Have you found an egg at the bottom of your parrot’s cage? You might wonder what to do with it now that it’s there.
This article will explain everything there is to know about parrot eggs, from laying to hatching.
In captivity, parrots lay 2 to 5 eggs per clutch. The size of the eggs is around 1.5″ X 1.2″ (⅓ the size of a chicken egg).
They usually lay these eggs over the course of 1 to 2 days. The parrot will start incubating the eggs once she’s laid at least 2. It will take 30 days for the eggs to hatch.
Of course, the eggs would have had to be fertilized by a male for them to hatch. Female parrots can lay eggs without going through sexual intercourse.
If your parrot has not been in contact with any other parrot, the eggs will not be fertile, and you won’t have to worry about them hatching.
How DoParrots Lay Eggs?
The egg cell inside the parrot travels to the oviduct and then to the magnum, where the egg’s white is formed. Then it travels to the uterus and the shell forms. All this takes around 20 hours.
When the time comes to lay the egg, the female parrot will become more vocal and restless.
It usually takes a few minutes for a female parrot to lay one egg. It can take hours before the next egg arrives if the female parrot lays multiples.
Parrots prefer to lay eggs in a dark nest, but if they’re caged, they’ll lay the egg from the perch or at the bottom of the cage.
Parrot Egg Laying Symptoms
If you have a female parrot, she is likely to lay eggs some time or the other.
Luckily, there are some signs that you may notice in your female parrot and determine that she is about to lay eggs.
Following are the symptoms that you may notice in your female parrot.
- If your parrot’s attracted to dark spots around the home, she may be getting ready to lay eggs. If she’s always caged, you might find her scratching around at the bottom.
- Your parrot may be very vocal with a different sort of voice, maybe even grunting.
- There will be bloating under the tail near the body.
- Female parrot may appear to be constipated.
- Bloating near the anus. Sometimes the bloating can push smaller feathers away enough for you to see her skin.
What Age Do Parrots Lay Eggs?
Parrots lay eggs anywhere from 1 to 10 years of age, depending on the species.
Here are some examples of sexual maturity ages of different parrots:
Species | Age of Sexual Maturity |
---|---|
African Grey | 3 to 5 years |
Amazon | 3 to 6 years |
Eclectus | 4 to 6 years |
Large Parakeets | 6 to 10 months |
Lories & Lorikeets | 2 years |
Pionus Parrots | 4 to 5 years |
Cockatiels | 1 to 2 years |
Lovebirds | 1 year |
Parrotlets | 10 months |
When Do Parrots Lay Eggs?
Parrots lay eggs during springtime when days become longer and nights become shorter.
One reason for this is that the chicks will have grown enough to survive by the time the freezing winter comes.
There’s also more food and water all over during spring and summer to survive.
Your parrots may think that days are becoming longer if you don’t put them in cage and cover them with a blanket for around 12 hours.
They may believe that it’s springtime if you feed them rich foods high in fat and protein.
If you introduce other parrots or toys to your female parrot, she might bond with them, thinking that it’s her sexual companion.
This can lead to higher egg production. Even a mirror can give her the impression that a potential mate is nearby.
Interesting Further Reading:
- Do Parrots Cry? + Why Do Parrots Cry?
- Can Parrots Be Domesticated? (Why Are Parrots Domesticated)
- Do Parrots Have Teeth? ( Role Of A Beak In Parrots Existence )
- Do Parrots Have Tongue? + Use Of Parrot’s Tongue
Can Parrots Lay Eggs Without A Male?
Yes, parrots can lay eggs without being sexually active. The difference is that the eggs will not be fertilized and therefore won’t hatch.
Having a male around will typically increase the rate of egg-laying in the female and, of course, the chances of them being fertilized and hatching.
What Happens When A Parrot Lays Eggs?
When a parrot lays eggs, it may be a bit drained of protein, calcium, and energy. You should pay special attention to feeding your parrot a high-quality diet with a good amount of protein and calcium to get her levels back up again.
You can replace old water with fresh water more frequently than normal to promote hydration in your parrot.
Why Are Parrot Hatchlings Difficult To Raise?
It’s an enormous responsibility to look after little parrot chicks. Many potential health complications can lead to you racking up a substantial veterinary bill.
If you’re not a parrot breeder, you shouldn’t allow the eggs to hatch. We suggest removing the eggs from the cage when your parrot isn’t watching.
Replace those eggs with fake eggs, or your female parrot may continue to lay more. If you don’t have counterfeit eggs, you can boil the eggs from the nest for 10 minutes, allow them to cool down, and then place them back in the cage.
After 20 to 30 days, remove the eggs from the nest one by one each day until they’re all gone.
Recommended Further Reading:
- Do Parrots Fart? + Reason Why Parrots Don’t Fart
- Do Parrots Dream? + What Do They Dream About?
- Can Parrots Live Alone? (What Are The Consequences?)
Related Questions
Hi, There and Welcome to BirdsNews.com, is here to help you learn and care about pet birds. and this blog is a journal of everything I’ve learned.