Conure chewing boxes to nest.

[echobird]

Peachy my yellow sided conure is female. She is loose from 9am til I go to bed which I then put her back in the cage. For sometime at 10pm she flies to the top of the shelf which has boxes.
Yesterday I went to check what she does up there. she has chewed the boxes making tiny fluff paper. I removed the fluffy paper. Last night she went up to the shelf and noticed
no chewed pieces and came to me and spent time on my lap. First time she has spent time with me since she started doing this. More bonded. Not sure if she will go up there tonight though.
I was told she will continue to this one place or another to lay eggs til she gets older.

Someone clearify whats going on. What do I do. No I do not want her to lay eggs. I only have one bird.

My other conure was male which passed so this is new to me. I need to know If im doing wrong removing her work.

Thanks in advance.

[maxollie]

Hi, and welcome. Personally, I would remove the boxes if at all possible. Or, cover them with something so she cannot chew on them. The boxes do encourage hormones and nesting. And I agree you do not want her to start laying eggs. That opens an array of challenges including egg binding, chronic egg laying, and possible prolapse. This behavior will not end now that she is started. It will always happen on occasion, even when she gets older. Keep any shredded paper, paper towel, etc., out of her cage.

Also, do not use happy huts or tents in the cage. Hens consider them a nest, and will lay eggs in them. When you touch and play with her, do not touch her body or under wings or top wings. Only give her scritches on the top of her head. Now that she is trying to build a nest, the touching also uptakes her hormones. And do not put any type of nest box in her cage either.

Feed no soft foods, nor any eggs, including boiled eggs or egg food you can purchase in a petshop. Check the seed mix to be sure it does not have egg food in it.

[echobird]

Thanks Maxollie
You answered it just like I want it. Straight to the point.

[Pipers Mom]

Ellen gave you great advice. I would also like to add that you need to cover your bird earlier to trick her hormones. Now that the days are getting longer, it only increases the hormone levels. I usually cover my bird around 6pm-ish. He is a male. Don't expect any miracles to happen right away in regards to decreasing the hormone levels, but it does work.. may take 2 or 3 weeks.