This is unexpected. Pippin and JJ were on 13-hour nights because of an increase in friskiness. Friskiness ended, but eggs resulted. I didn't think enough hanky-panky had gone on to result in viable eggs, but I was wrong.

I wasn't going to let them keep the eggs. I was going to be big tough birdie owner who boiled the eggs without a care in the world.

And then JJ started singing to his unhatched babies. And I broke. He sings softly to the eggs when it's his turn to sit and it's possibly the most adorable thing I've ever seen. I will try to get video, but he stops when I get close.

Pippin laid them in their "toy bucket", where I put their foot toys at the end of the night. I put in shredded paper temporarily so the eggs weren't sitting on plastic, but will be purchasing an actual nest box and proper bedding during my lunch break today. Denali has been moved to another cage, since he was extremely interested in the eggs and the other two were extremely interested in making him go away.

Four eggs were laid. They smashed the first one, the second one died (they initially seemed to be confused about the whole 'you have to sit on the nest at night too' thing, and apparently sat on just enough for the egg to start developing, but not enough to keep it from chilling). This morning I candled #3 and #4, which was laid late to replace smashed #1. Both are developing, maybe 2-3 days along comparing to guides.

I do have some worries that Pippin and JJ aren't bonded...I can't tell. They share the "nestbox" fine and don't fight, but they also don't seem particularly interested in each other (well, JJ is crazy about Pippin and Pippin doesn't reciprocate). The only thing they do together is explore potential nesting sites, which they've been doing for months now. So...we'll see how this goes, I suppose.

Congratulations on the babies! I know you didn't want them (I didn't the first time either) but if all goes well it will be a lovely experience in the end.

Bonded pairs don't always put on big displays of affection. Buster and Shodu rarely preen each other and don't make a big deal about their relationship, but they're very good at raising babies together. Exploring nest sites together is a major sign that they're bonded, and if they're sharing the nest and eggs well I think they'll be fine.

Yeah, I wondered if Pippin just isn't particularly demonstrative. She won't let JJ preen her either, but everything JJ does he does enthusiastically, which usually results in him accidentally plucking her feathers.

I want babies but...I don't want to contribute to more birds without homes, you know? Right now on craigslist there's a person selling something like 12 cockatiels because "they just kept having babies!" and I don't want to be that person. Oh well, I at least tried to prevent them. I was all set to take these eggs too (our parakeets have laid a fair few that I boiled, no problem) and then JJ started singing...little stinker. He knows exactly how to manipulate me.

Quick question that I'm sure has been answered--move the nest all at once or slowly? Right now the nest is on the ground; should I move everything to the nestbox and let it stay on the ground, or move everything up? JJ's a bit defensive, but Pippin has no problem with me screwing around with her nest. Their toybox isn't going to be big enough once the babies have grown a bit (it's a circle, maybe 7 inches across), and they wouldn't be able to get out to fledge, so I have to move them.

Congrats on the egg development!

I would put up the nest and let them explor it. Once they are used to the nest, you can transfer the egg there.

Oh, and for fun: Pippin and JJ both trying to sit in their bucket.

When Shodu has laid eggs in unauthorized places I put up the nest, put the egg inside, and the eggs were being incubated within 20 minutes. But those eggs were laid in a place that was completely un-nestlike. You could try putting the nest in place and installing the eggs right away, then watching to make sure the parents accept it quickly. Or you could put up the nest and put the eggs inside after you see that at least one parent has gone inside the nest.

Very cute in their bucket. I probably would've cracked and kept the eggs too after I saw what you did.

They are very cute in the bucket together.
I guess you could boil some of the eggs . . . but, you've probably thought about that. I would find it hard too.

Hoboy, we are terrified of the nestbox. They've gotten over the initial fear of it existing in the same room as them, now we've gotten past them being terrified of it being attached to the cage, now I've stuck millet in the hole to try to entice them to actually enter it. Right now they fly to it, take a bite, panic, and fly away.

I think moving the nest might be a two-day job.

Good luck on the babies! Make sure you keep us posted