Ask Lafeber

How to Manage 2 Sets of Lovebirds

I have 4 lovebirds – 2 male and 2 female. About a year ago I got the 2 females as babies and was told they were a male and a female. A few months ago I found they had laid 11 eggs. This was the first indication that they were not a male and female since I was told they normally lay 4-6 eggs. That was later confirmed. I bought a few weeks ago 2 males for them to mate with. I put them all in the same cage. It is a very large cage. The females still stick together for the most part although one of them who was sweet and docile before tends to nip at the boys if they come near her perch or platform she is sitting on. The other female gets along with one of the males as they feed each other from time to time but for the most part she sits on the same perches as the other femaie. I wanted to know what to do since the 2 females were together for a year and bonded. If I want them to mate I am not sure if I should separate the male and females into pairs or leave them all together. Especially since the females have bonded. I have plenty of small and large cages. Just not sure what is best for this situation.

Hi,

I would take the 2 males out for now. Lovebirds should be about 2 years old when you pair them up. Plus these females have already laid too many eggs, at too young of an age, and they need to be rested from egg laying. If you gave them a nestbox, bird hut, tent or anything they can use as a nest, take it away. They should not be breeding or laying eggs for another year. How can you be sure the 2 new birds are males? Did you get DNA test results from the seller? If not, for all you know, you have more females. Keep the birds separated and if you didn’t get DNA papers on them, get the 2 new birds tested. Also, unless you got DNA on the other 2 birds, you don’t necessarily have 2 hens just because there were 11 eggs. Eggs are laid every other day, so it depends on how much time passed before there were 11 eggs. How did you not know about the eggs until there were 11? Or maybe I misunderstood. Again, if it is because they have a nest of some type, take it out. Only breeding birds need a nest box, and they only need it when actively breeding. The rest of the time, you take the nest box away. They do not need a bed or anything to get inside of for sleeping. Once all birds are at least 2 years old, try introducing all of them in one large cage with no nests. If they pair off, then you separate them one pair per cage and if they start mating, you can give them a nest box. Never try to breed them with more than one pair in a cage. They will fight and kill each other or destroy nests, eggs or kill chicks. Breeding take a lot of patience and time. They may not interact right away. They need time to get to know each other and decide if they are compatible as mates. This can take weeks or months.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda