fertility

[Tony Bucci]

Last year I purchased a pair of bonded blue parrotlets. Obviously, they are old because they have a yellow eye ring in their eyeballs. The hen laid 8 eggs in the first clutch. The eggs were all infertile. I removed the eggs one month later after she laid her first egg.
A month later she laid another 8 eggs, the same problem occured, all eggs infertile.
I removed the nest box and the old male replacing the male with a green/blue one year old male. They immediately became friendly to each other. Replaced the nest box, and same problem accrued, infertile eggs.
I removed the nest box for a month and left the young male with her.
The same above explained happened again. This is her 4Th clear clutch.

How common is this with parrotlets?
How many years the parrotlet hen is god as a breeder?(canary hen is only good for 3 years as a breeder)


Tony

[Tony Bucci]

Evidently there are not many experienced parrotlet breeders on this forum to answer my post.
Today while reading "Beginner Tips" on the Budgie Forum a suggestion is made "that a Budgie hen should not be over 3-4 years old and the cock should not be over about 5 years old. After these ages complications are more likely to occur and fertility rate in eggs can be reduced".

Could it be that parrotlets fall in the same category?
Parrotlet being a small bird like the budgie is.

I have four more pairs of old Parrotlets, and I am having same results. "No Fertility" "No Eggs". And by the way, they all have yellowish ring in their eyeballs.

I will never purchase old parrotlets as breeders any more.
Live and learn!
Tony

[chapala]

Thanks for sharing your experience Tony. As you know, most of us here are not breeders, though Phil often pops in to share his expertise.

It would seem to me that Parrotlets would be fertile far longer than 4 to 5 years old, since I'm assuming based on what I've read that they can live for 20+ years. Anyone know longevity statistics for P'lets? That would be interesting to learn also.

Do you know the ages of the older breeders you bought? How old are we talking about?
Reta

[Tony Bucci]

Reta,
I don't know. I came to the conclusion they are old from the short(1year)experience, and research as I explained in my previous post. The ring in their eyes, the repeated clear eggs.

Some canaries will live 20 years. The canary hen does not lay eggs after the age of 3-4. This is where I have 70 years of experience. (I know I am no longer a breeder)

The other old Parrotlets that I have are lethargic. They sit next to each other after they eat. They take a nap like I do.

I got taken by unscrupulous breeders. When I asked them how old they are, These are the typical answers you get; they are bonded breeders pair. They live 30 years.

My conclusion: I will never buy a Parrotlet with the ring in their eyes if I want him or her to be a breeder.

Tony

[chapala]

Yes, sounds better to start with a young pair, and the cost factor evens out rather quickly if you get babies from them, and none from the older birds.

Interesting that canary hens don't lay after 3 or 4 years old though they live for far longer. You would think that animals would reproduce at least up to half their life span. Course in the wild with lots of hazards and predators, birds probably often don't reach their potential life span.
Reta

[Tony Bucci]

Reta, you are absolutely correct.
How many people reach the potential life span? I am now 79 1/2. In the past 2 weeks I went to 3 funerals of friends that were much younger than me. But, I don't smoke and very careful what I eat.
Birds in captivity live much longer, the reason; no predators, they get fed better,(providing the keeper is aware of proper nutrition)etc.
Why the feather color mutations are practically non existing in nature?
Can you imagine a white mutation in nature? how long can he or she would last? The predators like hawks would find them quickly. There is a good reason why wild Parrotlets are green, a perfect color to hide amongst the leaves. The wild canary is also green. I have seen a white house finch that came to my back yard feeder only for two days.

Tony