I have a cockatiel that is 5yrs old i was told that it was a male but last aug it dropped 3 eggs we had not seen any more until he/she dropped part of a shell last night, (when i say dropped is because he/she sits on the top perch which is about 2ft from the cage base) she has no mate so is this normal help!!!

Hiya and welcome

hello! welcome!!!!!
Unless you have the bird DNA'D then they can tell you anything!

It is normal for female birds to lay eggs even without a mate or nest box.

Just make sure you give her some extra calcium suppliments and cuttlebone whilst she is dropping eggs

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this is UNTRUE some birds you can tell what sex they are especailly Cockatiels and Budgies

Budgies ....... Males have a BLUE cere
Female have a BROWN Cere

Cockatiels...... Females have dull plumage and dont tend to sing like males
Males have bright red/orange cheek patchers.

this is called Sexual dimorphism..... where you can clearly tell the difference from male and female. A parrot thats very easy to sex is the Eclectus the males are bright green females are Red/Purple.

if your bird has laid eggs then she is female. Is she hand reared?

heres a link

NCS - Visually Sexing

Great post...especially as it gives the poster the correct information.
I know the information about the colouring to be correct as my mum used to have an aviary and keep budgies and cockatiels.

Hi,

Cockateils sex can also be determined by looking under their tail...females have like yellow lines going from side to side on the underside of their tail feathers.

I had a cockateil who also laid eggs, their obviously not fertile so nothing to worry about, but i was young at the time around 16 and thought she must want a mate but it was the worst thing i did, she wasnever the same after that.

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Yeah thats thats a good point too the site i posted tells you all about that i think.

Same with snakes they can lay eggs without ever having mated, don't know why it happens but just take the advice above!