Macaw Non-fertile egg laying

Question
QUESTION: Our 18 year old pet b/g macaw has laid 3 eggs about 5 weeks ago on the floor of her sleeping cage. We hard-boiled them and returned then hoping she aould eventually abandon them. Since then, she has little interest in anything other than sitting on the eggs and her interest has not diminished.  We remove her 3 times daily to eat and defecate, and once those are done she is extrememly agitated and only satisified when returned to the sleeping cage nest. Over the last couple of years she seems to always be in season, lays eggs periodically, and we try to do those things recommended to discourage it. But she seems to be on the look for a nest permanently, and has to be caged. So this time we left the eggs with her. We're starting to think we should wean her off the eggs!! Any thoughts about when to remove the eggs, removing the sleeping cage concept, or anything else.  Thank you.

ANSWER: Let's take a breath and a step back.

I can understand her laying in the sleep cage, but why did you leave the eggs there (or replace them with hard boiled)?  This is something often done when a bird is in one cage for day/night, but once you get her out of the sleep cage, there's no point to leaving the eggs.

Let's see what we can do about this together and figure out why your girl is so convinced she can nest.

How many hours is she in her sleep cage?

Are these hours regular?  Do you get her in there and take her out of there at the same time every day/night?

Is there noise or light she might be perceiving?

Does she spend time out of cage completely? How much time and what does it involve?

Whatever extra details you can offer will be very helpful and together we can work on modifying her behavior for her own good.

 www.4AnimalCare.org



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your quick response. As to your first question, we left the eggs in the sleep cage and made this her permanent cage while she has the eggs. For the last 5 weeks, we only brought her out of the sleep cage to eat and defecate. We thought that this would help her "get over" this obsession and after 3 weeks or so she would abandon the eggs. Before the eggs, she has a very firm routine: day-cage and play area where she stays for most of the day from 7am-7 pm pretty much year round. She is also on outside perches during the day.  In the evening she is transferred to a night cage where she perches locked in under a sheet with light off, but still windows in the room letting some light in... so about 12 hours in each place. The sleep cage is near our bedroom so she does hear us come to bed and get up.For 17 years she was never locked in the day cage because she never ventured out. Now, if we are not in the room, she will immediately get off the cage and play area and walk around looking for a closet or door to open to make  a nest, so we have to lock it. Around 5pm almost every evening (except now that she is nesting) I spend one hour with her on my shoulder while watching TV and preen her from head to tail (not underside) while she preens herself. It is something she expects and enjoys and from my perspective has kept a very good bonding relationship and improves her temperment. She also backs up to toys often and other people as well, however, we try and always discourage this by not petting her at these times. She has two daily handlers, both she is equally loving to and a in-home petsitter for weeks at a time, who she adores. She has a LOT of human affection, kissing touching, hugging, etc and she loves it all. She is fed pellets, nuts and seeds, and fresh veggies and fruits. Thank you again for your help, and if I can answer any questions more specifically, please let me know.

ANSWER: OK, thanks for the additional information.  

It sounds like she was doing very good on her schedule right up until the eggs and then everything sort of went like dominoes and one thing led to another until it got here.  That's ok, the best part is that she's got remarkably good caregivers!

You've got to take control again, get her out of the cage and start all over with the schedule.  When there's egg laying or any threat of it, adding an hour to the night schedule is suggested.  Whether you add 1/2 hour in the a.m. and another 1/2 hour in the evening or just put that hour on either end of the day, doesn't matter.

 Try to re-establish your loving relationship and t.v. time.  When you notice her backing up to anything or anyone, this should be discouraged with displeasure.  We firmly say "Don't do that" (I try to reserve the word "no" for emergency, dire situations) and then distract her, remove her from that area or remove the object.

 I've also made favorite 'nesting' places off limits by blocking them with fireplace grates/screens that I've scouted out at garage sales, thrift stores, etc..  Other areas are easy to block just by shutting the door.  Of course running after her when she heads out with one thing on her mind has also become commonplace.

Don't stop petting her, just keep it above the 'shoulders' and reduce any 'beaking' (tugging or pulling on her beak, which admittedly is one of my favorite things to do with our in house rescued girl, Sadie).

 I've got  a lot more options and ideas at my site so take a look and even consider sending in a pic of your girl for our gallery.

Let me know how it goes

www.4AnimalCare.org   (click on the bird tab)



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you very much. One last question. Should we take away the eggs now and clean up the nesting material in teh sleeping cage? It's been 5 weeks. We normally leave no newspaper last year or so because she just makes a nest with it. When she laid this clutch, however,  we put the newspaper in the sleeping cage for her to tear up, thinking this was part of the "get her over it and abandon the eggs and stopy laying" solution. Thanks again.

Answer
The newspaper was more encouraging her to keep doing this rather than get over it. After this amount of time it's prudent to remove all nesting material, remove the eggs and re-establish her routine of regular out time, regular sleep, etc.

One more suggestion is to change the look of her sleep cage.  Move the perches, switch the water/food dish, remove toys completely just leaving a cuttlebone and mineral block in there.  Change the levels of the bowls and perches if possible.  Even change the cover you're using.  The point is to make it a "new" place, enough so that she's not feeling secure enough to nest.

No matter what, keep her to an 'out of cage' time too.

Let me know how you make out.

www.4AnimalCare.org