Egg laying is a natural and seasonal process for birds. Female pet birds can lay eggs even without the presence of the opposite sex. A bird with good health and living environment can nurture egg production, but some pet birds do not hatch or even unable to complete the whole laying cycle. This may trigger frequent egg laying practice that ultimately drains them and poses life-threatening health problems such as egg binding and yolk peritonitis.

How to prevent your birds from frequent laying eggs?

(1) Remove nest boxes….
For some species like parrots, they look for dark and enclosed spaces for laying eggs. Nest boxes and little house have to be removed. When they are out of the cage during their playing time, keep your bird away from dark and enclosed spaces, such as cabinet and curtain.

(2) Keep your bird away from their mates….
Having a mate is a strong sexual stimulus for birds. A properly managed separation will help turn off the female’s hormones from laying eggs. The couple can sleep together but need to be separated during the day time. They can play together outside their cages under surveillance. This can minimize their chance of mating.

(3) Avoid any sexual attempt….
Isolate your bird by putting her back to her cage if you notice that she has sexual attempt, be it towards you, their favorite person or their “love-toys”. You can confirm her intention if she behaves in certain ways. For instance, vent rubbing, tail lifting, or food regurgitating. Remove all her “love-toys” such as perches, “birdie-buddies”, toilet paper, tope and mirror when necessary to reduce the stimulation to mate and minimize the hormonal influence.

(4) Don’t pet your bird on her sensitive body parts….
Touch your bird’s back and under tail, all these sexual stimulus can lead to egg laying.

(5) Rearrange the cage interior periodically….
Even a random move of the food bowls, perches or toys inside the cage can reduce the chance of laying eggs because a stable environment sets the tone for breeding.

(6) Relocate the cage on and off….
Birds need a stable place for breeding and laying eggs. Putting your bird in a different cage and/or changing the cage location can reduce the likelihood of egg laying. Keep relocating their cages once in a while.

(7) Avoid removing the eggs which your bird has just laid….
If your bird lays a few eggs and sits on them thereafter to complete the laying cycle, you may keep the eggs in the cage for 21 days or until she doesn’t take care of them.

(8) Remove anything that can be its nesting materials….
Don’t let your bird has the access to paper, plant, rope, wood or anything which she loves chewing and can become its nesting materials.

If the above initiatives cannot prevent your bird from laying eggs frequently, you may consider taking her to see an avian vet. The vet may do a hormone implant which can effectively turn off the reproductive cycle and therefore control egg laying practice.

For more about egg binding, please browse 【Egg Binding In Birds】.

Source & Reference: For The Birds DVM, Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue, Animal House of Chicago

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