All these Eggs!!

[sparkysmom]

My love bird has gone mad............or has Spring fever! She has laid 9 eggs in the past 3 weeks. In the past, she has laid one or two then not laid anymore for several monthes. She is 3 years old. So now this time she lays these 9.

I am freaking out. The eggs are really hard and healthy eggs.......I feed her well. I take them out within a few hours. I feel so bad because it really upsets her. Then she lays another. She lays on them and everything.

She gets under her cage bottom with her beak and pulls up the paper and works really hard shredding the paper better than any paper shredder thought of. Then she builds a nest.

Is she like some natural breeder? Should I buy her a male? She is really mean to everyone but me even the other birds. So I am thinking she would like kill a mate. Plus I am not a bird breeder. She is just crazy like she is wanting to have some babies.

Sorry so long. Any advice would help me to stop feeling worried.

[poi_lover]

I can't offer a lot of advice, but I do know that taking them out will just encourage her to lay more. You can buy fake plastic eggs to replace them. That way you don't have to worry about the eggs breaking and leaving a stinky mess. There is a site someone posted before that sells the little plastic eggs. I'll see if I can find it for you. If I can't, someone else will.

I'm sure someone else will chime in with lots of great advice. Luckily, I have not yet had to deal with this problem.

[CrazyBirdLady]

First thing, don't pull anymore eggs. She needs to sit on them for the average incubation time or will keep laying and laying. She is mean because 1) lovebird hens protect their eggs and young viciously 2) you keep taking her eggs away from her
My suggestion at this time is let her sit on her remaining eggs. Do you know the dates these eggs were laid? You'll want to let her sit for 25-30 days then she should loose interest in them as they haven't hatched. Does she have access to cuttlebone and non dairy calcium-rich foods, like kale and broccoli? With all the egg laying, calcium levels can be depleted.
After she's done with her eggs or close to that time frame; toss them out then change her cage contents around, maybe even move the location of the cage. This does help a lot of hens to stop the egg laying madness. Do not provide her with any shreddable materials. If you have to remove the paper from under the grate, do so and wash the bottom out daily to keep it clean. Don't offer sprig millet either, they use that as nesting material as well.
I would not suggest getting her a mate unless you want chicks. Lovebirds can be very prolific breeders and you could really have your hands (and house) full in a matter of months.

Good luck!

[poi_lover]

Here is the site:

http://www.redbirdproducts.com/cagesaccessories.htm

I guess the parakeet eggs would be the correct size? I'm not really sure...

[CrazyBirdLady]

Parakeet eggs might work, and might not. Lovebird hens lay different size eggs from hen to hen. some are smaller while others re very large for their little bodies. You can also boil the eggs and put them back in the nest.

[sparkysmom]

Thank you for the advice everyone. I will look into that link. Actually these eggs of hers are really big for the size of her (in my mind anyway). She laid another one today. So I think I will take the advice and go on ahead and boil those ones for now. Maybe that will slow her down............cuz now we are up to 10 eggs in 23 days. Poor baby.......

[roses]

http://birds2grow.com/prod-breedsupply.html#eggs

this is the eggs you need get the budgie eggs and they are almost the exact same size as the lovebirds , i have 35 of theses and 30 of the finch eggs and 25 of the cocakteils eggs, i use them with my pair the budgies eggs and my checkers thinks they are hers that she lays and protect them like no tomorow. i use the budgies size for the lovebirds , the cocaktiels size for the conures and i promise theyare actaully close to the size needed . i also have three cockatoos size just incase. they are a marical to me and saves my hen from always laying its easy they dont know the difference, but you need to run them under warm water before placing them in the nest...

[CrazyBirdLady]

She's really laid ten eggs in 23 days???? She is alone correct, no other lovebird in there with her?? Can you offer her a nest box, wth some bedding of sorts and put the eggs in there? Generally, lovebirds only lay between 3-8 eggs per clutch, so it seems like a lot of eggs, but it's not completely unheard of. By giving her the box, it will give her a secure feeling place to sit on the eggs. If she continues laying after this egg, I'd suggest contacting your avian vet for assistance. Her calcium levels may be depleted and the vet might even suggest a "hormone therapy" of sorts.

[Samm]

Wow, thats a lot of eggs! Mine lays 3-4 at a time, has a mate and I can't get a fertile one in the clutch.....I was hoping to breed a few pairs but no luck so far.

[sparkysmom]

Yes she really has laid 10 eggs in 23 days. So you are thinking a nesting box then? I was afraid that would encourage her to lay more. But I guess since she has them, maybe she can go in there and get some rest and protect her eggs.

Yes she is in there alone. And I also agree she needs to go to the vet if she lays anymore. I will get her in. I have been cooking her some extra broccolli and hard boiled eggs with the shells grinded up in her food.

Geez it is hard to be a worried parent........