Help please? My Blue and Gold is laying eggs

[Immaterial]

I have had a blue and gold for several years, WE bought him from a man who told us it was a boy and we had always assumed he was right.

Recently the bird, who is VERY attached to me, started acting very hormonal and was constantly trying to share food with me and getting very frustrated to the point of over preening. We were trying everything to stop the habit and it was on a few medicines (To modify behavior/avoid infection) In the end we got an implant to reduce hormonal behavior and were told it would possibly take a mating season(?) to actually kick in and we would have to wait this one out.

So that what we had been doing, we gave the bird toys and things to play with, including a phone book and a few days ago it ripped the entire thing to shreds and threw it all on the bottom of the cage.

Yesterday morning I woke up to find the bird huddled in a pile of papers on top of an egg. We have never had a female bird before so I had no idea what to do but we put food and water on the floor for her and called the vet (Closed on Sunday of course) She seemed relatively okay though so we let her be and left the egg in the cage.

I called the vet again this morning and was told the implant (In a female bird) Should have kept her from laying eggs, so they were sort of baffled, and the vet would call me as soon as he could (He hasn't yet)

I have walked out several times to check on her since and it SEEMS like she is trying to lay another. She backs up again the cage wall and sticks her butt up and makes really sad sounding noises as she tries to push.

How long does it take for them to actually LAY an egg? Should she already have laid a second by now? I don't know EXACTLY when she laid the first one but it was before 6 in the morning on sunday and it is now 4 p.m. monday.

Is there something I should be doing to assist her?

I have been reading about egg laying and I saw birds being egg bound is a problem, how common is that and how long should I wait before calling the vet about that? She has been up and down her cage a few times, she climbs to her perch to poop then climbs back down to the floor after wards, so I know she can still move her legs.

Please help quickly!

 

[MikeyTN]

Implent to stop birds from laying eggs???? I guess I'm just behind on some stuff. Care to tell us more about the implent?

If she were to lay another egg it would be tomorrow before she lays another. It's usually between 1-3 eggs per batch for B&G macaw. I would let her incubate until she's tired of doing so then you can toss the eggs once she lose interest.

 

[Immaterial]

I don't know all that much about it to be honest, I will ask the vet what it is called and post it when I get in contact with him. We got it while we still thought the bird was a boy and they didn't tell us anything about how it would affect female birds.

Is it normal for her to try to lay the egg a few times unsuccessfully over the course of a day? Like is she just working up to actually laying the egg?

 

[Featheredsamurai]

The sexual organs in parrots stay very small except when they're breeding and developing sperm/eggs. The implant, as well as hormonal shots, will stop the sexual organs from "coming to life". This is often used as a resort for parrots who are hormonal all year long, it's unnecessary stress on their body. Unlike humans, the birds are not affected badly by hormonal shots.

If your blue and gold macaw is overweight at all the hormonal shots are less affective. A bird who eats well enough to gain weight would be a bird with lots of food to raise chicks.

 

[MikeyTN]

They usually lay early in the morning or late in the evening. If she was stressed you will be able to tell, it is very important to rush her to the emergency vet ASAP if she was struggling. There are remedies for emergency purposes if the vet is too far away or its crucial to do it right away when the bird is super stressed. But its best left to someone that knows how. I've done it before but it's not easy and one mistake there would be no turning back or seek help. You'll be basically trying to help them pass the egg. So I wouldn't advise it unless you've done it before.....just keep an close eye on her, if she laid on Sunday morning it would be tomorrow morning before she lays another.

 

[MikeyTN]

Copper,

I know about the shot but not aware of the implant. But I personally would never go for it....

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Copper,

I know about the shot but not aware of the implant. But I personally would never go for it....

I wouldn't either, I think hormonal changes should be done through the enviroment.

 

[Immaterial]

Okay. I will just keep watching her then. Thank you for the information.

She has always been a very large bird, not necessarily fat but just large, that was one of the reasons I think they believed she was male, our previous vet referred to her as "the Line-backer" of macaws.

 

[Immaterial]

I can certainly understand your feelings on the implant, I'm not crazy about it myself but we were trying a lot of methods to avoid it but nothing else was really helping.

 

[MikeyTN]

Oh I know what you mean and what's done is done. At least your trying to help!

 

[Immaterial]

So she still has not laid again today. I caught her pushing once but it was only a poo. This time it was a pretty big one, slightly smaller than my palm, and I could not remember if they just have bigger poops when they are laying in general or if that is a warning sign. My vet called me and from what I told him he said she should be fine but that was several hours ago.

She's still eating, drinking and moving around and shes actually talking to me again, she got really quite for a few days before now.

 

[MikeyTN]

They range from 1-3 so one might be it for her.

 

[Immaterial]

Yeah? Okay thats good to know, She just seems to be attempting to lay an egg every so often so I wasn't sure if theres something there or not.

 

[SpotsandSally]

Birds who are broody (like your girl) poop less, poop bigger. Not unusual.
Best of luck.

 

[MikeyTN]

Like Spot mentioned, when birds brood they tend to hold their poop and it all comes out at once make it look huge. They don't poop where their eggs or babies are at. Thus make her seem like she's pushing but she's pooping instead. Just keep an close eye on her.

 

[Immaterial]

okay thank you all again, I really appreciate the information

 

[FunnyFarmAK]

if the bird remains in a stressed appearance over 8 hours get to a vet for an opinion, (a different on if possible)
As far as the eggs, my grey did the same thing to me. Just leave the eggs for 30 days and take them out then or if the bird shows total loss of interest then remove them. The only problem with removing eggs from a nesting bird before the justation period is up is the fact they may continue to lay to replace them. Good luck