Ask Lafeber

Cockatiel s

Laying eggs on the floor of the cage. There is a nesting box. What must I do with the eggs on the floor. Thx

Hi,

Do you have a breeding pair? Have they laid before? Are these birds at least over two years old? Have you observed them mating? Have they explored the nest box? If yes to all of these, then try putting the eggs in the nest box to give the hen a hint as to where they are supposed to be laid. If you put nesting materials, like shavings or hay in the box, try taking it out. Aspen shavings are the only safe bedding, and most cockatiel pairs reject nesting material and kick it out of the box. Do not even give them hay or grasses for nest, or any type of shavings other than all natural aspen. All you can do at this point is put the eggs in the box and hope the female figures it out. It’s not uncommon for her to lay eggs outside of the box the first time. If these birds are under 2 years old, they really aren’t mature enough for breeding. I would remove the box in that case and maybe even split the pair up for now to let them grow up and mature some more. If you haven’t seen them mating, they may not be bonded as a pair yet, or they may not be compatible as a pair. Again, remove the box and give them time to bond. Once you see them mating, you can return the box to them. It’s important for the box to be attached as high as possible, preferably to the outside of the cage to make it easier for you to access. Most pairs fail on their first and even second attempt. It is important to remove the box after each clutch of eggs, whether the eggs hatch or not. The pair needs to be rested for 6 months before returning the box. It takes a lot out of the hen to lay eggs, so she needs the rest to recover and be healthy enough to lay again.

Now, if this happens to only be a female, then she doesn’t need a nest box or any type of nest.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda