# So many eggs, how to discourage?



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Fiona just laid her ninth egg last night since we rescued her from the animal shelter 10 months ago. Have put dummy eggs now in place of her real ones. But she laid the latest egg at the other side of the flight cage. We are putting calcium and d3 in her water. Am seriously considering getting her a deslorelin implant because I worry about her bone health. She is so good to the eggs. Wish we could just get her a mate and let her raise her young. She looks so happy each time she lays her eggs. Any suggestions? Thanks.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

My suggestion is, why try to fix normal? Her laying habits sound normal. I'm assuming most of the 9 eggs in 10 months have been in pairs. A way of perhaps giving her stimulation to lay is to not handle or pet her, if a lone hen is handle and perhaps petted they take that as mating and will want to lay some days later. So no stimulation could help reduce the laying. Shortening daylight will also have an affect on laying. My pigeons slow down allot during the fall early winter, and build back up after the winter solstice.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

thanks, spiritwings. Will avoid handling and try to reduce her daylight. Am just worried she will lose bone calcium or get too worn out.


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## RamseyRingnecks (Jun 18, 2013)

If you are worried about her calcium, keep her supplimented with it.

It sounds like she is sight mated to you and her laying pattern seems perfectly normal.

Just let her keep them the full 18 days. While she's setting, she won't be trying to make new ones, and the rest will give her body time to absorb the calcium supplements.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Will do, thanks!


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I have the same problem with "Catnip" and all the suggestions sound just terrific to me. Catnip just laid 12th egg since Spring and she is my TV buddy because she cannot be put in the loft at this time because of her disability with nerve damage in the neck but this sure has not stopped her from laying eggs. She is about four years old and very special to me..


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Catnip sounds like a wonderful bird. Thank you for caring for her with her special needs. Fiona doesn't have any health problems yet but with so many eggs, I worry.


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