Surprise!

[Debra]

This morning Little Amber bit me when I put her breakfast in her cage. This is not her usual behavior. I wondered about it all day. When I got home from work, she was playing on the floor of her cage. When I looked I realized she was playing with an egg! I've had her for 2 or 3 years and this is the first one. Now I know why my male has gone to her cage a few times and why she suddenly got this attitude. The egg is infertile and cracked. I'm thinking on leaving it in there so she won't keep on laying past a normal clutch. Anyone know how many eggs I should expect?

[roxynoodle]

I don't know the answer but you might also consider flooding her cage with fake eggs so she thinks she laid them all. I know many find that useful with tiels.

[crazyanimal]

I would suggest leaving it there too because if you remove it, they most often will lay another to replace the one they lost. She will realize over time that it will not hatch and leave it alone. I'd make sure she gets lots of calcium right now.

[Momto3boys]

I have no idea how many you should expect but I whenever my tiel lays a cluth, I freeze them and let her keep them, then she starts laying her second clutch I throw the first one in the garbage. She lays 2 clutches every Spring and Fall.

[Debra]

I have fake cockatiel eggs that look about the same size so I may replace it with one of those. I just need to be sure the tiels are through with them first.

[ShellyBorg]

I have had Widget for 5 years now and this was her first year laying. She had 4.

[jtbirds]

I'd suggest to take the eggs and put them in the freezer just in case they are fertile and let them have them as Audrey said this is very useful with cockatiels and lovebirds. I'd say upto five is a normal clutch and it can be higher or lower, think of it like puppies there is a range just for example 6-12 so same concept!

[Debra]

The male is in a separate cage and has flown to her cage top just a few times. They've never gotten close enough to make fertile eggs. She's showing no real interest in her egg and time will tell if she's going to have more. I do have fake eggs too.