Download Chronic Egg Laying Birds

Chronic Egg Laying Birds
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 form one to three years.
The process of producing and laying an egg is stimulated by many factors. Day
length, food availability, mate behaviour, 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 laid. 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 hypocalcaemia. The most common problem is egg laying females
associated with hypocalcaemia is egg binding. With calcium at a low level the uterine
muscles are unable to contract and push the egg out. Hypocalcaemia 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 behaviour is related to keeping the nest clean and free of poop.
Often the bird will release large, loose, foul smelling, and discoloured droppings. The
odour 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 foetal membranes).
The first step in treating chronic egg laying is to put your bird on a complete diet. A
bird that is on a 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.
Finally, you should remove anything that may be stimulating breeding behaviour.
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 favourite toy or perch for masturbating. This item should be removed if your bird
exhibits this behaviour. 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 vet for a check up, diagnostic tests and treatments.