[Artchimamma]

Hi my cocatiel layed a new egg today this is not even long after her last clutch. The one baby from the last clutch is only 17 days old today. I had to raise him because I found a dead first born in the nest box the parents injured him trying to get a feeding response. So I had to pull the baby at 4 hours old. He is doing great. Her other 2 eggs was 1, infertile one died in shell.
Now this new egg today is a big surprise I did not expect this to happen this soon, I'm shocked and little bit scared that I Wil end up having to raise a baby or 2 again. And I'm sure there Wil be fertile eggs again. I'm worried she Wil just keep on laying eggs. She and the daddy incubate the eggs really well they excellent at this but they panic each time the eggs hatch this is her 3 rd clutch.

 

[Robert Seale]

Aside from losing any babies, I've very recently had a similar issue. My two breeding pair just had a clutch of three babies that are now 2 weeks old. YESTERDAY both parents were out for free flight and I noticed the male had mounted the female AGAIN and they had just fed the chicks!! Needless to say, I didn't want another clutch this soon either! We split them up and they are now in separate cages as we're hand feeding the babies anyway. This is our 3rd year breeding cockatiels and I have to say, this has been the WORST year for hens laying infertile eggs!! I am trying an experiment I read about to slow this process down. Try putting your bird to bed earlier each night ( with cage cover ) and make the room as dark as possible. This will make the birds think the days are getting shorter meaning winter time and they will stop ( or at least slow down ) laying unwanted eggs.

 

[Artchimamma]

Hi there thank you yes I do that cover the cage earlier but the hen is extremely broody I'm really scared IL have to pull her babies again once they hatch tis a big job to take care of new born and a older baby. One of there babies is 18 days old today the one I take care of it's been hard work lots of sleepless nights for me. I feel to bad to remove her eggs I just can't do that. I'm very sure she Wil prob lay 4 eggs again. I'm. Just hoping and praying that this time around they are better parents and actually raise the chicks them self.