posted 11-20-2003 06:04 PM         

Well when I was too young to handraise the babies myself (about 4 years ago) my parents were just letting the birds take care of the babies themselves. Needless to say they were rather wild babies.

We ended up giving one of them to a friend, and after a few years she couldn't tame her either so she had to give her back.

Well this one is just about breeding age and she keeps laying infertile eggs. Not just one or two, but like 15 over a weeks time. I just keep candling them and getting rid of them and more keep appearing.

Well I am trying to run somewhat of a business until I can get a real job (lol, I'm still a kid) and I can't because my mated pair won't lay eggs. They won't do this because every time they go into the nest box there is a bunch of eggs there that they can lay on so they don't even bother to mate anymore.

The one that keeps laying all the infertile eggs tries to attract one of the other males but they don't want anything to do with her. I would be just fine with her laying eggs if they had a chick in them. I can tell that she gets pretty desperate sometimes and I don't know what to do.

Moving her out isn't an option as of yet because she has nowhere to go.

posted 11-20-2003 07:58 PM         

Your hen that is laying that many eggs is doing so because you are removing what she has already laid removing an egg from a laying hen will promote her to lay more to replace the ones that are missing.

Laying that many eggs will be putting a lot of strain on her calcium she should be left to sit the eggs she lays for the 21 day incubation period she will get sick of them once she no longer sits them they can be removed..

The bonded pair should be put in a cage on there own with a nest box and they will eventually lay providing they are male and female.

Breeding birds or any animal should not be taken lightly as there is so much that can go wrong..

How old are all your birds..

If You need any more help you can email me i have and breed cockatiels aswell as budgies..
my email address is boro_lad1976@hotmail.com

I will be pleased to give you advice and any other help you may need