hormone shots to not lay eggs

[birdmom]

Has anyone been getting hormone shots for their cockateils so that they DON'T lay eggs? I was really pleased over the last few years getting my girls just one injection per year...until this year. In January both girls got the injection, and they laid eggs anyway. I took them back in March and the vet gave a little (too little!) of a discount, and still they laid eggs. He said in March that maybe the January batch maybe wasn't good...well, the March stuff was just as bad...and he charges $140.00 each time which isn't cheap!

[LMPego]

I've had hormone shots for my lovebird and they have never worked. Cockatiels and lovebirds both have a propensity to be compulsive egg layers (I didn't know this when I got my LB) and lucky us just have to deal, I guess.

[lngarvin]

This is 10 months later to your note, but my female pearl hen, Sunshine, was such a proficient egg-layer that I went that route thinking I was doing the right thing. She had two shots two weeks apart in August and laid eggs two weeks later. Out of four eggs, only one hatched, and he was healthy. Then she tried to lay an egg Saturday, Christmas Day. Still not able to lay it by Monday evening, I called the Emergency Avian Vet in South Wilton and was given instructions on how to "help" her. Tuesday morning, I rushed her to my avian vet's office. They gave her a calcium shot and waited. Finally taking a x-ray on Thursday discovered she had an egg far too big to deliver. She died New Year's Eve with Simeon, her mate, by her side. He has grieved and called for her for a week. Last night was the first time he showed interest in eating, which is encouraging. I'm trying to find an adult female now to be his companion. Sunshine was the love of his life, but I believe he will do well with another companion. I have another female, but she will be 24 years old in April, and she loves her space. The vet's office advised putting calcium gluconate in an egg-bearing hen's water to assist in restoring lost calcium. I would not advise hormone shots after my experience. It would be easier to have supervised play dates rather than go thru this again.

[Monica]

A good way to restore calcium is to feed lots of cooked eggs, with shell, a few times a week. Sorry to hear of your loss, and I hope in time Simeon feels better. I've only heard of one account of someone using the hormone shots and it actually working. Otherwise, I really can't help much with it as I have no problems as of yet.

[lngarvin]

Originally Posted by Monica

A good way to restore calcium is to feed lots of cooked eggs, with shell, a few times a week. Sorry to hear of your loss, and I hope in time Simeon feels better. I've only heard of one account of someone using the hormone shots and it actually working. Otherwise, I really can't help much with it as I have no problems as of yet.

Thanks, Monica. Simeon is doing much better this week. He has begun eating well, especially when with the other tiels. He has tried to court his daughter, Krickett, which I cannot allow, but I love hearing his sweet songs again. Hopefully I will find another adult hen soon for him. He hates being alone, and he is a wonderful mate and attentive father to his chicks.

[Tiki]

There is just something so touching about the way tiels bond to each other. Poor little Simeon! I had the same thing happen with Tiki when his first wife, Ariki passed away, he went through a grieving period, then he went after Taina and stole her from Manu. I don't allow them to breed, but Tiki stays as close as he can to her and on weekends I allow them to have supervised time together without mating.

I don't like the idea of hormone shots as I don't see how it can be good for the birds to put a bunch of unnatural hormones into them. I have been keeping males and females separated and so far there have been no eggs this season so keeping my fingers crossed! Last year, when all birds were togeter, even though I didn't give them nestboxes at first, Taina and the late Ariki were laying eggs on the floor. So maybe not letting them mate is the trick. Though I have heard of "single" hens laying eggs too.

[lngarvin]

Originally Posted by Tiki

There is just something so touching about the way tiels bond to each other. Poor little Simeon! I had the same thing happen with Tiki when his first wife, Ariki passed away, he went through a grieving period, then he went after Taina and stole her from Manu. I don't allow them to breed, but Tiki stays as close as he can to her and on weekends I allow them to have supervised time together without mating.

I don't like the idea of hormone shots as I don't see how it can be good for the birds to put a bunch of unnatural hormones into them. I have been keeping males and females separated and so far there have been no eggs this season so keeping my fingers crossed! Last year, when all birds were togeter, even though I didn't give them nestboxes at first, Taina and the late Ariki were laying eggs on the floor. So maybe not letting them mate is the trick. Though I have heard of "single" hens laying eggs too.

Agreed, and at least Simeon is singing happy songs now. I still would like to companion him with another female. He hates being alone and has had companionship all his life. I read the book to Sunshine about not laying eggs unless there was a nesting box; she didn't care -- a real rebel, that one. Krickett, her daughter, is the same way. She lays "happy eggs" (not fertile). I call them that because when she is happy and content, that's what she does. For three weeks exactly she sits on them, says that's enough of that, and off she goes being her ol' lovable self, wanting to be cuddled and kissed. All of Simeon's offspring are like that - just the sweetest birds out there, and I've been fortunate that they have all gone to wonderful homes. Simeon is 18 years old now, and has been "shooting blanks" most of the time, so he isn't really adding much to the population.

I can't tell you all how much your support has meant to me. The desparation I felt when this first happened was overwhelming - I thought I was going to lose Simeon for sure. This chat room was a Godsend. Thanks everyone. Lynne

[Skyebirdsmom]

That is SO sad!! :*(
I have/had a Tiel hen who was compulsive, or rather, IS compulsive in egg laying. One time while I still had her, she laid 21 eggs and almost died. Lucky for me, I figured it out myself...it was the Full Spectrum Lights. I followed directions about how long to leave them on...12 hrs. Yeah, right, almost killed my precious little girl too! I cut her light back to 6 hrs daily, redecorated her cage, made sure she got 12 hrs of darkness and in general tried to keep her occupied. Well it worked for 2 yrs. then she started just laying eggs again, but not to that extent. My best friend has her now and she does still lay eggs all the time, but not many at once and if her new mama is diligent, she can stop her from laying too much. But it's lots of work. I would suggest anyone who wants a tiel as a pet, get a male. The females, precious ladies that they are....can drive you crazy laying eggs .
Linda & Skye~

[chick101]

Oh, I can't tell you how discouraging this thread is...If you haven't read our other posts, here's the scoop:

My 10 year old daughter and I post together--that's why I say "we" all the time...Anyway, she had a parakeet that she loved and took great care of. My older daughter was sick over Xmas break and was finally able to go out for a bit the afternoon of New Year's Eve. We went to a movie and came home. It seems that my daughter did not latch her baby's cage all the way and he got out (he had taken to sliding down the bars of his cage door, which probably made it open)...We also have a cat. We had a horrible sight when we got home. No blood, just feathers everywhere and poor Stittch laying there. Enough said. This was soooo devastating for our whole family--we loved that little bird and also, the cat. It was almost like losing 2 pets...

I've finally gotten my daughter to look at other birds (not parakeets though) and a cockatiel has picked her. They truly love each other. We visit "Doug" every couple of days and are anxiously awaiting the "homecoming" after weaning. When we were there the other night, the shop owner let it slip that she thinks "Doug" is a female. She had previously thought male. I am so worried about the egg thing and another tragic loss for my daughter. I just don't want to put her through it...I don't think she will be able to choose another bird, as they have already bonded...she loves this bird...What should I do?? Should I try to find her another one--even though I know her heart's with "Doug"? Should we have DNA done to be sure? Any opinions are welcome!

[Majj]

Such a sad thing to loose a bird through egg binding and it can happen so quicly ..My sister had a female Budgie and she was playing eating and fine one min within 10mins she was sitting on the bottom of her cage , my sister rushed her to the vets he couldn`t feel a egg , but she passed away with-in the hour he suspected a egg higher up too large to pass had ruptured her insides...She was the only budgie and was company to a male Cockatiel ..SHE laid eggs often no mating so you don`t have to have a mate for your female bird to lay eggs ..I myself have choosen to get only DNA sexed birds not because I don`t like girls but egg laying is one more thing to worry about if you just want a pet bird and don`t want to breed...Its just too too sad to loose a bird like this ..
My 2 MALE birds are company for each other but I don`t have the worry of eggs...
(Conure and Quaker)...
I am so sorry for your loss and for your lonely male Simeon.....
Here are some interesting links...

http://www.cockatiel.org/articles/in...egglaying.html

http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww35eiv.htm