Chronic egg laying is a very common problem
in cockatiels, lovebirds, and budgies; and
is seen in other species of pet birds including
macaws, cockatoos, amazons, and African
greys. This problem can begin in your bird
as early as nine months or as late as several
years of age. The most common age range
is from one to three years.
The process of producing and laying an
egg is an incredible feat of nature. A bird
utilizes various proteins and minerals to
build a container that can sustain a life
for several days and up to several weeks.
Within this container all of the necessary
functions of life are carried out - eating,
drinking, sleeping, waste disposal, breathing,
growth and development, and so on. This
is amazing to say the least!
The process of producing and laying an
egg is stimulated by many factors. Day length,
food availability, mate behavior, rainfall,
competition for nesting sites, and many
other factors can stimulate hens to lay
an egg. It is not necessary that an egg
be fertilized before it can be lain. In
fact, a mate does not even need to be present
for a female to lay eggs.
The shell of an egg is made primarily of
calcium. The calcium comes from calcium
stores within the bird's body. The bones
and muscles provide nearly all of the calcium
required to shell an egg. The calcium that
is lost in forming the shell needs to be
replaced so the body can continue to function
properly. Calcium is primarily needed for
muscle contractions and building strong
bones. In the case of chronic egg laying,
calcium stores are depleted and the body
is unable to function properly. The condition
is known as hypocalcemia. The most common
problem in egg laying females associated
with hypocalcemia is egg binding. With calcium
at a low level the uterine muscles are unable
to contract and push the egg out. Hypocalcemia
can also cause seizure-like activity and
brittle bones, which can be easily fractured.
During the laying cycle birds will begin
holding their droppings for an extended
period of time. This behavior is related
to keeping the nest clean and free of poop.
Often the bird will release large, loose,
foul smelling, and discolored droppings.
The odor is due to the presence of bacteria
and yeast in the droppings. It is important
to prevent excessive egg laying, since it
can lead to many health problems. The most
important factor in preventing health-related
problems is nutrition. It is vital to be
sure that your bird is on a complete and
balanced diet. No diet is better or more
complete than a formulated or pelleted diet.
Pellets offer all essential nutrients in
the correct ratios. Seeds are very inadequate
in preventing problems related to excessive
egg laying. Seeds have no calcium, almost
no phosphorous, no vitamin A, and no vitamin
D; all of which are essential in calcium
absorption and utilization. Seeds are also
deficient in essential amino acids (protein)
and are unable to replace the protein lost
in forming the inside of the egg (the yolk,
albumin, and fetal membranes).
The first step in treating chronic egg
laying is to put your bird on a complete
diet. A bird that is on an balanced diet
is in little danger of the health problems
associated with chronic egg laying. The
next step is to have your bird examined
by an avian veterinarian for a complete
work up, including exam, blood work, cultures,
and all necessary treatments. Your veterinarian
will be looking for bacterial and yeast
infections related to holding in the poops,
signs of poor nutrition and stress, and
clinical signs of calcium deficiency. The
next step is to decrease the amount of light
your bird receives during the day. You want
to provide them with a maximum of 10 hours
of light per day. This will help prevent
hormone release that leads to egg production.
Birds will lay one egg every other day
with an average total number of up to 5
or 6 eggs. When your bird does lay an egg,
you should leave it in the cage. If you
remove it you will stimulate production
of more eggs.
Finally, you should remove anything that
may be stimulating breeding behavior. Dark,
confining spaces such as shoeboxes, bags,
cabinets and other places can serve as a
nest. Disallow association with such places.
Don't stroke your bird on the back, especially
during her breeding period. Leave the grates
on the bottom of the cage to give an unsuitable
place to lay and sit on eggs. On rare occasions,
females will chose a favorite toy or perch
for masturbating. This item should be removed
it your bird exhibits this behavior. Other
changes may need to be made depending on
your bird's environment and play habits.
A mate is not a solution for the chronic
egg layer. Mates will only perpetuate the
problem, not solve it. Your bird may become
less concerned about you, bond to the other
bird, want to reproduce, and you will lose
the nice pet you have always had.
We, as responsible owners, should work
to prevent excessive egg laying. Prevention
can be accomplished by controlling these
stimuli and providing balanced nutrition
to our pet birds, which is critical in reducing
the risk of secondary disease associated
with chronic egg laying.
In summary, improve the diet, decrease
the photo period, leave the eggs in the
cage, remove any breeding stimulation that
may be contributing to the problem, and
see your avian veterinarian for a physical
exam, diagnostics, and treatments.
