How to prevent breeding?

[Ayla's Mom]

Hi all!
I've been away from the forum for some time now as I've been reajusting to life with a new job, and acceptance to school for my Masters degree. It is exactly for these two reasons that I am looking to find my Ayla a friend. That said, I have a few questions:
First of all, I do not necessarily want my Ayla and her new friend to mate and have babies because I just don't have the time for properly hand-feeding and socialising them. AND, I do NOT want to dump off the babies at a pet store like some people I have known. Given this stand point,
1) should I find Ayla (whose sex is undetermined until we get the results back from DDC) a lovebird friend of the same sex or the opposite sex?
2) if I should and do end up getting her a mate of the opposite sex, are there ways to prevent them from laying eggs? I have read that by not providing the pair with a nest box and proper nesting material, I can prevent little lovebird babies being born into this cruel and fast-paced world:p Is this true?
Thanks guys!

[Janie]

First and foremost, get the DNA results and go from there. If she is really a "he", I'd get a male buddy since males generally get along well together. If she really is a "she", I'd probably still get a male but keep the eggs that will likely follow from becoming fertile. Freshly laid eggs are not fertile for several hours (12 to 24 I think) and you can remove each egg laid, boil it for a minute, mark it, let it cool and return it to the nest. Repeat that with each egg laid and let the hen sit till on those eggs. You could also remove an egg that's just been laid and replace it with a "dummy" egg, plastic or one you've made with a certain type of clay. There are several ways to get around hatching babies w/o destroying a fertile chick. There is no way that I know of to keep a couple from mating and producing babies unless you keep the eggs from becoming fertile. If you find out your lovie is a hen, you can get another hen but chances are less likely that they will get along well enough to be caged together.

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Another option to consider, especially if you have concerns about your bird getting along with another bird, is that the birds do not necessarily have to share a cage. They would have each other to "talk to" while you are not home, and you can let them play together under your supervision.

Actually, even if you do decide to house the 2 birds together, I would highly recommend doing this anyway, at least to start, so that they can get used to each other slowly, and you can make sure that your bird will accept the new bird.

[Ayla's Mom]

Thanks guy!
As per your advice on the whole second cage option, I am certainly down for that and in fact have been looking for a second cage anyway.
But my concern is that I have read that if your hen lays eggs ONCE, then she will "ovulate" regularly and this will drastically affect her health. Is this true? If so, I want to prevent her from laying eggs at ALL costs!
P.S. Let's hope Ayla is actually Aylo! :p That way I can get her/him a good (male) buddy!

[Janie]

I don't have hens but I've read there is a shot that might slow them down from egg laying. :confused: You've have to ask an avian vet about that. If you have a hen, you're going to get eggs even if she is an "only" bird. You can try some of the methods in the breeding section to try to delay nesting and egg laying but eventually, a hen is going to start laying. Some are chronic layers and others aren't. I think Lori's "Lacey" went more than a year before laying a second clutch but after the second, she double clutched and laid again very soon.

[BarbieH]

I think they only use that hormone injection for chronic layers; there can be some side effects from the hormone, so they don't give it unless chronic laying is also creating health risks.

From personal experience with nesty hens who have mates, I think substituting the real eggs with dummies, very soon after each real egg is layed, is a good solution. If you do the switcheroo soon enough, nothing has started developing in the egg. Boiling the eggs is also effective, but I personally don't have the stomach for it.

Best wishes,

[Ilovelovies]

From what i have read on the subject, apart from administration of hormones or spaying, which i personally would not consider unless it was a matter of life or death, the only options are to remove anything that may stimulate breeding behavior such as dark confining spaces, toys( small plastic birds) and so on. Also recommened was to leave the grates on the bottom of the cage to give an unsuitable place to lay and sit on eggs. Although this hasn't worked for my sister who has a hen that layed on the grates anyway:roll:. Being that laying eggs is natures way of the continuance of the species and the urge is so strong, i'm afraid that with your best efforts, mother nature may win out eventually;) . Maybe with your best efforts you could delay it for awhile:)

Sharon

[Janie]

I think they only use that hormone injection for chronic layers; there can be some side effects from the hormone, so they don't give it unless chronic laying is also creating health risks.


Thanks for that info., Barb! :) Spaying and neutering are not possibilities with birds as small as lovebirds, correct?

[BarbieH]

That's very correct, Janie. :) They are just too small.

[Ilovelovies]

I have read it is possible to spay lovebirds although it is a very risky and complicated procedure because of the anesthesia and size. I guess that information was incorrect. I apoligize for any incorrect information i have given:(

Sharon

[BarbieH]

Not to worry, Sharon. :) It probably is technically possible, but given all the risks involved, it just isn't recommended -- like you said. In fact, I think it would be pretty hard to find a vet who would agree to do it if there were any other options available. For larger birds, I think it is done more often (and please, someone correct me if that's not true); but for the smaller species, no.

Best wishes,

[Ayla's Mom]

I've just got my fingers crossed that Ayla is actually a male!

[Janie]

I have read it is possible to spay lovebirds although it is a very risky and complicated procedure because of the anesthesia and size. I guess that information was incorrect. I apoligize for any incorrect information i have given:(

Sharon

Sharon, no problem or apology needed. :) The reason I asked Barb if that was correct was because I wasn't sure. I have mentioned it casually to my vet and thought she told me that lovebirds are too small, in her opinion, and she would not attempt to spay/neuter one but I don't doubt that there are vets who might consider it.

[Tango's_Mom]

Sharon, no problem or apology needed. :) The reason I asked Barb if that was correct was because I wasn't sure. I have mentioned it casually to my vet and thought she told me that lovebirds are too small, in her opinion, and she would not attempt to spay/neuter one but I don't doubt that there are vets who might consider it.

You are probably right, there are probably vets who would do it, but I would seriously reconsider my choice of vet if I found one that would, in a case where the risks, far outweigh the benefits, and the survival rate is probably not very high, I would seriously consider the motives if a vet who recommended, or was willing to take those risks for such an elective procedure. Don't get me wrong, I am a strong advocate of spaying and neutering pets, but not if the danger to the pets life from the surgery is so great, and the reasons for doing the surgery are simply a matter of convenience.

Also, I'm fairly certain that since the anatomy of a bird is so different from a mammal, reproductively intact birds don't have the same health risks as dogs and cats. For the females they have not mammary glands, so they can't get mammary cancer, and the avian uterus, is really not analogous to the mammalian uterus, so they wouldn't have the same risk set. And for the males, there is no prostate gland, therefore they cannot get prostate cancer the way unneutered male dogs can get (especially if they are not being bred).