Just realizing my cockatiel is female and displaying mating behaviour. She is 7 months and wondering if I need to provide her with a proper nest to lay the eggs in, so she can atleast sit in them so she doesn’t go back into egg laying mode immediately…… what is the best aDvice for a single female bird and laying eggs
Hi Angela,
If I understand, she has not laid eggs yet? Ideally you should do everything you can to discourage egg laying. She is way too young to be laying eggs already, and would be at a very high risk of dying from egg binding. Cockatiels should not lay eggs until about 2 years old. You should never give her a nest. This can trigger egg laying. If she ever does lay eggs, let her lay them on the cage floor, and never give her anything to sit in. You do not want to make her comfortable – you want her to feel she doesn’t have a good place to nest so that she does not lay eggs. There are things you can do to discourage or prevent egg laying. These are things to always do, throughout her life, and especially if she shows signs of wanting to nest.
It is important to discourage egg laying, because they can become chronic egg layers and end up needing Vet care.
You need to do all of these things to discourage egg laying. Keep in mind that to lay eggs, she needs longer daylight, warmer weather, abundant food, and a quiet, private environment. Your goal is to reverse these conditions.
Limit her light to 8-10 hours by covering the cage early each evening
Do not ever give her anything to use as a nest – no bird huts or tents, no box, bowl, etc. If she decides to sit in a food bowl, remove it and replace with smaller cups.
Do not give her anything to shred such as paper or cardboard.
Rearrange the toys in the cage frequently, when she shows any signs of nesting – typically spending a lot of time on the cage floor, especially in a corner.
Move the cage to a different place in the room about once a week whenever she shows signs of nesting.
If she is let out of the cage, do not let her get in any dark cozy places and don’t give her free roam.
When you handle her, limit any petting to her head and neck – do not pet her on the body.
If there is no metal floor grate, then do not use any bedding or paper in the cage tray – leave it bare and clean it daily.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
