Cockatiels - single or a pair?

[Foxberry]

Hello, I have had for about 20 years parakeets/budgies , but they never laid eggs. I had heard that if you don't create conditions for that ( don't put the nest), they don't mate. May be it is not so, but my budgies never had chiks. May be I am wrong, and that was due to the fact that my dark-eyed clear female budgie was - fow to say - neither female, more male, something in between. once I heard such suggestion from the vet. My female budgy passed away last autumn in age of 17years. she was the last and the oldest of my budgies.
Now I have decided to take a Corella (Nymphicus hollandicus) - I think you call them also cockatiels. As I am not yet ready to take care of small birdies, I am affraid I can not take a pair. because the owner of the birds says they will lay eggs anyway - either you create them conditions or not. Is it really so? can some expert comment pls?
I am thinking of taking one bird or 2 now. one bird may become very lonely if you have to spend all the day at work and are at home only in evening.. so may be 2 birds is better solution. but how are 2 females living together?
anothr questin is - is it possible to train a femail to immitate sounds and talk? and if it is a pair of femails - is it also possible? Thanks for answers!

 

[parrotqueen]

Hello Foxberry! Welcome to the forum. I'll do my best to answer each question for you.

I had heard that if you don't create conditions for that ( don't put the nest), they don't mate.

because the owner of the birds says they will lay eggs anyway - either you create them conditions or not. Is it really so? can some expert comment pls?

It's true; a pair might want to mate regardless of your setup, it only depends on the hormones and their interest in each other. When birds feel that they want to mate, they can adapt to their environment and create a nest out of something as strange as their food bowl.

I am thinking of taking one bird or 2 now. one bird may become very lonely if you have to spend all the day at work and are at home only in evening.. so may be 2 birds is better solution. but how are 2 females living together?

Two females would live happily in the same cage, in fact; they'd enjoy one another's company very much. Just be sure you supply them with a fairly spacious cage and plenty of toys.

anothr questin is - is it possible to train a femail to immitate sounds and talk? and if it is a pair of femails - is it also possible?

Yes, it's possible. I can't guarantee that she will, nor can I guarantee that she'll be good at it. But she'd definitely be able to. Everybirdy has their own strengths; even if she might not talk, she might make up for it with a sweet personality.

I hope this answers some questions for you!

 

[Ratzy]

Corella's are a different species from cockatiels.

 

[Bobby34231]

Hello Foxberry and welcome to the forum, though cockatiels are members of the cockatoo family, as mentioned corellas are a different bird alltogether, whether you have one female or two there is still the chance they will still lay eggs, the only thing you can count on in that situation is that the eggs won't be fertile, therfore no babies, the chance you take with having two birds is that they may very well bond with each other and have nothing to do with you, generally speaking females do not sing or vocalize as well as males, hope that helps, enjoy your stay on the forum

 

[Jessica M]

Two females living together is fun they don't fight if they get along.Yes it is possible to have a "Pair" of females a breeder told me about her to males doing this,she thought they where male and female but when she finally had them DNA tested they where both males.Yes all female birds will lay eggs without a mate but their not fertilized,just like chicken eggs that you buy at the store only i don't think you want to eat cockatiel eggs.Two males can also life in the same cage as long as their is not a female in your house there's nothing to fight over.

 

[Ratzy]

Males won't fight for a female. Females are well known for being the ones to fight. Or am I just mixing budgies and cockatiels up?

 

[Foxberry]

Hi again, you know I am a bit surprised that some of you are saying that the female - alone or in companion with the other female, can start laying eggs. is this a rare case when a female parrot starts laying eggs or it is as a rule always so?
My mind is totally ocupied with thoughts - what birds to take : 1 male, 1 female or 2 females. so I try to gather some info in advance so that my decision is easier. I have to decide til weekend

 

[Ratzy]

They do lay unfertilised eggs. Generally, this only happens once or twice in her lifetime, more often not at all. When you have a continueously laying hen, that is called chronic egg laying. If you don't add a nest box, the chances are you won't have to deal with it. If they do lay a few eggs, this is a pointer that they are happy, content little birds.

 

[Foxberry]

Ratzy
so you are saying that it is not so pften when females lay unfertilized eggs without mail? it depends on the bird - some moght lay, some not? did I understand you correctly?

 

[Ratzy]

Yes, correct.