Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 8/29/2008

Question
I have a pair of lovebirds that laid 5 eggs 2 months ago.  Out of the five 3 hatched and 2 did not.  I put the nesting material in the cage but it did not build a nest.  It laid the eggs on the floor of the cage, however after 3-4 days one of the baby died and then after 2 days the other 2 died.  This time the bird has laid 4 eggs and I bought a clear plastic bird bath and put some wood shavings (bought from the pet store) and put the eggs in the bird bath acting like a nest or private area, kept it for 2 hours and the bird did not enter the area, so I put the eggs back in the cage and the bird is sitting on it.  I am worried now that the eggs will hatch again, and I am afraid that the babies will die again, because the bird sits on it, runs over it.  What should I do, should I put the eggs again in the bird bath that acts like a nest and put the mother female bird it forcefully hence will see the egg and start sitting on it, which will create a nest or a private are for the eggs which will make the the babies more safer?  I also bouth the nest from a pet store with some nesting material, the bird broke the nest and did not use the nesting material. HELP!

Answer
Hi, Riz,

What kind of nest are you buying that the bird(s) can break?  You need to purchase a wooden nesting box for your lovies, cockatiel sized nesting box is best.  They cost about $10-15.  This might be why they are not using the other nest, i.e., the nest is not sturdy enough for them and/or was not held in place properly.  In addition, don't put wood shavings in the nesting box.  Place newspaper, paper towels, store bought nesting material on the bottom of the cage and allow the pair to make their own nest inside the wooden nesting box. Lovies are one of a few parrots that make deep nests inside their nesting boxes.  They will tear/shred the paper, tuck it under their wings on their backs, and carry the material inside the nesting box.  You must allow them to do this, as it is part of the breeding process.  

Babies hatched on the cage bottom are highly susceptible to disease and germs, etc., from droppings, spoiled food, as well as being run over by the parents, so this is not a good place for the eggs to be laid/babies to hatch.  They can acquire disease/illness directly through the egg shells, thus, they may have been ill when they hatched.  They also cannot be kept warm enough on the cage bottom.  

You may be disturbing your birds too much.  Install a wooden nesting box, place nesting material in the cage, and allow them to do the rest without disturbing them.  Moving eggs, etc., around too much will "bother" the breeding pair.  Of course, you have to service the cage, feed them, etc., but do so quickly.  Install the nesting box on the outside of the cage so you can barely lift the lid to check on the eggs/hatchlings.  I don't know what type of cage you have them in, but the opening to the nesting box should be accessible to the birds from inside the cage.  

You can try placing the eggs inside the nesting box, but the birds may abandon them.  They need time to fix the new nesting box to their desires before they will make a nest inside it.  Then they should lay eggs inside it.  Be careful not to overbreed your birds or any eggs/hatchlings may not do well, not to mention the hardship particularly on the female.  Visit my website for additional help:  www.angelfire.com/falcon/birdinfo/index.html.  Birdchannel.com is also a good website.

Chrys