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View Full Version : He's a she! And what is she doing?



Jaycer17
02-02-2021, 07:31 PM
Hi all, been a while. Thought I'd stop by with a quick little update: discovered about a month ago that Sky's a female... when she laid her first egg! I consulted with a couple of experts and she's doing more than fine, just making sure she gets enough calcium. She laid another egg in these days, to my shock, but I've been informed it's normal. I've taken the appropriate measures to control it so there's no risk.

Another thing, she's been starting to do this, as you can see on my Instagram post (she sort of clatters her beak while doing it). Can anyone tell me exactly what she's doing? I've been told it's like saying she likes me or is accepting me, but I'd like to know for sure --it looks so cute, but I don't want to just laugh off a warning sign!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJcnLWxHF-l/

linda040899
02-02-2021, 08:01 PM
When a Lovebird lays an egg, there's no doubt about gender........ :lol I've found out that way several times! You will find she will be very protective of her eggs, fertile or not! They are HER eggs, period! You will find she may do one of two things. She may incubate them or she may lay them and ignore them. Either way, leave the eggs along until she abandons them (if she's incubating) or wait a week or so after the last one has been laid and remove them if she's ignoring them. If she's paying attention to them, removing them will cause her to keep laying in order to complete what she considers to be her clutch. Extra calcium is very necessary so she doesn't deplete her own supply as she's forming egg shells.

As for the video, the spread wings and uplifted tail feathers are female soliciting..... She has no lovebird mate so you have become the mate instead. Sky is a very pretty lovebird!

Jaycer17
02-03-2021, 03:00 PM
Got the calcium covered, thanks to the good people of The Bird Store here near Orlando. And OMG, she's even done this with my wife, it's so endearing... We've been debating getting her a mate when we move to a bigger house, but I'm afraid that'll ruin the relationship with us. (And thank you, yes she is, very cute!)

linda040899
02-03-2021, 03:45 PM
I have a couple of male/female pairs who are bonded to each other and still have a good relationship with me. Instead of having just one lovebird buddy, I have a pair.....

I just realized that you are in FL, just as I am. I'm halfway between Tampa and Lakeland. I just love it here, except when we have cold weather like we are having right now. Most of my flock are older so I have to make sure they are warm enough once the sun goes down.

Getting Sky a companion is something you can continue to think about. In the meantime, she has you and your wife and she seems to love both of you! :)