Laying an egg every week or so

[maxsam67]

Hello,

   I have 2 parakeets (one male and one female)in the same cage for a year and a half.  I meant to adopt 2 males but oops.  Anyway - they are great companions and LOVE each other.  About 8 weeks ago, we started finding an egg at the bottom of the cage.  It’s happening every 1- 2 weeks.   We decided to get a nesting box.  She never lays the egg in the box.  If I take a gloved hand and move it to the nesting box- she will take it out and usually destroys it.    She has a cuttlebone and they routinely will get spinach, broccoli, etc.  My concern is that she may hurt herself somehow by laying eggs so often.  I really hope to not separate the “love birds”.  Is there anything else I should supplement her with to keep her bones strong.     Thanks-  Worried Bird mom

[Hezz]

If you give her a high-calcium/high protein diet the chances are she will continue to lay. No special treats at all, make her days as short as possible, change all of her cage equipment around (take out the box) even her seed pots and water containers, any toys that are favourites, swings etc anything that she likes, remove. Give her things she doesn't normally bother with. Change perches, run them in the opposite direction, don't put food and water in their usual place. You need to put her into a state of mild stress by changing everything that is familiar to her. She is comfortable in her present situation which is why she is producing eggs, so your aim is to change that. And if these things work, don't become complacent; change things around again in a month or so's time.

If these things don't work, you may have to remove her from her buddy for a time. Firstly try just another cage, if that doesn't work you might have to move her to another room for a short time. It doesn't sound as though she is that keen to be a mother if she isn't sitting on them when she gets the chance, so trying to stop the laying cycle is the right thing to do.

[maxsam67]

Thank you! I will do that!