After the vet called
I made a return visit to the University where she was checked over
inside and out. They felt she had dropped the "clog" sort to speak
that precedes laying eggs!! Laying what? I wasn't
ready for this. We just got her. I hardly knew her. We weren't
bonded yet. I knew nothing of delivering babies, carrying for them
or feeding them. What happened to the precious little baby that
liked to sing and eat crackers on my shoulder??
I called the
pet store to ask if she did this before? "No" was the clerks answer
but I guess she is about ready she's eighteen months old. Old????
So now I have an OLD EGG Layer??? I started reading every book I could
get my hands on. But I knew I wasn't prepared for this and I certainly
didn't think that little baby was either.
Well the little
baby became a vicious carnivorous creature standing (or should I
say sitting) proudly on her nest. Nest? lol that was
a laugh. She had a couple pieces of food and a piece of paper
from the bottom of her cage. As if this wasn't bad enough who
wanted to tell her she was sitting on a blank egg.
She was alone
not with a male to fertilize it or even help nest the egg so it was a terrible
drain on her physically and emotionally. No one could get near
her or the cage without being attacked. Jacob's feelings were
really hurt thinking this was a direct insult to him. Jacob
did not give up and soon was able to put his hand into the cage.
In fact, Sydney welcomed his love pats, walking up for food and water
while Jacob was there beside the nest. I guess she felt he was the
male influence and would protect both her and the baby.
Breeders differ
in their ideas when it comes to removing the blank eggs from a female.
After a day of thought we decided to reach in and remove the eggs for
her own well being. This was not a fun task but Jacob decided to
be the one to do it. Sydney was a little taken back at first but then went
on about her normal business. Once again she was playing and singing,
preening and loving the fact of being held or carried from room to room.
This practice
did not last long and once again she was sexually frustrated wanting to
lay eggs, which she did one right after the other. She would not
take a male to breed with so we came up with the idea of trying a female.
Hence, Woody was added to
our flock. Don't laugh it worked. We called them the
two old spinsters. They would preen each other, share food, share
their perch (as long as Sydney allowed), and they also bathed together.
It was quite a sight to see.
With the
flowers of springtime and the warmth of the sunshine Sydney was ready
for Paris in Springtime. She caught the eye of woody her female companion.
She would slowly move over to woody preen a little, move back a little
luring Woody to her corner of her cage. Poor Woody didn't know what
to think other than there was a horrible mistake or misunderstanding on
Sydney's part. Either way Woody stayed as far away as possible.
After that spring
Sydney pretty much laid eggs whenever she felt like it no matter what time
of year. We tried everything medically available but nothing seemed
to work. We didn't want to separate the two of them but we thought
it best to try Sydney with a male mate.
Our flock of
feathered friends had grown to the point that we couldn't bring anymore
into the family. Jerry spoke with a breeder at the pet store
(Jerry visited every week) about our problem. She said she
would try mating each of them with other male cockatiels.
Neither would accept a male period.
They are still
old spinsters but loving every minute of it. Still preening and helping
each other with their egg hatching (blanks). But don't tell them
that they are too proud of their accomplishments.
Sydney's life
soon became nothing much more than laying eggs, playing for a short time
then laying again. We talked with several breeders trying everything
suggested but finally came to the same conclusion she wanted to lay eggs.
Some procedures
that were offered were also very harmful and could result in death.
Those ideas were dismissed without any hesitation.
After many months
of decisions being made then broken we decided to give Sydney and
Woody to the pet store. We didn't have the facilities to add anymore
to our family we were already busting at the seams. This seemed to
be the best decision for all, especially Sydney. With this
decision we thought she might find a mate which could help alleviate her
problem of constant egg laying.
Judy (pet store
owner) had many types of birds that she raised including what seemed like
thousands of cockatiels. This was not an easy decision for us but after
speaking with several people the idea of Sydney finding a mate might be
the answer. But the two spinsters just seemed to like to hang
out together. Jerry and Jacob visited every weekend playing with
them when they were not watching over their hopeful eggs.
Jerry never came
right out and told me but I feel Sydney passed away.
The vet warned that the stress would eventually wear her down.
The subject is never brought up. In many ways so Jacob doesn't find
out. I know it would be heart breaking for him to find she was gone.
He was very close to Sydney but actually I feel he was even closer to Woody,
but it was too hard not letting them be together after watching over each
other for so long.
They loved us
as their human parents but the bond between the two little spinsters was
too strong for anyone to want to break. We love you kids and
pray wherever you are now you feel the warmth of full eggs beneath your
nest. God Bless You.
