stan
Just Hatched
Joined: November 2012
Posts: 9
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Post by stan on Nov 8, 2012 13:28:51 GMT -7
Just joined the forum this evening. Did not know it existed, only found it through google, seems a lot of info on here which I (wee inc Moira) could do with.
I`m in Scotland, not too far from Glasgow ( Uddingston) and have had Sparkie for 11 years, he / she was 4 years old when we bought her / him.
Anyway been a major part of the family for that time and even the Jack Russell lets her / him ride on his back.
The reason for the her / him you may well have guessed already, what happened this afternoon???
He laid an egg eeek!!! And looks suspiciously as if another is on the way. So what do we do, so much conflicting things on google, leave it 28 days, boil it and return, replace with a stone sheesh, I`m 62 and did not expect to be a "father" at my age.
All assistance greatly appreciated ( Stan and Moira {Mo} )
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Post by Haz on Nov 8, 2012 16:59:26 GMT -7
Welcome to the forum.
Greys usually lay two or three eggs a few days apart. Of course, without a mate, there will not be any babies. My grey has not laid eggs but I had an egg-laying cockatiel. I used to let her sit on the eggs for a few days then remove them.
To prevent further egg laying, I reduced the amount of daylight and put her to bed earlier.
The same thing happened to Preston, a much loved member who died recently. His Pete surprised him by laying an egg. After the one time, she didn't lay again and is still called Pete who now lives with another forum member.
We have a lot of knowledgeable members willing to help, although after 11 years, I am sure you know a lot yourself.
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stan
Just Hatched
Joined: November 2012
Posts: 9
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Post by stan on Nov 9, 2012 2:56:15 GMT -7
Thanks for the reply and welcome Haz, 11 years of fun but had never expected a sex change at this stage Heading out to get calcium supplements and anything else the local avian vet chappie suggests. Will update as and when stan
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Post by DF on Nov 9, 2012 7:15:39 GMT -7
with my tiels, I put the dud eggs in the fridge, then returned them as there were no fake eggs available at the time. hens eventually lost interest
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Post by loyce on Nov 9, 2012 11:05:03 GMT -7
Welcome,
Wow Stan at 62 your a stud muffin, smile and wink.
My girls are only 3-years old so no eggs yet. Since I have not had this problem yet, I'm not sure what to tell you.
I put egg shells in the microwave for 1 minute and then crunch them up and give them to the girls with their food. You may want to try that before spending some dollars or pounds buying supplements.
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Post by Adele on Nov 9, 2012 16:26:25 GMT -7
I had a similar issue with Maui. She was 25 years old when she laid her first egg. I think she's laid around 18 or so in the last two years. I left the eggs for her to brood and she did not lose interest as expected. I finally took them away from her when she began losing weight as she was sitting on her eggs all day and not eating enough.
The stop her from laying eggs, the best thing was taking away the nesting supplies. If she has no access to shreddable cardboard, then she doesn't get in the mood for egg laying. Is your bird nesting in any way?
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stan
Just Hatched
Joined: November 2012
Posts: 9
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Post by stan on Nov 10, 2012 2:08:02 GMT -7
Did not appear to be nesting, i.e. not gathering anything just sat in a corner sleeping for a few days if not eating and then oooops! there it was. Seems to be showing less interest in it now
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stan
Just Hatched
Joined: November 2012
Posts: 9
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Post by stan on Nov 12, 2012 5:57:18 GMT -7
Well yesterday saw egg No2. She had lost interest in the first one so binned it, did not seem to upset her in the slightest. Thought I`d gone beyond fatherhood
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Post by DF on Nov 12, 2012 6:03:33 GMT -7
just keep an eye out, she may OR may not be done yet. Like Loyce mentioned with the egg shells, Auggie will eat them if I smear a bit of peanut butter on them and I've put them back in his portion of scrambled eggs.
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Post by Adele on Nov 12, 2012 16:00:42 GMT -7
Maui makes eggs in batches of 4 - 5. She never seemed too upset when I took the eggs away, except the one time I had been letting her sit on the eggs. Then she looked for them for a long time.
Sitting in the corner at the bottom of her cage is a nesting behavior. That is what Maui will do. If she doesn't have any paper to shred, then she can't build her nest, but she can still "nest" and do what she can to prepare for an egg.
Maybe you can put her on a play stand or somewhere outside of her cage to avoid that behavior.
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stan
Just Hatched
Joined: November 2012
Posts: 9
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Post by stan on Nov 13, 2012 5:06:42 GMT -7
I`m basically just letting nature take it`s course. She seems to be perfectly happy, eating and drinking, nothing around to make a nest and she spends a fair bit of time on top of the cage away from the egg
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stan
Just Hatched
Joined: November 2012
Posts: 9
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Post by stan on Nov 24, 2012 5:57:09 GMT -7
Been away for a week or so on business and have come back to find it was quads a couple of days ago. No sign of any swelling so that may or may not be the last.
She is talking again, climbing about and even decided last night to have a bath (in her water dish as always) so the spray comes out, she loves it.
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Post by Haz on Nov 24, 2012 8:56:26 GMT -7
My vet says that low calcium is a common problem with greys even when not laying eggs. I do the same as Loyce. Nuke egg shells and crumble them in Chyloe's vegetable mix.
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stan
Just Hatched
Joined: November 2012
Posts: 9
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Post by stan on Dec 8, 2012 3:20:40 GMT -7
HI again yet another (probably daft) question. Have been no more eggs now for around 14 days and no sign of another coming. Sparks is still sitting on the last of the 4 eggs but occasionally playing, eating like a horse and drinking her water.
The question is how long do I leave her sitting on this dud egg before removing it and letting her get on with things ??
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Post by DF on Dec 8, 2012 5:39:27 GMT -7
I am not a grey egg expert, but with my tiels, I let the hen sit until she's lost interest OR they start to stink! See what Adele says since her Maui has laid eggs
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