her own calcium stores as she seems to think she needs it. If you only have to females (you sure?) then it would be pointless to add the box it will just drive her want to lay more eggs and if it is two hens then they can start to fight over the box.

The stool does get larger when laying eggs.

 

It's great that you are taking them/her to the vets. Let us know what s/he says

[Guest Lin]

No, don't put a breeding box in. And I wouldn't worry about grating the cuttlefish into the seed, just make sure it's available. Raising chicks takes more out of a bird than laying eggs, so don't worry too much. I can't help you with stopping her laying eggs. Perhaps covering her up earlier would help, as breeding is a cycle ruled by the amount of daylight they get in the wild.

 

I have a rainbow lorikeet that is laying eggs and sitting on them, has been for about 8 weeks. She's an only bird, so I would be interested in anyone's suggestions to solve beebs_inc's problem!

[Guest beebs_inc]

well, since yesterday, charlie has laid another egg (this raises the count to two eggs in the cage). Is there a specific way that they sit on the egg to make them hatch? She's being VERY protective and is sitting on the egg to keep it warm...Its like she's lieing on it but sleeping at the same time....i dont quite know how to explain it...i'm new to bird laying eggs. We put food and cuttle bone next to her so she can eat, and we definetly have two females in the cage...i hope everythings going to be alright! Thanks again!

[Guest Lin]

That's how they lay on the egg. I wouldn't make things easier for her - you want to break her of this habit. I really can't help because I can't seem to break my lorikeet of this habit either, this egg she has been sitting on for 10 days now! Hope someone can help us both

[Guest beebs_inc]

Hi! i made an appointment with the vet for friday. But when i got home from school today, Charlie had layed another egg...she lays on average an egg ever 3rd day. She's like an egg laying machine! I'm really getting worried now, i'm trying to give her the most calcium as possible, but i'm afraid its not enough. Not even cutting the day light short for them is working! But the thing is, she's not even trying to hatch the egg. We had to put those aquarium rocks in their bath tubs because they would knock them over, and now she's trying the hatch them in stead....i just need help!

[chirpy 0]

cuttlefish is NOT enriched enough in calcium to keep a frequent layers calcium levels up. A very good source of calcium is ZolcalD, available from your vet.

[Bea 0]

Try replacing the eggs with fake ones. She can sit on them all she likes and there's no risk of them smashing and making a bad smell once they get old. There's not much point removing the eggs because she'll just keep laying! They are stubborn like that.

[Guest BUUZBEE]

i'm with bea on this. get some replacement eggs. it stoped my load from laying them. just make sure they are budgie eggs, the ones i ordered off the internet (which they swore were budgie eggs, i couln't find any at the local pet stores) were huge! either my birds lay small eggs, or they were not budgie eggs! I am pretty sure they were the wrong eggs since all the hatched eggs were healthy

but it did work wonders for me, i had a couple that laid their first clutch about a month after the first ones hatched. so i coulndt remove the boxes. so they just kept laying the eggs! good luck

[Guest beebs_inc]

hi! thanks alot for all your responses. I think mabey i should of kept her "favorite" rock in there cuase then she could sit on it all she wants. Tonight, she has come up and sat on the food perch ate, and groomed winnie. I've also noticed wierd behaviour in winnie as well. She tries to go and hatch Charlie's eggs. I find it quite amusing becuase there she is trying to steal charlie's eggs from under her. Well, on friday i shall give you guys all the news on what the vet said, until then if theres any more questions, i'll be sure to ask them. Thanks alot

[Daz 0]

Getting back to what nerwen asked before.. are you sure you have two females?

 

I have heard of a stray egg being laid but to have 3 eggs in 3 days she must be getting stimulus from some where. Are there a fight when the other bird trys to sit on the eggs. There should be some conflect if they are two females?

 

Have you seen the birds feeding eat other. If so is winnie try to feed charlie or the other way around?

 

Can you post some photos of the birds so we can see them?

Edited September 14, 2005 by daz

[Guest beebs_inc]

ya i'm sure winnie's a female...when we took them to the vet the first time the vet said "you;ve got two females" i think charlie is in love with her bath tub.....i really think thats the stimulus. i"ll try and post pictures of them in a few minutes. And there is no fighting when she tries to steal the eggs. Its bizarre!

 

Hi everyone! I just got back from the Vet and she said that Charlie is going to be just fine! She said that Charlie is going to lay another egg by tomorrow morning. She also said that the cuttlebone and the oyster shell gravel is a good way to keep giving her calcium. She also said to shorten her day period which i have already been doing. I'm glad she's going to be okay, just thought i'd let everyone know!

[*Nerwen* 0]

that's good news, also if you think it's the bath can you remove that from the cage? have you got a spare one. Is it left in the cage all the time, if so is it empty when you are not around to watch them?