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I have a couple of questions about a Cockatiel that I have. I picked up a copy of Bird Talk from my pet store. And for almost a year now I have been trying to get a Feather Tether for my bird so that I can take her outside and to swap meets. She flies freely around the house and loves to be with me. Please help me get one and if possible if I can get one in B.C. Canada. The other question is that my Cockatiel has been laying unfertile eggs since December of last year, she lays up to 4 eggs a month. I have tried everything to discourage her from laying, aside from taking her to a veterinarian which would cost us a lot of money which I cannot afford. If there is any other way of stopping her please let me know.
Yours Sincerely
Patricia H

Dear Patricia,

Your letter was forwarded to me so that I may help you with your two questions on "tether harnesses" and "non-stop egg laying".

Tether Harness

Using a tether harness to restrain your cockatiel while outside is not highly recommended by me or the other ACS members I talked with regarding your question. I currently do not know of anyone who uses a tether harness on a cockatiel. There is good reason why I do not recommend the tether harness. Allow me to explain: cockatiels are outstanding flyers by nature, flying long distances all day long and rarely spending much time on the ground. This reason alone may make it very difficult for you to safely train your cockatiel to accept a tether harness and why not many people choose to use one on their pet cockatiel. I feel that tether harnesses are great for the larger parrots as they enjoy walking around on the ground. If you still want to give it a try, you can purchase a tether harness made specifically for cockatiels from Hornbecks for $9.95 plus shipping & handling. If you have access to the Internet, you can order from them online at www.hornbecks.com. You can also write and ask them to send you a free catalog. Hornbecks, 7088 Lyndon St., Rosemont IL 60018 USA,  E-Mail: birds @ hornbecks.com

An avian veterinarian designs the Feather Tether Harness sold by Hornbecks. They claim that the Feather Tether has thousands of bird owners singing its praises. You must be careful to introduce the Feather Tether to your bird slowly to insure that he is not afraid during the training process.

Non-Stop Egg Laying

In your letter, you mention that you've tried everything to get your cockatiel hen to stop laying eggs, however, you did not mention what you tried. Below are some suggestions that should help.

First, make sure she is getting a healthy diet. It is important that she is receiving enough calcium in her diet to replace the "reserves" she is using up creating all those eggshells. Make sure there is a fresh cuttlebone in her cage, and try to feed her foods which are high in calcium, such as collard greens, dandelion, turnip greens, kale, broccoli and mustard greens. She also needs extra protein during this time period to create the egg yolks. If your cockatiel is on a mainly pelleted diet, then she should be getting an adequate amount of protein. If not, make sure you provide her with foods, which are excellent sources of protein.

If your cockatiel lays her eggs off the perch (you find them cracked at the bottom of the cage), chances are she won't want to sit on them so you can throw them away. If, however, she has stayed close to the bottom of her cage, laid her egg gently in a comer, and has snuggled down to keep it warm, don't take the egg away from her (she will only continue laying until she feels satisfied that she's filled her nest). If you allow her to sit on them, chances are she will only lay as many eggs as she needs to fill her "nest". After three weeks she will probably have abandon these eggs because instinct tells her they are dead. If not, wait until she is away from them to eat or drink, and remove the eggs.

Light is often the #1 stimulus which beckons birds to breed. When the amount of light (natural or unnatural) that reaches your cockatiel's cage reaches approximately 12 hours per day, it is instinctual for her to want to reproduce. You may have to fool your cockatiel into thinking it is perpetually winter. Keep the shade drawn and keep her cage covered on three sides during the day so that you have some time with her when you come home at night. Allow her 11-12 hours of sleep at night with her cage fully covered.

Food abundance also marks that the breeding season is here. Perhaps you are providing her with more food than she can consume per day (this may make her believe the extras are for her future offspring). Try monitoring her food (measuring it out) until you know exactly how much per day she requires and then only provide that much. If she shares mealtime with you, then perhaps you can cut back on that too.

Other birds even if not the same species will stimulate her to lay eggs. If you have other birds in the home, then try placing her in a separate room. If she's by a window where she hears the songs of the wild birds, then I'd remove her from the window where she can't hear them. You, yes you too can stimulate her into laying eggs. I often hear stories how pet hens leave an egg present in mom's hand during a playing session.

As hard as this may seem, perhaps she requires less attention from you (or the human she's bonded with) until the egg laying has passed. So that you don't feel so guilty, perhaps another family member can give her some attention while you attempt to break her mate bond with you.

Finally, changing the location of her cage every week may help to break the egg laying cycle. By changing the location of her cage, you are forcing her to concentrate more of her energy on re-adjusting to her new environment.

If she still continues to lay one egg after another, perhaps you can start saving up some money to see your avian vet. The vet can give her hormonal shots, or in extreme circumstances, remove her ovaries to prevent future problems such as thin-shelled eggs and egg binding.

Sincerely,

Pam Thompson

Pet Advisor