Opaline grass parakeet sat on infertile eggs?

[deedee89]

Hi everyone. Please can someone help? We have a pair of opaline grass parakeets and when they looked like they were initiating mating (he was feeding her) she then started taking interest in a nest box. Since then she has 6 eggs in the box which she is sitting on all day and night she only comes out 3 times a day for feeding for less than a minute each time. This is the first time shes laid eggs but also we are 90 per cent sure they haven't mated. What should we do? We want them to mate but shes not interested while she has eggs to sit on but we are nearly certain the eggs are infertile. Thanks in advance guys and girls

 

[Rozalka]

When I was breeding parrots for the first time - we had a bit simillar situation - nobody saw them mating and female laid eggs. Some eggs were fertilized! They had to mate when nobody saw them. It is possible, your fids did the same - maybe you didn't see them mating. You can check it using light - then you should able to see if eggs are empty inside (just liquid and nothing else) or an embryo.

 

[deedee89]

Thank you. I have checked them all they are all clear, it's been about 2 weeks now. I dont know how long I should leave them before removing them and that if I do will she just lay more unfertilised eggs and sit on them? They may well have been doing the business when we weren't looking though as we aren't there all the time hehe

 

[Amsterdam]

you can also remove the eggs add fake egg to try and stop you from getting more eggs

 

[deedee89]

Good idea only thing with removing them though and adding fake eggs is i don't want to discourage her from mating. Shes got really good maternal instinsts by sitting on her eggs but she seems to have skipped the " i have to fertilise these first" bit