# Constipated bird?



## Guest (Jun 27, 2011)

My 3 year old ringneck dove has always been healthy. Clean and neat feathers, 2 eggs laid twice a month, the egg’s shells have never been soft, and I noticed her weight fluxuates. I’m no expert on birds, but I know a lot. I’m not too educated on this medical stuff though. By her weight fluxuates, I mean some days she is heavier than others. Some days she is light because she just passed an egg or 2, the other days she feels a little heavy because she is about to lay eggs. 
So last night, I go into her age, she’s sitting on 2 eggs, I get rid of them, I take her out to do her big poop that she always does, and instead, a long string of poop came out, and got stuck, so, I had to help her out. But this morning, she went to the bathroom just fine. She is also still very heavy.. is it possible she is holding her poop inside her ? And what particular food will help this. On the other hand, her mate is just fine. They both drink from the same water, eat the same seed, and pick at the same grit.

Thank you


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

RingneckDoveFan said:


> My 3 year old ringneck dove has always been healthy. Clean and neat feathers, 2 eggs laid twice a month, the egg’s shells have never been soft, and I noticed her weight fluxuates. I’m no expert on birds, but I know a lot. I’m not too educated on this medical stuff though. By her weight fluxuates, I mean some days she is heavier than others. Some days she is light because she just passed an egg or 2, the other days she feels a little heavy because she is about to lay eggs.
> So last night, I go into her age, she’s sitting on 2 eggs, I get rid of them, I take her out to do her big poop that she always does, and instead, a long string of poop came out, and got stuck, so, I had to help her out. But this morning, she went to the bathroom just fine. She is also still very heavy.. is it possible she is holding her poop inside her ? And what particular food will help this. On the other hand, her mate is just fine. They both drink from the same water, eat the same seed, and pick at the same grit.
> 
> Thank you


she may need more breaks away from sitting the eggs, and it is good to let her sit them so she will not lay so close together and deplete calcium stores.. letting them bath can keep them clean if anything sticks to the feathers near the vent.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Do you replace the eggs with fake eggs?


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## Guest (Jun 27, 2011)

These birds have a cycle. It can't be stopped. I've kept 2 of her real eggs in their up until she laid 2 more right on schedule.
And even if I keep the eggs in the cage, what will that do? Eventually she will stop sitting on them, then what do I do, take them out of the cage weeks later, or keep them there forever? Eventually she will lay more eggs. That's what they do.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

RingneckDoveFan said:


> These birds have a cycle. It can't be stopped. I've kept 2 of her real eggs in their up until she laid 2 more right on schedule.
> And even if I keep the eggs in the cage, what will that do? Eventually she will stop sitting on them, then what do I do, take them out of the cage weeks later, or keep them there forever? Eventually she will lay more eggs. That's what they do.


We're not telling you to stop the cycle. 

Letting her sit on them or fakes allows her to rest a bit. Just for as long as it would take for babies to hatch (17-19 days)--then you can remove them when/till more are laid. Sometimes when you take them immediately the hen lays immediately and that is unhealthy.


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## *Emmie* (Jun 26, 2011)

my ringneck has also had some.. erm , stiff poops after laying. she has had quite a bit of trouble while she is sitting on eggs - i think she just holds it too long. what i have started doing is allowing her cage to remain open and placing absorbent liners just outside the cage under her favorite perch . this allows her to come out and poop when she wants without her feeling like she is soiling her nest.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

RingneckDoveFan said:


> These birds have a cycle. It can't be stopped. I've kept 2 of her real eggs in their up until she laid 2 more right on schedule.
> And even if I keep the eggs in the cage, what will that do? Eventually she will stop sitting on them, then what do I do, take them out of the cage weeks later, or keep them there forever? Eventually she will lay more eggs. That's what they do.


You can use fake eggs and she can sit those for a few weeks.. they do tend to slow down laying in the winter, sounds like your letting her sit the eggs which is good... but I think she needs more breaks off of them for like an hour or less, offer bathing, then let her back with her eggs.


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## Guest (Jun 27, 2011)

I don't understand what laying and sitting has to do with what I'm asking.
I want to know why she is so heavy.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

RingneckDoveFan said:


> I don't understand what laying and sitting has to do with what I'm asking.
> I want to know why she is so heavy.


she may be heavier because she needs to expell more droppings.. they tend to get backed up or constipated as you have said she is, from sitting allot, or she is gaining some weight from being inactive.


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## Guest (Jun 28, 2011)

Thanks guys, she's fine now. I just get scared when something little goes on with these little guys.
But I made her a special dish with watermelon, blueberries, green peppers, yellow apples, and hard boiled egg white/yolk. She's back to a normal weight. It's so weird how fast she can go from being so heavy to so light in a matter of a few hours.

And what I gave them today for food was okay right? Peppers and blueberries won't hurt them? I never read anywhere about giving them peppers and blueberries specifically.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

not sure, sounds good though.. if they eat it.. mine liked fine chopped spinnach and carrot., you probably should go easy on the extras though..esp if she is sitting allot. I fed harrison's high potency fine..it was the best feed, they just really got healthy on it..they were rescues and the food made a big difference.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

spirit wings said:


> not sure, sounds good though.. if they eat it.. mine liked fine chopped spinnach and carrot., you probably should go easy on the extras though..esp if she is sitting allot. I fed harrison's high potency fine..it was the best feed, they just really got healthy on it..they were resuces and the food made a big difference.


Your birds will eat carrot? Jeez, mine are picky. Did you have to teach them what it was, or did they just go for it? If I offer carrot they give me the "are you stupid" look and ask for grapes and other super sweet treats.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Libis said:


> Your birds will eat carrot? Jeez, mine are picky. Did you have to teach them what it was, or did they just go for it? If I offer carrot they give me the "are you stupid" look and ask for grapes and other super sweet treats.


I don't know why they ate it.. I grated it fine and you know they are curiouse ,and I did not hover watching. .just gave it on a flat plate and went about my bizz.. they ate it everytime... birds are weird sometimes one does this and another does not..so I just introduced it a few times and left it in there for a few hours..


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Some of mine love the finely chopped carrot, and most love chopped Kale or other greens.
If yours don't, then try offering them on occasion. They probably just have to get used to it. If they don't know that it's edible, then they won't eat it. But if they see it often enough, they will probably try it.


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