Ask Lafeber

Question:

May 29, 2020

mixing eggs


We recently have 2 cockatiels, who mated and layed 4 eggs. The female sits on them most of the day and sometimes the male does too. They separate the eggs daily, into groups of 2 (I’m assuming to share the nesting and incubation time) They then both come out in the evening and are away from the eggs for 4 plus hours, is this normal? How long daily do they need to be on the eggs in the nesting box?

I have two Cockatiels that have four eggs, at night they both leave the nesting box and don’t sit on them till we tuck them in at night? When we wake up the morning. the female is on the eggs. Is there a certain amount of time that she should be sitting on the eggs, she is off of them in the evening sometimes up to 5-6 hours? Why do they separate the eggs into 2-2, 3-1, is there something wrong with the eggs? or are they sharing nesting?


Answer:

Hi Nancy,

It sounds like this is their first clutch and as with most first clutches, this one is not going to be successful. Sadly the eggs can’t be left for hours at a time because it allows them to cool down too much. This is not uncommon with cockatiels when they are first starting to breed. They are inexperienced and often they get a bit confused. If these birds were or are pets, this can cause some conflict with them because they are torn between being a pet or being a breeder. The swapping around of eggs also happens with some pairs. Usually the parents take turns sitting on the eggs, but sometimes you get one parent who is a little too involved. This is usually the male – some males can become very aggressive to the female to the point of attacking her and keeping her away from the nest box or not letting her leave the nest box. So it’s a good sign that your two birds can share the incubation even though taking turns would be better.

Going back to whether these are or were pets before they started breeding – they should not both be coming out of the cage during the evening so I am wondering if they are distracted. Are these birds in a family room or any room where they are around people a lot? Some birds will breed no matter what, but generally breeding birds need privacy and minimal contact with people. They need to focus on each other and their eggs or chicks. If these are pets, they may be coming out in the evening to be around you out of habit. In the wild, a breeding pair wouldn’t allow other pairs or single birds anywhere near their nest. In captivity, they require the same kind of privacy and space. Some birds will react with aggression if you get near the breeding cage, but in some cases, a breeding bird will keep going between wanting to be a good bird mate to wanting to be with its owner. In this case they are great parents all day, but want to be pets in the evening. If this seems to be the case, then I would suggest moving the cage to a private, quiet area of the house. Check on them mainly to feed them and clean the cage with maybe a few quick peeks during the day. I wouldn’t cover the cage at night – this might give them the impression that the entire cage is a nest box and could be another reason they are coming out when they should not.

For now leave them with these eggs – don’t move the cage yet – and they should push the eggs aside or stop going in the box completely once the incubation period is over if not sooner. Once they discard or lose interest in the eggs, remove the eggs, remove & clean the box and move the cage as I described above. Let them rest for a few weeks and then give the box back. If they are unsuccessful again, this time rest them for a few months. Most pairs figure it out after a couple of attempts but some birds never make good breeders. All you can do is be patient and hope they figure it out. If they are successful, remember to remove the box and rest them for a few months between clutches. Otherwise they will breed year round in captivity and that isn’t good for them. A couple of clutches a year is enough.

Good luck & thank you for Asking Lafeber and attending our webinar!

Brenda

Subscribe to our newsletter

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

×

Join our Lafeber Flock

Enjoy our Pet Birds' weekly newsletter, featuring captivating stories, care tips, and more.
Opt for Small Mammals' monthly edition for delightful facts about rabbits, guinea pigs, and more.
Choose our monthly Backyard Chickens newsletter for insightful information to keep your flock happy.
*