Hi,
If you are moving soon, like in 4 months or less, I would not give them a nest box or remove it if they already have one. You can’t move a pair that is nesting or they will abandon the eggs. So you shouldn’t let them nest if you have an impending move. They will settle into the new home and when they feel secure they will start mating again and hopefully nest. Cockatiels nest in the wild when the weather is warmer, days are longer, food is abundant and they have a stable place for a nest. One way to discourage breeding or egg laying is to shorten the days to 8-10 hours by covering the cage early each evening, stop offering any fresh foods, rearrange toys in the cage and move the cage to another spot in the room. So this helps you understand why moving will disrupt breeding and nesting. When their cage is moved it makes them feel like they did not pick a stable place to nest and raise chicks. So moving is fine, but put breeding on hold for now.
Thank you for Asking Lafeber,
Brenda
