Chili the Cockatiel Hen

Chili was a 2 year old cockatiel hen. She presented to us for having a one day history of being fluffed, lethargic and having a poor appetite. Recently, Chili had been laying a lot of eggs. She had laid almost 15 eggs in the last month! She was sitting on the bottom of the cage with her eyes shut and had obvious breathing difficulties.

On examination, Chili was in good body condition. She had squinted, almond shaped eyes (which is suggestive of pain in birds). On abdominal palpation her pubic bones were approximately 1cm apart and an egg-like structure was palpable just below her chest. Her faeces were dark green which indicated that she was anorexic and hadn’t eaten in the last 12 hours. A provisional diagnosis was that Chili was egg bound. Chili was hospitalised and given a calcium injection, as egg bound birds are often calcium deficient. She was also given meloxicam to provide pain relief, and was force fed with Roudybush formula 3 handraising formula to provide energy. The following day, Chili laid her egg. It was normally shaped but was very thinly shelled. 

There are numerous factors that contribute to egg binding in birds. These include nutritional deficiency (seed based diets), excessive egg laying, exhaustion, infection and neoplasia. The risk of egg binding can be minimized by ensuring your bird has a balanced diet consisting of pellets, fresh vegetables and fruit. If your bird is a chronic egg layer, she should have a consultation. It is a serious risk to your bird and there are many things that can be done to reduce the frequency of egg laying.

Practical Advice on Egg Laying

Winter solstice has been and gone. Day length is increasing, which is a major stimulant for breeding in birds. While owners are not able to control day length, we can alter other factors that stimulate breeding. Most of these involve diet or management. We recommend that owners discourage their pets from laying eggs, as it can lead to the development of egg related problems such as egg binding and yolk peritonitis. Both of which can be fatal if left untreated. Often the presence of eggs causes changes in your bird’s behaviour that can be unpopular. Phone us for an appointment with if you have any concerns about yours bird’s health.