Ask Lafeber

Question:

August 13, 2021

Babies and breeding


Hi my name is Breanna  my mom has three cockatiels duke is in a cage all by himself and storm and Emily have started mating they have done it several times now and we can’t tell if Emily is going to lay eggs and this is Emily’s first time if she is going to have eggs so we need some advice please. Thanks in advance


Answer:

Hi Breanna,

Mating does not always result in eggs. Do they have a nesting box? They need a wood cockatiel nesting box attached to the outside of the cage as high as possible. It’s also very important that they are eating a nutritionally balanced diet like pellets – a seed diet does not provide the nutrition they need. In addition, offer dark leaf greens and chopped veggies. Since they are mating and Emily may be getting ready to start laying, you need to start feeding them an egg food daily. This can be a commercial dried egg food or you can cook an egg with the shell washed, crushed and cooked with the egg. She needs this extra protein and calcium in order to form healthy eggs. She will also feed this, along with the other foods, to the chicks if any hatch. The cage should be in a private area, and you give them privacy other than when you feed them or check on them. If people are around them all the time they are not likely to settle down and take care of any eggs. Then all you can do is wait and hope she lays eggs.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda

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