Why do birds lay infertile eggs?

[Falconry]

Infertile egg laying

Why do parrots lay infertile eggs? I have a 3 year old parrotlet pair and the eggs are all infertile. She had two clutches and both clutches were infertile. Could it be they are too young? I candled them after a couple days of incubation.

 

[Falconry]

My parrotlets who are three and a proven pair layed their first two clutches infertile.

 

[MikeyTN]

Did you bought them as proven pair from a breeder???? Beware! A lot of breeders or sellers do and will lie about such things....Make sure the male is a male! But it does happen though, nothing you can do to prevent that.

 

[Mekaisto]

Sometimes birds don't quite match up - the female gets too excited and starts producing eggs before the male is ready.

But have you only candled them a couple of days after they were laid? If so, that's too early, you probably won't see any definite signs until the eggs are at least 6 days old.

 

[Falconry]

No, I candled them a week and a half after they began incubating.The male is a male as he has the male markings and the female is a female. How would you tell if they arent really attached to each other?

 

[Birdman666]

It only hatches if it gets fertilized first...

The male of the species still provides that "necessary ingredient" for life to be produced.

 

[JerseyWendy]

It only hatches if it gets fertilized first...

The male of the species still provides that "necessary ingredient" for life to be produced.

Hilarious!!! (...and true, of course)

 

[Mekaisto]

Have you witnessed them mating?

 

[Kiwibird]

Infertile egg laying is the avian equivalent to menstruation in a female bird. If the ovum does not become fertilized within a certain period of time, it passes down the reproductive tract, the albumin and protective membrane are wrapped around the infertile yolk, a shell forms and then the bird lays (body expels) the unfertilized egg(s).

Essentially, your female has not had the male fertilize her eggs. If you are sure they are a proven pair and are mating, I would take a look a diet and nest box. I'm not sure about parrotlets but certain female animals can "block" the fertilization of eggs if conditions aren't ideal.