I have two 7ish-year-old cockatiels. They’ve had 4 batches of eggs in the past and two of the batches have had successful babies. It’s been about 2 years since they’ve last had eggs, but they’re still trying. Is she too old to have any more eggs, or is there another reason? Is there anything I can do to help them?
Hi Ann,
She may be done – it comes down to genetics. If she is a fancier color mutation, then she is genetically weaker than a normal grey cockatiel. These days most of the fancier, more sought after colors are not very strong genetically, and the average lifespan is 8-12 years, while the normal greys often live into their 20’s or 30’s. If your birds are on a good diet – not a seed mix – and nothing has changed around them since they last bred, then age probably is a factor. It may be time to go ahead and remove the nest box and just let the pair be retired from breeding.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
