Ask Lafeber

Cockatiel not staying in the nest box

I have a pair of cockatiels who have been mating for a while, sometimes 4+ times a day, but no eggs. I’m not sure what’s wrong. I gave them a nesting box and Disco (mom) won’t go inside for very long. She only goes inside if I’m interacting with the box, but never on her own. She has never had a clutch before as she is only 3. I’ve tried to give her fake eggs to show her you’re supposed to lay those and sit on them, she’ll push them under her, but won’t sit on them, even if they are in the nest box. The weird thing is, every time she comes out of the nest box, she wants to mate again, sometimes the male won’t, I’m not sure if this has anything to do with it. I’m just lost and not sure what to do. I have never bred cockatiels before or any type of bird. Is this something I should take her to the vet for? Please help.

Hi,

It takes a lot of patience to breed birds. Mating doesn’t have to result in eggs. The best thing to do is leave the pair alone and give them a lot of privacy. Giving her fake eggs will only confuse her. If she is tame, you have to stop handling her. Birds are either pets or breeders – not both. A breeding pair needs to have all of their focus on each other. If you interact with them, it causes confusion and interferes with their bond. They need a quiet, stable place to nest or they won’t nest. Both birds need to be at least 2 years old. She is old enough, but is the male? If he is 2 or older, then just be patient, leave them alone except for feeding them, and wait to see what they do. You can’t rush, force or teach them to breed. You should be feeding them a nutritionally balanced food like pellets, along with leafy greens, chopped veggies and some fruit. An egg food can help get them into condition and it gives her protein and calcium that she needs to lay eggs. You can offer a commercial dry egg food, or cook an egg with the shell washed, crushed and cooked with the egg. Keep in mind that to breed & lay eggs, they need longer daylight, warmer weather/indoor temperatures, abundant food, and a quiet, private environment.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda