My Lovebird is about to lay a infertile egg

Question
Hello,

I noticed last night that my lovebird had swollen up in the lower area, and she also spent alot of time in her hut in the cage and also in a cereal box which I have placed for her in the bottom of her cage.

So I called the vet and they told me she is laying an egg and that I should bring her in since the egg maybe in her and she may not be able to lay it since she has swollen in the lower area for the past 2 days. But she still looks healthy and eats and shreds the paper but she was breathing hard.

I was concerned so I did take her to the vet which specializes in exotic animals and parrots.

The vet examined her and she did have an egg, and she said we can either wait for her to lay but since it was close to 3 days and she hasn't lay the egg we may need to put her to sleep and remove it. After this is done she said they will also give her Meloxicam and after she is better to also give her Lupron.

I guess my question is did she really need to have this procedure or could I have waited and have lay the egg by herself.

Thanks,

Tony

Answer
Hi, Tony.  Thanks for posting.

I'm confused from your post as to whether this procedure was already done or you are still contemplating it.  Evidently, she needed/needs to have the procedure done or the avian vet would not have performed/recommended the procedure.  I think the vet made the correct call because if your lovebird became eggbound, she most likely would have passed away.

When a bird has trouble laying an egg, i.e., becomes eggbound, the egg becomes stuck in her body and won't come out.  If it breaks inside the bird, it will kill her.  If the egg isn't removed, the bird will die.  The hard breathing is one of the signs of an eggbound female.  Swollen belly is present just before an egg is laid, but if the egg doesn't come and the belly remains swollen, this is another sign of a problem.  

I recommend you remove the hut and cereal box in her cage.  These are nesting places as far as your female lovebird is concerned.  The mere fact that they are there is a signal to your lovebird that she should lay eggs.  To prevent this from happening again, they should be removed.  When/if you decide to get a mate for your lovebird and they pair-bond, etc., then you should introduce a nest for them to lay eggs.

Come back if you need to.  Thanks.

Chrys