Instructions
Signs of Ovulation
Observe your parakeet being more playful than usual. This may include regurgitating seed toward herself in the mirror or on a favorite toy. She may also create a nesting area.
Observe your parakeet at the bottom of the cage. She may appear to be straining. This is a sign that an egg is about to be laid.
Watch the bird's cloaca (opening under the tail) as the egg emerges. If the bird strains for more than a few hours with no egg, this may be a sign of egg binding. Place a dab of warm olive oil on the cloaca to aid the laying. If the bird still has difficulty, take her to a veterinarian immediately.
Count the eggs as they emerge. A parakeet will lay every other day until she has three to nine eggs. If she continues to lay, she will deplete her strength and become sick. Remove any nesting areas and discourage further egg laying by having a dog or cat walk around the cage.
How Can I Tell When My Parakeet Wants to Lay Eggs?
Female parakeets will lay eggs with or without a mate within their first year of life. However, any eggs laid without a male parakeet will not hatch because they will not be fertilized. Most breeders recommend waiting until the female is 1 year old to attempt breeding. Parakeets do not appear swollen or pregnant when they prepare to lay eggs. However, once a parakeet begins laying, she will generally produce an egg every other day for two to three weeks.