African Grey Breeding Behavior

Question
I have a six-year-old african grey named Emma, who is healthy and very happy with her position directly at the center of the universe.  Up until this year, she was constantly on the go (I was a univ. student and she went everywhere with me), so I never really noticed any breeding behavior. This year, though, I kind of encouraged her when she began shredding up paper on top of her cage.  I let her explore cardboard boxes, cupboards, and drawers around the house as possible nests, and her behavior changed dramatically in a very short time.  For the last three weeks, she has spent virtually all her days and nights in a drawer in the bathroom that she chose as her nest site, first shredding paper and 'fixing it up', and then, about a week ago, laying eggs.  She now has three eggs, and is quite obsessive about brooding them, calling us only when she wants a quick snack or to relieve herself.  As excited as I am
about finally confirming her sex and studying her new behavior, I am also apprehensive about the consequenses of encouraging this behavior, and keeping her in breeding condition for so long.  I had planned to take the eggs away about one week after the last one was hatched, when (hopefully) she would begin to lose interest...but now that that time is drawing near, I am desperate to get more information before I do anything at all.  What changes should I expect or look for in her behavior in the coming days and weeks, especially after I take the eggs away?  

Answer
First off I'd like to start by saying that next season (spring-time) I would suggest you do not allow her to pursue this behaviour. As well, you should keep her in her cage (if that is what she stays in normally) and do not let her spend any time in that drawer as this isn't entirely healthy for her. She isn't getting the Vitamin D / sunlight that she needs, and its doubtful she is eating and drinking as much as she should. There is also the possibility of her becoming egg-bound, which is quite common and can kill them.

I should warn you about taking the eggs away. Do not do so until SHE loses interest in them or else you will just cause more problems. She should lose interest after a few weeks of sitting on them, because they won't hatch (since she hasn't mated with a male grey, has she?) and she'll become uninterested. Just wait a few more weeks. If you take them away now she will most likely start to lay more eggs to replace those, and that is also unhealthy for her.

I would suggest not allowing her near crevices or dark places the next time she is "in the mood", lol. Try to discourage her from any breeding behaviours in the future. You can't help it if she decides to lay an egg on the bottom of her cage, but you can discourage her from it by not allowing her to shred the paper, and don't let her build a nest. If she starts, take the nest apart, keep this up until she gives up on the idea.

She should go back to her normal behaviour within a week or two after you take the eggs away. If she loses interest on her own, then you'll start to notice her normal every day behaviour again. Just keep her away from that drawer and you should be okay!!

Hope that I've been of some help. Any further questions, feel free to ask!

Sarah :)