7 1/2 yr old hen layed egg on bottom of cage today...

[Nocturnal]

I have not dealt with this before. I was hoping she wouldn't pull this, but my fears were realized as she has been acting nesty for months (shredding things, different posture).

I really don't think the egg is fertile. She is housed with her clutch from 4 years ago, two hens and a cock, and I have not seen any flirtation or mating going on at all between the two. What should I do? I want to take the egg away, but I'm worried that might encourage her to lay more, which I am afraid of her doing since she is almost 8 years old... I'm also afraid that if I let her sit and "play house" she'll try and lay more eggs to have a good and proper infertile clutch. Help?

[Marrie]

If you take an egg away from a hen before she is tired of it, she will replace it - usually if they clutch, they will lay more than one, but it may be several days before she lays another. If you don't want to risk it being fertile, you can take it away and boil it then replace it, or replace it with a plastic egg. Make sure she is getting enough fresh foods and calcium rich foods to not deplete her due to egg laying. She may grow bored of it soon.

[maxollie]

Since Spring is approaching, it just might be she decided it is time to lay an egg. Birds don't have to have a male around to lay eggs. It does sound as though she has been nesty in recent months. I do think if you take the egg away from her she will just begin the process all over again. And I know what you mean by "playing house". I have a tiel hen who has laid eggs every month since September, and I have no male tiel in my home. She is just a hen who "loves to play house and lay eggs". I've tried every last thing to discourage her, but she just continues living in her little "nesty" world. I'm sure you remember that it is necessary to supplement the diet with lots of calcium and fresh veggies when they are laying. I also had one clutch of budgies several years ago, and I also put some "wheat germ oil" in the seed. And of course plenty of cuttle bone and mineral blocks are good too. Like me, I think you are just in the middle of a situation that was created by "nature", and I don't know what can be done about it. You also can "candle" the eggs (get a real small pin size flashlight and look into the egg) to see if their is a fertilized embryo in the egg. If so, you will know that the male in the cage has played a part in the egg laying. Sometimes hens get rather aggressive and broody during the egg laying process. I can't say for sure that you need to take her out of the cage and place her in another one. I let my hen lay her eggs on the floor because I don't want her getting into a box and laying for sure! Hopefully some other folks will read your post and make some comments to you about the questions you have raised. Please keep us posted on how everything works out for you. I hope this information is of some help to you.