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mystikgreys · by **mystikgreys** on Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:58 am

I hope someone can help. I have a pair of greys that just quit laying eggs about 9 months ago. Previous to that they laid about 4 clutches a year for the 4 years that i have had them. I haven't changed anything as far as feeding and care, or environment.The only thing I did notice, was that the female's beak was growing crooked.I took her to a vet near me that does work with birds. He trimmed her up and said that the corner of her beak had been injured sometime earlier....I don't know what else to try to get them to lay eggs. Please Help.......Thank you....Sue

PurpleHeart · by **PurpleHeart** on Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:04 pm

mystikgreys wrote:I hope someone can help. I have a pair of greys that just quit laying eggs about 9 months ago. Previous to that they laid about 4 clutches a year for the 4 years that i have had them. The only thing I did notice, was that the female's beak was growing crooked...Thank you....Sue

Thing is Sue, when the female's beak is crooked she might herself stop laying eggs because she can not feed them correctly. It is a thing of nature, kinda of self imposed birth control. I know many will give examples of a female who doesn't do this, but generally "as a rule" they don't!

4 clutches a year for four years, might be another reason she is taking some "needed time off." This happens rather regularly with grey's as they are speradic. Out of my five pairs I can not in my right mind take anything for granted! Sometimes they have clutches (twice a year) like clockwork, and other times they take a few seasons off so to speak. The only thing I can count on is they like to "EAT!" I notice when they put more weight on they are in season, if they seem to taper off they will not go to nest. I can try everything like their favorite foods, warm moist foods, lots of nuts, plenty of water, every kind of treat I can think of they like to no avail!

Another thing is the weather! I have my grey's in a very sunny room. However here in the Midwest there has been a lot of rainy days this year. My grey's are so tuned into the weather I can almost tell if it's going to nice or not, kinda of like my own Farmer Almanac.

In summary, don't rush them, give her the year off and keeping loving and caring for them. Keep the trimming up and I bet she'll be back with another clutch soon. Just monitor her closely for egg binding and watch her discharges (poops), and of course watch the male to see if he is copulating with her. If he doesn't, or she won't let him, then this will signal why she isn't going to nest.

Dutch

P.S.- pull the nest box down, take the pressure off, clean and disenfect it out, change the material, and have it ready if she appears to need it

MFids · by **MFids** on Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:44 pm

I'm not a breeder, but I wouldn't recommend allowing birds to have more than two clutches a year... as it puts a lot of stress on the hens body and can lead to an early death....

As for the beak, personally, I'd have an avian vet do a blood test to check the liver and kidneys, as an overgrown beak/nails could be a sign of organ failure.

Sorry though I'm not much help! Maybe they need a change in diet or something?

Stephen · by **Stephen** on Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:42 am

I have taken birds for a car ride before and then they started laying again. Are you feeding pleanty of calcium 4 cluctches a year seems like a lot for any bird to me....

Good luck

Stephen

petdiva · by **petdiva** on Tue Jul 22, 2008 3:08 pm

I have a pair of greys that just quit laying eggs about 9 months ago. Previous to that they laid about 4 clutches a year for the 4 years that i have had them.

Four clutches a year is too many. Usually, birds should only lay a couple times a year max. I agree with Purple Heart and MFids that she needed a break. I have a pair of Sun Conures that laid eggs while I was still handfeeding their previous babies. They had not done that before for me, although I would not be surprised if they did for their former owner. I was not happy because I knew it wasn't good for the female. And it didn't turn out well. After I pulled "the baby," I took off the nest box. Also, I met someone who let their Greys overbreed. She told me that they started mutilating the babies. If birds are allowed to overbreed, eventually it turns out badly for either the female or the babies. Another concern of mine is all the people who can't afford their pets right now because of the economy.