Lovebirds' Egg-Laying Process: A Personal Experience
In this article, the following common questions and topics about egg-laying in lovebirds will be addressed in detail.
- When Will a Female Lovebird Lay an Egg?
- How Many Eggs Will a Female Lovebird Lay?
- Signs of a Pregnant Lovebird
- Finding a Suitable Nest Box
- Nesting Materials for Lovebirds
- Egg-Binding in Lovebirds
- Calcium Supply for Your Lovebirds (Table)
- A Healthy Recipe for Lovebirds
- Infertility in Lovebirds
- What are the Causes of Infertility?
When Will a Female Lovebird Lay an Egg?
Many novice breeders have this question in their minds at some point in time. A female lovebird will lay an egg with or without a mate when she is around 9-12 months of age. Of course, without a mate, the eggs laid will be infertile. Sometimes people end up buying two females or two males. Housing them together may lead to a clutch of infertile eggs in the former case, while no eggs in the latter. When mating occurs between a true lovebird pair (male and female), the eggs laid will be fertile though infertile eggs are possible too, as it is in the case of my pets Mumu and Lulu.
How Many Eggs Will a Female Lovebird Lay?
Eggs will be laid within 7-10 days after mating. In my case, Lulu gave an egg exactly a week later, on October 6th, 2016. Interestingly, we had no idea that she was pregnant! Usually, a hen (female lovebird) lays a clutch of 4-6 eggs, in a gap of 1-2 days. She then broods over the eggs, usually after laying the whole clutch. The incubation period is between 21-23 days, after which the chicks are hatched. There may be exceptions too. The chicks may even hatch out by the 24th or 25th day. Make sure you count the days, so that you can approximately calculate the hatching date.
Lulu had laid 4 eggs continuously every alternate day. Then after a gap of 7-10 days, she had laid 5 more eggs.
Signs of a Pregnant Lovebird
• She walks slowly
• She is unable to fly/flies with difficulty
• She shows slight weight gain
• Her body shows a clear "baby bump"
• She looks tired
• She sleeps a lot, fluffing her feathers
• The male feeds her rigorously
• She may bob her tail
My Female Lovebird Lulu Laid Her First Egg
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeFinding a Suitable Nest Box
A nest box is an essential component in lovebird breeding. Upon learning that Lulu laid an egg, we immediately bought a nest box. The pet owner had mistakenly given a round nest made out of steel, which was actually meant for canaries. Surfing the net, I realized that lovebirds need wooden nest boxes. The exchange was made, and we bought a small nest box/English budgie nest, which my lovebirds readily accepted. Remember to provide your pets with nesting materials.
Placing the Nest Box
- The nest box can be placed outside the cage, attaching it to the cage wall.
- Attach the nest box inside (with S-Shaped hooks)
In my opinion, placing the nest box inside is better. My pets love to sit inside the box together, for warmth. They doze off too inside it sometimes; as the temperature here is cold. However, you can place it according to your wish.
(P.S. You can place the nest box wherever you want, according to your pet's comfort level. There is no hard and fast rule for that!)
Lovebird Nest Box
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeLovebird Eggs
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeNesting Materials for Lovebirds
Lovebirds require nesting materials to make their nests. These are required to keep humidity in the nest, as it is essential for egg laying. Both males and females make long strips of whatever material is available, carrying them in the nest box. While the female tucks them in her wings and tail, the male tries to do so, though remains unsuccessful. However, there can be exceptions (Mumu has mastered the ability of shredding paper and tucking it in his tail)!
You could buy nesting materials from a local pet shop or provide the following:
What Can Be Included in Nesting Materials?
- Palm leaves (Lulu simply adores these)
- Paper towels
- Dried grass
- Lovebird's own feathers (lost ones)
- Leaves of non-poisonous plants (lovebird safe)
Lulu Shredding Palm Leaves
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeMy Male Lovebird Mumu Has Mastered Nesting Behavior!
Egg-Binding in Lovebirds
The most common egg-laying problem in lovebirds is egg-binding. This means that your bird is unable to pass an egg easily. This can be fatal to your bird. A vet must be consulted immediately when this occurs. If a vet cannot be consulted, you could do a few things to help your bird expel the egg.
In my case, Lulu had passed 9 eggs easily. The 10th, 11th, and 12th egg had been passed with difficulty, in a gap of 5-7 days. She didn't keep well, started vomiting, and slept a lot. She stayed like this for one day. The next day her egg would be passed, and she would be normal and active again.
Signs of Egg-Binding
- Straining
- Fluffed feathers
- Sitting at the bottom of the cage
- Tail bobbing
- Difficulty in breathing
- Weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Large droppings/Minimal droppings
- Sleeping a lot (in Lulu's case)
- Vomiting (in Lulu's case)
- Fever (in Lulu's case)
Curing Egg-Binding at Home
- Place the bird on a warm towel (heat allows the dilation of muscles, thus helping in passing the egg.)
- Place the bird in a bowl of warm water. Your bird is likely to pass the egg in water.
- Giving calcium supply (crushed egg shells and small pieces of egg-white).
- If your female bird is not eating, feed the male with the calcium supply mentioned above.
- Give plenty of rest without any disturbance.
- Keep the cage covered in a blanket for warmth.
- Keep the cage clean. Your bird is likely to pass large droppings which may wet the cage floor, making it colder.
Using Egg as a Quick Calcium Supply for Lovebirds
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeFoods With Calcium for Your Lovebirds
Vegetables
| Fruits
| Others
|
---|---|---|
Brocoli
| Kiwi
| Egg Shell
|
Cabbage
| Dried Fig
| Egg-White
|
Celery
| Orange
| Sunlight
|
Collard greens
| Apricot
| UV Light
|
Chinese cabbage
| Cuttle bone
| |
Kale
| Mineral Block
| |
Aragula
| ||
Turnip greens
| ||
Mustard greens
| ||
Spinach
|
A Healthy Recipe for Lovebirds
- Boil 4-5 spinach leaves and an egg.
- Dry the spinach leaves in the sun and crush them.
- Crush some of the egg shell into tiny pieces/powdery form and add to it.
- Take some egg yolk and egg-white too.
- Take fresh corn and dry them till they are hardened. Mash them into tiny bits and add to the mixture.
- Toss all of them and serve it fresh to your pet/pets. Either sprinkle it over their food bowl or give it separately. It solves weakness and strengthens your bird.
Infertility in Lovebirds
Infertility may be caused in a lovebird hen, leaving the eggs empty/without chicks. This is in the case of my bird Lulu. Till now she has laid 12 eggs in total, but there aren't any chicks hatched. She sat on all of them for a while, but her brooding wasn't continuous. It is very saddening yes, I had always wished to see what color would be inherited by their chicks. My male lovebird Mumu is a medium-green heavy pied peach-faced while the female Lulu is a white-faced violet roseicollis peach-faced lovebird.
A Clutch of Infertile Eggs
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeWhat Are the Causes of Infertility?
- Nutritional Factor: If the hen lacks minerals and calcium, her eggs will remain infertile. A healthy diet with all the essential minerals and calcium may help in reducing infertility.
- Loose Perches: Ensure that the perches are fixed firmly. The hen needs support to carry the male on her back. If the perches are loose, mating won't happen properly.
- Mutation: If your bird is a mutation, she may or may not be infertile.
- Age: If your bird is too young or too old, the eggs may remain infertile.
- Environmental Factors: There should be enough humidity for successful mating. Heaters and humidifiers may aid in creating such an atmosphere. A nest box is also very essential for mating.
Have you Ever Seen a Chick Hatching?
Conclusion
Lovebirds are a beautiful species and their reproduction and egg-laying process a wonder of nature. Unfortunately, I am not lucky enough to see the hatching of my pets's chicks. Nevertheless, I still hope that one day I might see their babies, hopefully...
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.
Questions & Answers
I have a female lovebird who lays eggs. The eggs are fertile but the chicks are not able to break the eggs and die inside. Why is this?
This is a common issue in lovebirds. Survival is difficult, so the probability of hatching is less in most cases.
Helpful 91It’s almost a month why are my lovebirds' eggs not hatching?
Your bird might be younger than one year of age, might not be mated well, or may be infertile. Please throw those eggs away. The hatching period is 21-25 days.
Helpful 68My lovebird laid an egg on Monday, but after two days it did not lay. What does my lovebird's laying of only one egg mean?
It means that the bird might lay only one egg in that clutch. It happens at times.
Helpful 2My lovebird laid an egg. It’s been two full days, and she has not laid another one. Should I worried, and if so what can I do?
Egg laying may get delayed if the lovebird is tired or feeling weak. Please give her crushed egg shells (which will help her calcium levels rise). You can also place her in a bowl of warm water. This will relax her muscles, and she may lay the egg.
Helpful 7My lovebirds are not laying eggs. What should I do?
Your lovebird might not be female, or might not be a year old.
Helpful 1
© 2016 Sakina Nasir
Comments
Hi sakina!
Is it ok to stay at the bottom of her cage without a nest?
Dear Sakina,
I have only one female lovebird who is currently sitting at the bottom of her cage. She looks healthy, she is eating, drinking, flying normally. Her voice and the energy is the same. But she is almost always at the bottom. My other love bird's empty egg got stuck and I had to to go vet. I'm afraid to experience the same :( I don't allow her to bite/chew materials that may cause her to make nest. I only caress her head because otherwise she tends to open her wings all the time. What can I do now?Should I go to avian vet?
I have 2 Fisher love birds she has been building a nest for 2 weeks now. it has a funnel look to it she never seems to quit he is regurgitating to her he has fed her but never like this. She will not let him in the nest box. Is this normal why so long to build a nest. It is her first time I understand that but all I read says 6 days. It has been 11. She is always on the move then she will go into the box and he will feed her from the opening. Thanks for any help you can give, Patty
Why love bird eat their own egg
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how much time a day does the female sit on the eggs
I bought a pair of lotinos about an year ago. I wasn't confirm that either its a pair or not. But one of tgem laid 8 egg s but none of them hatched. This year about 10 days ago she laid 2 eggs i have(i have seen them mating earlier). Female is sitting on the eggs but not continuously. How do confirm that the eggs are fertile and will hatch.
My lovebird pair making a nest i want to know after howmany days femal will ley the eggs ???
Does male lovebird sits on egg?
Hi Sakina i wanted to ask you that why are my love birds breaking their own eggs even after they are sitting on it for 1-2 days after they are laid and today i saw liquid in my birds pot in which she laid an egg, so can i know what that liquid actually is?
is it okay to put the nest box in ground because one of my female love bird has damage wing since I found it.if not please suggest me with an idea.
She cannot fly she can only climb with her mouth and leg.she is show adorable to me i don't want to get rid of her not for her wings.
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Hi Sakina,
I’ve spoken to you in the past how are you? My question for you is I had 2 hatchlings from two different clutches. my first peach faced lovebird, who I thought was a boy turns out to be a girl & is five months old. the second one is Phoebe who turned out to be a boy is three months old. they’re in separate cages & I take them out all the time, for interaction, handling & playtime. I’ve hand raised both of these babies since they’re three weeks old & yesterday all of a sudden Oliver the five-month-old started very seriously biting me and drawing blood. I can’t go near the cage right now as the bird just wants to attack me what do I do? Any suggestions? Could Oliver, who is really a girl be ready to lay eggs even though she’s only five months old & has not bred with anyone in order for her to turn so nasty? I’m so upset about this.
Hi Sakina. I hope very happy Eid for you & your family and friends.
You answered me about breeding Budgie but the mother bird Rose (Lovebird) don"t feed babies after hatching and then died.
Mt question is: what are the possible care breedings of all kinds of birds?
thanks a lot
I have a pair of Budgie after laying egg the female don't lay in nest .. after one day she break the egg and take it out of nest.
To be sure of fertilization I put 2 eggs at Rosiecolis and the eggs hatched but mother Rose don't feed the offspring till die.
my question: can I breed Budge at other bird nest .. thanks Dear Sakina.
aoa i my fisher pair mating and how many days female lay eggs after mating
My love birds pair had been laying eggs around six months 30-40 eggs till now..none of them were fertile eggs and iam providing them high nutritional feeding.but it doesn't giving results
The female bird isn't allowing me to touch the baby.. How will I remove it? The baby is dead dead I think in the box
My love birds laid thr first egg on 24/feb.. but that egg was broken i was worried.. and later.. it laid 2 more eggs, then other 2.. then other 2... then other 2.. now it actually laid 9 eggs one of wch was broken earlier..
I actually 3 love birds, whr i thought 2 birds were male... now i came to knw it was female... 2 birds are warming up the eggs... i dunno if 2 birds hav aso laid eggs or only one.. is it ok if only bird hav laid all the 9 eggs...
The bird's mother is like liquid and more in quantity whn compared with previous... is it normal..? Should i take serious action to take care of them..
My love bird lay 4 eggs and if not have baby lovebird come out eggs. Not been good at all
He wanted to get back to its nest.. just now I let the female to be with the male in a separate cage and they both are all cuddly. But I'm scared to leave them together in the cage that hosts their nest. What do you suggest?
Yes Sakina, the Fischer is a male and yes, I have seen them mating many times. Yesterday I had kept the male isolated and tried letting it in together.. but the female was too scared to go in while the male was around. So I had to keep him seperately again. This is really worrying me..
Hi, yes I've seen it lay eggs. Bcoz I used to have only one bird initially. So when it started laying eggs all by itself, that's when I got a male Fischer..
Hi, I have a peach faced female along with a fisher male. Both are usually good companions. The female has laid 12 eggs and both used to incubate the eggs. Since yesterday, the male seems to be very aggressive and is avoiding the female to enter the nest. So the female is sitting outside while the male is incubating. I dont understand what is wrong..
Mercedes-Benz History.
How come that your bird laid 12 eggs? I think they are both hen
My love birds have only given 2 eggs and it has been 3 days since the last egg was given will those two eggs hatch
Thank you sooo much, such a relief!
Hello, I had an emergency question. So my birds laid an egg 2 days ago, but I found it cracked :( (btw I have a male and female, so it was fertile). Today, she laid another one and was sitting on it in the nesting box. I thought everything was going fine, but just saw the male go inside and start kicking the egg around. Is it normal for the male to go inside the nesting box during this time? I’ve been watching for half an hour now and am worried because I was looking forward to baby parakeets for yeaaaaars. Please let me know if I should be doing anything about it, or if it’s normal. Thank you sooooo much!
Madam i need to know about the african love birds egg laying process. Our birds started to make nest around 15 days but not yet layed an egg. What is the reason
please help me my female lovebird is biting on her male mate until blood comes out so I gave the male to my aunt and he's happy now but the female won't eat and she has two eggs why she's not eating please help me I don't want to lose her
Hi Sakina, I think your awesome. My love bird have layed 3 eggs, I don't really want to hand feed them as I am new to this. However My daughter wants to bond with one as soon as possible. When would it be safe to take them out of the nesting box with out hand feeding them.
My three baby love birds died after parents rejected to feed them and I was unaware. The baby birds legs were not steady to stand before it died. I want to know why ?
Should we keep any thing in the cage pot for nesting??
Salam..i have 4 baby love birds n i started to hand feeding.can i put back them in nest after hand feeding ..if yes how often i can do that in a day?
Thank you sakina!:)
Hi my love bird has layed 5 eggs, only one egg has hatched and its been about a week and then other 4 still haven't hatched. Is there somthing wrong?
my lovebirds have three chicks, about 10 day s old" last week I saw an egg out f the tent, I put it back inside, and today I See an egg out . I don’t know if accidentally came out or f nest....I am plannng to return to the tent. Any comments
How long does it take for a bird to relay eggs after the first brood has matured.
I made a nest out of coconut husk for my love bird( it layed 3 eggs) but I did not put any fillings (eg shredded paper ) what should l do
HOw many month the lovebird lay egg offer first baby love birds after.
i have six lovebirds which i bought 2 weeks ago i'm guessing they are all at least one year old and i have a nice big aviary with nest boxes.
one pair took to a nest box immediately and made a nest of coconut fiber, feathers and dried grass. i have been checking for eggs and i found one today. how many more do you think they will have and if i put the calcium diet in for them would they eat it?
also i have an insulated indoor area which is where they are do i need to do anything further to make sure they hatch like a heat lamp or sumthing.
Finally is it very common for the eggs to be infertile
I had bought four baby love birds may I know how many days it will take for my baby lovebirds for breeding stage
Hi Sakina,
I have 1 female and 2 male lovebirds, recently laid eggs in 2 different places(3 & 4 eggs) and sits on 2nd place only. 4 eggs are not getting warmness of mother bird.So, can i mix these eggs with those eggs or should i keep it like that only. Please let me know soon.
One more thing i want to know i have a big size cage for them made out of iron and kept bird pots, do you think should i keep a nest box inside that ?
I do have Finches also in the cage, do this have any problem?
Why shes eating her egg
My lovebird chic
k is not moving what does that mean is it sleeping or is it dead
Hello i have a problem . My love bird don't give me eggs . I have 1 male and 2 female and i don't get eggs .how can i help females to get eggs and when?
Alright, thank you so much!
No, they haven't mated yet but they've been together for over 3 months now and do show closeness to each other. The male does feed the female and they preen each other's feathers. I was just wondering if a small cage had any affect on it. Well it's not that small but not too big. But the cage is open so they have my whole room too ahahha. Well thanks then! I'll just have to wait for baby parakeets :) super excited already!
Hello Sakina! I genuinely enjoyed reading your article, (because I love birds!) but was wondering if you could answer an additional question for me. I currently have 2 parakeets, a male and a female, and they clearly love each other. I already attached a nesting cage, and have been waiting for months for baby birds; however, there's still no sign of them. :( My cage isn't that big, but I'm not sure if that matters. I usually open the top part of the cage and they are free to fly around as they like. But do you know what I could do to speed up the process? I would really like baby parakeets xD thanks! :)
My bird had one egg and after three weeks it was gone so what I should do because she have a new egg
Hi Sakina, I've a loving pair of lovebirds (older than a year and half) and they started mating since few months. Both are healthy but there's no egg. Are they of same-sex?
One do exhibit the behavior of a male, feeds the other one etc. Once I kept a nesting box attached to the cage just in case.. but no eggs so far.
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