Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 2/3/2007

Question
I have been reading up on Lovebirds and their eggs. Every where that I have read it tells me that she lays several eggs. My lovebird has only one egg. The egg is white with a brown spot on it. Does that mean the egg is cracked and why did she lay just one egg. Does she have to sit on the egg constantly. Also I had to separate my pair of lovebirds. The female attacked the male and caused a huge cut on the males foot and caused it to bleed pretty bad. Is it bad that I separated them? The male is in one cage and the female is in another cage in her nest box. I let the male in the cage with the female while I am able to keep an eye on them. Is that alright? So exactly how long does it take an egg to hatch, this is her first egg,
will it hatch? Also I held the egg up to the light to check for an embryo and I can't see one in it. Please help me. I thought that I had to female lovebirds until I caught them and I am not sure that I am ready for all this.
Thanks


Answer
Hi, Jaimie.  Thanks for posting.

Most lovebirds lay 4-6 eggs per clutch.  Why this egg has a brown spot on it I don't know...it isn't normal.  I don't know if the egg is cracked...you'd have to determine this by looking for a crack or observing fluid coming out of the egg.  I also don't know why she laid just 1 egg...I'd need to have more details from you about the entire situation in order to try and assess this.  Yes, in order to incubate the eggs properly, the female/male have to sit on the eggs most of the time, except to leave the nesting box to eat, drink, or defecate.  Actually, the pair need to be together because they both care for the eggs and babies.  It takes approximately 18 days from the date incubation starts for an egg to hatch IF the egg is fertile and develops properly during the incubation process.  I don't know if it will hatch or not...lots of things can happen between when an egg is laid and hatching time.  You won't be able to determine if anything is going on inside the egg until it has been incubated for 7-10 days...it takes at least 7-10 days for you to be able to see anything inside a developing egg.  Do not touch eggs with your bare skin because oil and dirt from your skin can contaminate eggs.  

You might have 2 female lovebirds.  Female parrots can lay infertile eggs without mating with a male bird.  This might explain why the female bit the foot of the other bird.  Usually, a pair of pair-bonded birds won't do this.  However, you could have a male/female pair...you'd need to have them DNA sexed in order to be sure.

Chrys