Bare Eyed Cockatoo's- when do they reach sexual maturity? Will a female without a male lay eggs?

Question

We have a bare eyed cockatoo- s/he is 5 years old now. We haven't had it sexed, but I suspect it's a 'he'. Lately he has been fluffing his chest feathers. He isn't pulling them out, he's just twisting them around so they don't lay flat and his down is visible. I thought that they reached sexual maturity around 3 years of age. Given that we've never seen an egg- I've assumed he is male- as it is my understanding that a female will lay eggs even if they are unfertilized. But this recent chest fluffing has me wondering. Is this a female beginning to brood? I'm more inclined to think this is a form of feather picking. Once 3 years ago, we went away for 2 weeks and he pulled feathers out on the shoulder of his wing until he had a small bare patch. He settled and stopped when we got home and we haven't had a problem since. We went away again this summer for 2 weeks, and now this- although to be honest he started this slightly before we left. What's up? Does he just need more attention?

Answer 1

Between 2 & 5 years of age they can reach sexual maturity.

You will know when little corellas (what you call bared eyed) reache sexual maturity because their behaviour often changes & for the worst. They can be temprementle horrors when reaching sexual maturity & really all you can do with this is sit it out & wait, & avoid being bitten. They do eventually get through it.

For the feather picking. I'd look at other issues. Obviously she wasn't happy when you went away for 2 weeks. This was her way of dealing with not having you around. They can become so attached that they can be very stressed if you leave just for a short while or even if something around or in the home has changed. Lack of attantion (they're needy) & incorrect diet can also cause feather picking.

She may have seen the signs you were going away again & so started feather picking before you left. Give her time to accept you're back & staying, loads of cuddles & sucking up to her until she calms down. Hopefully she will settle down in time & stop feather picking. The sooner she stops the better. If they do this for too long it end up turning into a habit & once a habit it's almost impossible to break.

You can also healp by getting a sock buddy for her.
http://www.thesockbuddy.com

They're the best solution for helping to prevent feather picking.

Answer 2

They will lay eggs without a mate but it is less common with the larger parrots so the lack of eggs is no guarantee of a male. I have two female cockatoos, the umbrella produced her first egg at 13 years of age and the 13 year old goffin has never produced one yet. My goffin is a seasonal plucker, usually starting in the spring and recovers completely by fall. She does this every year and it wasn't until the 3rd year that I realized it was a pattern. She starts and stops the behaviour regardless of what I do. She started around 5 years old as well and concentrates on the chest area. Even with hormonal plucking there still is a concern that it will turn into a habit.
Routine is really important with them. I would advise not starting any pattern of extra attention or interaction that you cannot maintain over the long term. Good luck with your bare-eyed!