Cockatiel won't stop laying eggs - any suggestions?

[Quilly]

I don't / didn't plan on breeding but I'm having some issues...does anyone have any advice? Should I put in nest boxes and let them try or should I put Phantom and / or Pikachu on the pill?

I have a female hand reared (due to health issues - brought to me nearly dead by a breeder ended up blind in one eye but is now a healthy and loving girl) cockatiel that never laid an egg for 7 years. I made the mistake of putting her near my quaker (who was meant to be a girl) next thing Phantom (the cockatiel) started laying eggs and Quilly (the Quaker) started doing rude things to his bed! I separated the cages again and several eggs and a calcium issue later Phantom went on the pill!

During the year I had a male cockatiel (Sid) fly in and Phantom started laying eggs again I spoke to the vet (as she is getting older I was worried about her health!) but the vet said she was very healthy and the season was coming to an end so don't worry about it yet...she had 10 eggs but was a ok.

Last month I had another rescue cockatiel join the group (Pikachu) as soon as she got put with the other two she also started laying eggs! I increased her calcium and had the vet check her over and she is also very healthy...she laid two and stopped. She laid one of them from her perch and showed no interest in looking after it.

- I have been leaving the eggs in hoping that it reduce the laying.
- I have tried both with and without a nest box (only with Phantom) and it doesn't seem to make a difference (she does't use the box but will lay on the ground or under paper - on the ground - if I put some in)
- Sid does get protective over the eggs but none seem to sit on them
- I'm thinking of getting at least Phantom put on the pill next year (she will be over 10 years old)
- I don't care if they breed or not - I am not a breeder but they have a massive walk in aviary that they sometimes share with a baby learning to fly (wildlife) so they definitely have the room. But I am worried about her / their health. I am happy to do whatever makes their life good.
- As far as I am aware this is the second egg laying for both of the females. Phantom is now over 9years and I think Pikachu is around 3 - 4 maybe.

 

[MikeyTN]

I lost a female tiel to egg binding over a months ago....They have the tendency to lay multiple eggs. My other female started raising young here and there. Now she's solitary, she's doing her mating thing with us. So we have given her NO interaction what so ever to stop her from doing any egg laying. I'm sorry to say that we ignore her, but we have absolutely no choice as we don't want her to lay anymore. She's laid 38 eggs this year, we've tried different stuff, before when I used to raise them, they stop the moment I remove the nest box, but not these girls I have. They keep on going....So far by leaving them solitude with no interaction with any person or bird seems to be doing the trick.

 

[Quilly]

{Quote}She's laid 38 eggs this year[/QUOTE]

Whoa and I was worried about how many Phantom had! Your bird must be a very healthy bird! Have you tried the pill? It worked for Phantom (although she did manage to lay one last one) but I have heard it doesn't always work. It would be really sad if I had to separate them or take them out of the large flight area they have now. But if that is all that will work and it's better for their health then I'll give it a go!

Thanks heaps for your feedback!