Lottylee wrote:
> Hi, I have a nanday that is 15 years old. Last year, she did not lay
> eggs for the first time. This year, she is now in her second clutch.
> I have never had her lay eggs in the summer. Her spring clutch was a
> long one and I was very glad when it ended. Should I be concerned for
> her health to start in again? She probably had a 4-6 week break
> between clutches. If I call the vet, I know his response: Bring her
> in for hormone shots! I have never seen that go well with a bird.
If a bird is happy and receives a good diet, more than one clutch in a year is fairly common.
However, multiple clutches can take a toll on a hen. A particular danger is calcium defficiency, which can cause her to be egg-bound.
How long has it been between clutches? That is the best indication of how worried you should be. If it's been a couple of months, and she has had a good diet in between, then you probably don't have much to worry about. All the same, you might want to buy some cuttlebone and scrape it over her food, or add some vitamins to help her body build up its resources for the next few months. You should also watch closely to see if she is egg-bound (she'll look distressed and have an obvious bulge).
I agree with you that hormone shots are not the first answer. They might become necessary if your bird produces more clutches, but not at this stage. In fact, if she is in the middle of laying eggs, they wouldn't help and might compromise her health.
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