Hello,
I have two cockatiels, my female is about one and the male is about nine/ten months old.
The female has been laying infertile clutches and I've tried to discourage her laying more as she's not really old enough. She sticks to the eggs for about a week before giving up on them.
I left the eggs from the second clutch where they were in hopes that they would discourage her from laying more; she went on to have a third clutch.
I've removed access from the area she was laying in, but this doesn't seem to be working either. Help?
Any advice is appreciated, thanks.
Follow their circadian rhythm. I cover my tiels when dark and take cover off before I go to bed so that they wake with morning light. Natural for all birds.
If the girl wants to lay she will, even if right next to where you sit as her preferred person. Normally they will sit on eggs for around 21 days so don't understand a week. 4 1/2 yr old tiel died because she had no feeling to left leg after 2nd egg binding, just threw it around in cage and never left cage again as landing was impossible around home. Scratched, bit her leg to bleed big time (a phantom itch maybe). Vet trip, removed leg, but she died before the next day.
I've had two female birds with no male around who laid eggs just for me as their 'mate'. First was egg bound twice and died. Second did an escape through door piggy backing on my winter jumper when I didn't know she was there after laying 12 eggs in 1 clutch right next to my sitting place behind pillow and sat on to do what she was meant to do. My beautiful little white, light cinnamon pied. Gone just like that. As she was basically white, would have been a target for prey birds, dogs and cats as she didn't know the outside world.
I've had 4 boys who loved me. 2 out the door following me, learnt to close a door before opening the next. Last boy was there for 9 years seeing me through Mum's death from dementia and knew when I was down. Cuddle under the chin, he just knew my down and out time.
Changed his room, sold dining suite, so he landed on slippery surface buffet. Slid down the back, nothing broken but couldn't go up or down so his little heart just gave away through stress. That was harder for me than losing Mum at nearly 97. He was just there for me. I will forever miss him as my best baby. Cremated now so always around in spirit.