My female laid an egg

[sjohnson]

Hi my rosie is approx 3 and laid her first egg - she ended up cracking this one and then she was making crying sounds very sad - she is still eating a day later she laid another egg which I have heard is common to lay two eggs. She has broken that one as well and is now making the crying sounds again. Not sure if she is going to lay another one but I have heard it is not good for her to lay too many. Is this crying normal at this time or is she going to lay another one. There is no male bird involved.

 

[MonicaMc]

If you want to get her to stop laying eggs then you need to either remove the triggers to egg laying, or get some dummy eggs to give to her to sit in, allow her to sit for at least 3 weeks, then remove the eggs and the triggers to egg laying.


If you don't remove the triggers, then she may continue to keep laying.

 

[sjohnson]

I never expected her to lay an egg - what would the triggers be that I need to remove

 

[jess.reco]

Has she got any places that she nests in? Boxes, dark shadowed corners etc? Keep her away from areas that she tries to nest in. I've seen some people gives their eccies a cat box to nest in. That would encourage the behaviour.

 

[MonicaMc]

There are various triggers to egg laying. What those are will depend on each situation.



(X-Post of mine)


This is my general recommendation when dealing with hormonal egg laying hens. (geared towards smaller birds, but same principles could apply for larger birds, too)

• Remove Eggs
  • Rearrange the cage
  • Move the cage to a new location
  • Use a cage grate
  • Get a new cage/Use a different cage
  • 12-14 hours of complete darkness
  • Decrease calcium and protein within the diet (if she is on a high calcium & protein diet prior to laying eggs)
  • Remove anything that could be taken as a nest
  • Remove anything that could be used as nesting material
  • Don't allow her in any dark place or enclosed area
  • IMPORTANT: save the eggs in the fridge
  • If she lays more than 3-4 eggs, put them back in the cage
  
  
• Leave the Eggs
  • Leave the eggs alone in the cage
  • [Optional] Replace with fake eggs (prevent eggs from breaking)
  • Increase calcium
  • Let hen sit on eggs for 3-4 weeks or until she gets bored of them
  • Once done sitting, toss

If you remove the eggs, you must also remove the triggers to egg-laying. If you don't, your bird will just lay more eggs.

If you decide to leave the eggs, then once the hen is done sitting, you need to remove the triggers to egg laying so that she wont lay more eggs.

 

[sjohnson]

thank you - she has nesting area and it already has a cage grate so I will just keep moving her around - she laid two eggs and she broke both of them just hoping she doesnt lay another - its been 4 days and no third egg but she still sits on bottom of cage at night making a crying sound but through the day she is up and about and eating so hoping she is just broody still.

 

[sjohnson]

should say no nesting area

 

[Anansi]

Monica pretty much covered everything in her post, but I just wanted to add that touching certain areas of your hen's body could also serve as a trigger. Avoid prolonged stroking of the back, under the wings, or (obviously) around the vent area, as she would find such contact stimulating and would possibly feel the urge to mate and lay eggs.

Any updates? I hope the second egg was her last.