The first step facing African Grey breeding is the age issue. If your pet starts laying eggs at approximately 3 years old and you start feeling guilty about tossing the infertile eggs. It's time to start shopping for a mate. Look for documentation of age. Research only the males that are proven to be at least one year older. Females will not accept younger males for breeding. They will accept younger males for company as well as other species.

These highly intelligent creatures are so sensitive to their environment, that it is not an easy task to make them comfortable enough to breed in captivity. It takes dedication and commitment or a real special staff. If you are exercising any intention of breeding your african grey pet be prepared to lose your best friend. Once they bond as couple the bond between you and your African grey pet is history! They have a primary bond and secondary bonds. If you are fortunate enough to have a bird that bonds equally with in your family, I'd advise strongly against converting to a breeder. That is a rare, special bird ...fulfilling a balance to your family. Of course as families grow up and evolve .... there may come a time when it is in the best interest of your African Grey pet to introduce them to a mate.

The last clutch of eggs had not hatched after 32 days. Cara, my hen, came out of her nest and gave me the I'm done look, so I took one egg from the nest and candled it. There are many techniques and expensive equipment to accomplish this, but a strong flash light held under the egg will shine through an infertile egg. None had any signs of dots or dark spots so they were removed. I guess she found her own form of birth control. Now I know why Dude, my male, is losing feathers about his neck.

Her vitamins, now go directly into her scrambled eggs as well as the egg shell. The shell is nuked for one minute before grinding, in order to remove the thin membrane inside the shell. This assures any chance that the hen will become interested in eating her own eggs. The supplements are offered to them twice a day in a variety bowl of fruits and nuts and egg mixtures. It is my belief they know more of what their bodies need than any bird doctor. The variety bowl is returned to the refrigerator until next feeding to prevent any bacterial growth if left in the regular breeder feeding bowl.

I'll keep you posted as to how this new method works. I know they have been making nicy nice in the nest for the past few mornings, so I hope they are over their spat and have good lucky soon.

Shocking news. One week after pulling and candling the infertile eggs. We've got another egg. Undoubtedly, the infertile eggs don't take as much out of the hen and /or the Nekton-S vitamins are working well. She looks good. I'll continue the post as events occur.

I took the daily Neckton S out of the scrabbled eggs. The odor was getting stronger each day even with daily cleaning. I feared the ammonia content may endanger the health of their tiny lungs. I will re- introduce every other day when the babies hatch and

I have found in my ten year experience of breeding greys, that the single hatch is the most challenging to raise. When in two or three to a clutch they hook their necks and balance each other's weight for excellent bone development. The single hatch has no natural support and usually ends up on it's back. This is deforming and can be a deadly position. In the wild the nest is made of wood and can be daily formed for maximum support and growth. It is abandoned at the end of the season for a new custom design for each clutch.

Unfortunately, my last baby hatched during a family crisis. All I could do was set it upright every chance I could and let Momma do the best she could do. On the third day the family crisis had subsided to the point I removed the babe and began the two hour feedings around the clock. I placed the tiny baby in a small styrofoam cooler inside the incubator and set the temperature for 90 degrees. I rolled a small hand towel inside to create the depth and size of a nest and lined with a paper towel for daily sanitation. Momma hen watched intently as I struggled to rescue the babe. By the end of the week the egg was replaced with a sanitized golf ball and the nest was removed for leg exercising. A small rubber band was placed on one leg above the foot and crisscrossed in a figure eight to the other. It was adjusted and or replaced with each feeding. Soon his legs were strong enough and straight enough to carry his weight. The band was permanently removed.

The weight of the head and neck was another issue. I created a card board collar lined with paper towels to prevent irritation.  It had to be secured with tape lined again with paper towels and fastened under the right leg to pull the head to a correcting position.  If at first you don't succeed ... try, try again.   Well the third time was the charm.  Finally, it stayed on and didn't encumber his movements.  After three days, I removed the collar.  Victory!  For about 2 days.  Then he started favoring his head over the left wing and it had to be replaced.  He has been in it going on two weeks now.  Out grew it once and had to replace.  Fingers crossed ... at the end of two weeks hope to take off and have a healthy bird.  If not ... back to the brace.  Will keep you posted.