# Savannah is sitting on two eggs



## Mikey Did It (May 14, 2009)

Savannah, my African Gray 'sweetie' has laid 3 eggs (so far) in the past 8 days. The first was on the cage grates and cracked so I had to throw it away. But I lined the bottom of the cage for any that follow because last year at this time I kept taking the eggs away and she kept trying to replenish her 'nest'-- she laid 5 eggs before I 'caught' on and quit removing them -- 8 eggs total!!. Once I quit removing the eggs, she settled in to 'brood' them and gave up after a week. And she's lived the carefree life of an 'empty nester' for the past year -- until this week...
So now we have two little eggs (Eggbert, Eggberta and waiting for Eggton the III). She's been brooding since Weds, but still comes out of the cage for snuggles in the morning and at night when I change her papers.
This is always a scary time for me; but she's in great health and on a varied diet all year round.
I was told to keep her on seed only because the 'abundance of fresh food,' is what stimulates her to nest. But that just doesn't seem very kind (or particularly healthy). Thoughts anyone????
Oh! forgot to mention Savannah is an 'only' child, so her eggs are not fertile.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Nedra,

I'm sorry to hear that Savannah is determined to raise a family on her own. 

I don't understand why anyone would say you should limit Savannah's fresh food intake. :S

Producing and laying eggs robs your bird of the vitamins, proteins, and calcium she needs to stay healthy. It is especially crucial during the breeding season that she is on a complete and balanced diet.

A seed diet supplemented with vitamins is not adequate.

Make sure she is getting lots of calcium in the form of cuttlebones. If you also need a calcium supplement for Savannah, Calciboost or Calcivet would be good options.

Full spectrum sunlight is necessary for your bird's calcium metabolism, and can be provided by unfiltered sunlight or by a full spectrum flourescent bulb.​Things you can try next year to keep her from laying again include

Ensure she is in complete darkness for 12 hours each night with complete quiet
Rearrange Cage interior and change her cage location
Do not pet her on her back or tail 
Remove any "love" toys from her cage and discourage breeding behavior (such as trying to "feed" you)​
I hope that she won't lay as many eggs this time since you now know not to remove them :fingerx: and that she'll give up on them again fairly quickly this time around.*


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Thinking of you both at this time, I know she is in expert care with you there to keep an eye on her. :budgie:


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

I'm sorry your Savannah is in the laying mood...
My blue masked lovebird Penguin sporadically lays an odd egg every once in a while. In her case she doesn't care for the egg(s), so I just take them out. Despite this, I keep offering a varied and balanced diet, the same I offer to my birds that are not breeding. All her needs are met, she has a good calcium source, a good seed mix, veggies, fruit, sprouts and the egg food during moulting time.
To me it doesn't make sense to have a bird only on seeds just because there is unwanted egg laying. I see that food deprivation as punishment.

I hope your sweetie gets over her motherly instincts soon. Good luck!


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