Hey there, i have recently descovered that my original bird Gizmo is in actual fact a female My grandmother passed away just before christmas and i decided to take in the family bird buzby who is a boy. They have shared a cage for quite some time now and got on well. I had gone to spain for a week to come back yesterday to find three little eggs and mother sitting on them (Gizmo) this was not a planned event as i was told both birds where male.... This is the first time to breeding birds and dont know what to do. I have tried to research about them but everything tells me different.

The mother laid the eggs on the bottom of the cage (i read that this should not be the case) however i also read that i should not touch or interfer with the eggs or the pair.

Can anyone give me advice on what i should do. I would love to breed these chicks to little spring cockatiels and would like it to be a success . I think the eggs have been laid for aprx 2-5 days.

many thanks

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thanks i have tried to touch the eggs but the bird is sitting on top all the time and not letting me anywhere near the eggs...

hi i breed cockateils your situation is not ideal with the eggs on the bottom of ur cage but if she's sitting on them its best not to move them.Cocketeils r quite easyto breed the perants will do most of the work for u in the early stages just make sure they have plenty of fruit and veg and seed.If u can put saw dust down where the eggs r.Good luck

Hi, I'm new here, and new to cockatiel breeding. I've got two 'rescue 'birds, both came from different sources, and I'm desperately searching for advice, too, on cockatiels laying eggs on the floor. The female (Erica - don't ask!)has been laying eggs on the floor for the last 2 weeks (I've been trying to get hold of a nesting box which can fit in her cage- the local pet shop is on to it) - She's begun to really sit properly on them now, being confused at first. The male, Snowy, has also calmed down - after playing 'beak ball' with all of the eggs. He's very jealous and couldn't understand why they were getting all the attnetion. He has broken one. I have no idea how the others are faring.

One of my questions is - when the nesting box comes at the end of this week, will it be OK to move the eggs into it?. She is not an overly tame bird, but I think she trusts me. If I show her what I am doing, will she go for it? Or, should I just treat this lot of eggs as a first, 'practice' clutch, which probably won't hatch? And, when she is on the nest in the nesting box in the future (whether with this clutch or later) - does the male feed her by regurgitating food? (I used to have two canaries who did this when the female was laying). Should I check she's OK, or leave well alone and let them work it out? At the moment I've moved a feed tray and water withing reach of her, which she is using. Snowy is very cocky, typical male and can be aggressive, though he does come down to her to try and 'help' a bit now, rather than using the eggs as footballs. They are both about 4-5 years old. First time parents.

Should I let them practice?

Liz

ur best not to move the eggs if she's sitting on them.first time parents take a while to figure thigs out usually the male sits on them during the day and the female at nights.u dont have to put the nesting box inside the cage mine is clipped on the side outside on one of the door openings.if ud like pics of how mine r i'll send u some.

Thanks very much, I never thought of attaching it to the cage, but I've just (before checking my emails) put a smaller one in the cage. The guy at the petshop got a lovebird/parakeet one for me. It's a slightly less deep than the cockatiel one, but it's got to be loads better than the floor, surely? She's happily on her 2 remaining eggs on the floor - I'm leaving the box in for them to get used to. The other eggs cracked when Snowy (the jealous male) played beak-ball with them!. But he is getting better, he's fussing over them as well as her a lot more.

I really don't think any of these will hatch, but they are maybe a first 'practice' clutch.

If you would send a piccie of how you've done yours, I might change mine to that anyway.
Thanks
Liz

do u have any email address i dont know how to get pics on this site.it'll take 17 day for ur eggs to hatch

Hi, i'd just leave mum and the eggs be. Cockatiels are really good parents and as long as they have plenty of food and peace they'll get on with the job.

Can you screen mum's side of the cage with a towel to give her some darkness and peace?

Put some egg food in and a variety of green food to supplement the seed and they'll be ok.

If chicks hatch then the parents will be really attentive with looking after them, if they are ok with you they'll let you handle the chicks to tame them.


An experienced breeder told me to use ABIDEC vitamins (used for children)...cheaper than pet stuff. I've used it for 10 years and my birds are fantastic on it.

Good luck, it's a fantastic feeling when you see the first chicks........they look like ET

Hi,

I have a female cockatiel who is approx 2yrs old. She is a single bird but has been laying eggs and sitting on them for the past few months. She is also becoming very restless and depressed. I have tried all the usual methods to try to get her to stop laying.. decreasing daylight hours etc.. but she continues to lay. I have been advised by the pet shop where I bought her to get her a mate and allow the pair to breed but I know nothing about breeding cockatiels at and can't afford huge vet bills should anything go wrong so I don't think it would be fair of me to attempt to breed the birds. I don't know what else to do though. I'm concerned about her getting depressed because she wants babies!

Any ideas anyone!