My bird might be ready to mate or lay an egg. What are the signs?

A female does not need a male in order to lay eggs. Once she matures (at around 1 year old), she will begin to lay eggs. They will be infertile in the absence of a male. If placed together and conditions are right, they may mate and she will lay fertile eggs. They typically lay a clutch of 4-6 eggs with 24-48 hours between eggs. Incubation lasts about 3-4 weeks.

Usually what you will see is behavior changes. Female ringnecks that are ready for breeding will crouch and tilt their heads back to entice males caged near them. When the male is introduced, even interested females can decide to chase the male around the cage and torment him for a short period of time. If the female does not calm down, try moving the pair to a cage neither of them has been in before. This would be neutral territory. Male birds are often injured during attempts of mating. Females are very aggressive toward their mates and can seriously injure them. It is best to supervise them at all times. Have you provided her with a nesting box? Females reach sexual maturity fairly early in life and can be bred as early as 1 year of age. However, this is not recommended. It is best to wait until they are at least 2 years old. I feel that will lessen the probability of egg-binding. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Female conures will lay eggs even in the absence of a male. Don't remove the eggs as this will cause her to continue laying. Provide a commercial pelleted diet (Harrison's, Roudybush, Lafeber, Pretty Bird or Exact) supplemented with a fortified seed mix and fresh greens and vegetables. Place a cuttlebone or mineral block in her cage as well for extra calcium. Limit exposure to daylight and drop room temperature by a few degrees to get her out of egg laying mode. Leave the eggs in the cage for at least 2 weeks or until she loses interest in them. You can also replace the real eggs with "dummy" eggs. Find them in the Bird Section of the local Petco. The plucking can be caused by stress, boredom or infection (bacterial, fungal or parasites). Consider having her examined by your veterinarian or an experienced avian veterinarian to diagnose and treat any underlying medical condition. The tail bobbing may indicate difficulty breathing which should also be addressed by your veterinarian. In the meantime, clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, toys and perches. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Use paper towels on the cage bottom and change them daily. Bathe or mist her with warm water to encourage preening and to promote healthy plumage. Provide a variety of toys and puzzle feeders as well as play time outside of the cage to keep her from plucking.

Thanks for reaching out about Elly. Start out with a good nutrition, including a wide variety of vegetables, plant proteins (beans, legumes) and some seeds. A nesting site needs to be provided. For most birds to breed, nutrition must be good, the nest needs to feel safe and a mate needs to be received. Most birds breed in spring, stimulated by lengthening photoperiod. Good luck.

You stroking or petting her has nothing to do with her thinking you are her mate or causing her to produce eggs. She would produce eggs anyway even with no male around. You do not have to change or do anything differently. Just make sure she is on a high quality diet so she doesn't become calcium deficient or egg bound by laying eggs. You are not causing her any harm so don't worry! Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Feed a good quality pelleted diet (Harrison's, Roudybush, Lafeber, Pretty Bird or Exact) supplemented with a fortified seed mix and fresh greens and vegetables. Provide a cuttlebone or mineral block. Always have fresh water available. Provide an appropriately sized nesting box and suitable nesting material (straw, Aspen shaving, shredded newspaper, etc.).

It may be that the egg was actually pushed out of the box as it is not viable. If they will not let you in the box (where there may be other eggs), or the egg is not viable, you can simply remove it. Otherwise, waiting until night when both birds are calmer and quiet may give you a chance to place the egg into the nest.