How Does a Cockatiel Give Birth?

Laying the Eggs

Cockatiels are prolific birds. They breed easily and lay eggs once every two days. The groups of eggs are called clutches, and they range in number from three to five eggs per clutch. They are small, about the size of a thumbnail. Some females have been known to lay eggs that have not been fertilized, which should be removed from the cage when the bird stops sitting on them.

Incubating the Eggs

Eggs are sat on, or incubated, for 18 to 22 days. It is not unusual for the male bird to sit on the eggs as well. If you do not want to encourage hatching, or even egg laying, try covering up the cage earlier at night and removing the cover later in the morning. The darkness prevents breeding or egg laying.

Hatching the Eggs

Once the eggs hatch, the baby birds should not be handled for two to three weeks. After that, handling will socialize them and help them become more trusting of humans. After four to five weeks, the babies will fledge, or grow feathers. Cockatiel babies are usually fully weened by the time they are 10 weeks old.

Resources

• Caring for Cockatiels