Pet's Day Out

Egg binding can quickly prove fatal—especially to smaller birds—so urgent treatment action must be taken. Even if you do everything correctly, there is no guarantee that the afflicted bird will be able to pass the egg and make a full recovery. Provide Warmth The most important thing you can do is provide the bird with warmth. Place it in a small cage at a temperature of 25-30 degrees Celsius (about 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit). Make sure cage is kept somewhere quiet, and is protected from draughts and anything else that could cause stress. If you don’t have access to a heat lamp, keep the bird in a room with central heating, a fireplace, or a space heater; but watch the temperature carefully. If possible, increase the humidity of the room with a humidifier, or simply by placing a dish of water beneath the cage. When handling an egg bound hen, be extremely careful. Rupturing the egg while it’s inside the egg passage can cause mortal injury. Provide Calcium If the bird is ...

Egg binding occurs when a bird is not able to pass an egg through its reproductive system. The stuck egg forms an obstruction that can cause severe health problems and death in birds if not detected early. Female birds housed without a mate can still suffer from egg binding. The condition is most commonly observed in smaller birds, such as budgerigars, lovebirds, cockatiels, and many finch species. Egg Binding Causes There are many factors that can cause or contribute to a bird becoming egg-bound. These include: Over-breeding, or encouraging birds to breed outside of their typical breeding season. Age: Young birds and old birds are more likely to suffer egg binding. Poor diet: Inadequate supply of calcium, vitamin A and protein usually caused by a seed-only diet. Poor housing; insufficient room to fly, exposure to temperature extremes, high stress. Deformed eggs; usually caused by one of the above factors. Cold weather Egg Binding Prevention Addressing the abov...