Trained Parrot BlogParrot Wizard Online Parrot Toy StoreThe Parrot Forum

Bulge Near Vent

Talk about bird illnesses and other bird health related issues. Seeds, pellets, fruits, vegetables and more. Discuss what to feed your birds and in what quantity. Share your recipe ideas.

Bulge Near Vent

Postby Cockatude » Sun Dec 12, 2021 9:47 am

My African grey is 25 years old. I gave him a male name and thought of him as male. Now he has laid an egg. I am telling myself he's just going through a phase.

The egg episode was several weeks ago. Today I noticed a bulge down by the vent. Is this something that happens before an egg pops out? I hope I'm not going to have to deal with regular deliveries from now on.

He...she...likes to tear up boxes, so I provide several a week. Usually, they disappear in a hurry. The latest one has lasted a long time. She sits inside it all day. I am wondering if this somehow stimulates egg production.
Cockatude
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 32
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Congo grey
Flight: No

Re: Bulge Near Vent

Postby Pajarita » Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:58 am

She is nesting and yes, the bulge means she is getting ready to lay another egg. My Sophie CAG does exactly the same thing. She tears up boxes until it's time to nest and then she spends her entire day in one and lays her eggs in it. End of September, October and November is breeding season for grays (they are short-day breeders) but she should be on her way 'out of it' because the winter solstice is in about 10 days - mine is already almost out of it by now but she is kept at a super strict solar schedule and not free-fed protein food so, if yours does not completely 'come out' of it in 2 weeks, please re-evaluate her light schedule and diet.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Bulge Near Vent

Postby Cockatude » Sun Dec 12, 2021 12:19 pm

Thanks for the reply.

I confiscated the box because I read it will stimulate more egg-laying. I read that laying eggs is risky, and aside from that, I get bigger eggs at the store. He loved the box, but I don't want him to get hurt.

He showed zero interest in the last egg and didn't care at all when I removed it.

SHE! So hard to get used to that after 25 years!
Cockatude
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 32
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Congo grey
Flight: No

Re: Bulge Near Vent

Postby Pajarita » Mon Dec 13, 2021 10:51 am

:lol: Yes, I can imagine how hard it must be to call him a 'her'. Personally, I neither agree with taking the 'nests' out nor with the premise that laying eggs is risky for birds - this is what they do to procreate and nature is no fool. I actually give mine nests and a higher protein diet when they are in breeding condition (I also give my hens a dose of Calciboost for every egg they lay). In my mind (and in my experience, because I've been doing this for many years and it has worked like magic -never had a single eggbound hen, an off-season or a chronic layer in over 50 years of keeping birds), the best thing for birds is to allow them to live a life as close as possible to the one they would have lived in the wild and that means following the seasons, same as they do in the wild. So, if it makes you feel better, take the box away but, in my opinion, frustrating (read 'stressing') birds by making things difficult for them does not really work in their best interest - or ours!
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes


Return to Health, Nutrition & Diet

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests

Parrot ForumArticles IndexTraining Step UpParrot Training BlogPoicephalus Parrot InformationParrot Wizard Store