I have a 14 year old Congo African Grey parrot that I was told was a male when he came to live with me when he was just a few months old. His name is Newman and can talk, comprehend and carry on conversations just like a human. He is a total equal member of our family. Shortly after he turned 14 he started laying eggs once every few months.of course at this point we realized that whomever had sexed Newman had made a mistake and he was a she. Being a she and laying eggs was not a problem to us except that even though we do not plan to mate her she has quit talking to us and has turned mean and actually attacks us now. Does anyone know if this will pass? We love her with all our hearts and this is just crushing us emotionally. Is there anything we can do? We still talk to her like we did in the past to no avail. Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.

I'm not very familiar with parrots, but I have had birds all my life and currently have two cockatiels.

One thing that's dangerous about having a female that's laying constantly is that constant egg laying is dangerous to her health. Sadly birds can't be spayed. You could try egg inhibition. That entails keeping her in a dark cooler room for at least 12 hours a day every day. The problem with domesticated birds is that they live in warm homes, with plenty of light, and therefore think that every day is spring, and time to lay. Birds won't lay in the colder darker months in the wild. Keeping the room a bit cooler (not cold, but cooler) and dark for at least 12 hours a day, will make the bird think it's fall or winter, and not time to lay. At least that's the theory. It didn't work for my birds.

The aggression and change in behavior may very well be because of the hormones she now has in her body, hormones that are attributed to egg laying. Sadly there's not much you can do about it. Hopefully it will pass with time, just like most hormonal teens tend to snap out of it when they get a bit older. But this is just a guess on my part. As I said, I really don't know a lot about parrots.

There are many bird experts all around the world. I would try to look for one in your area. I was very lucky. We had a shop called "Tiffany's bird Shoppe" where I live. Sadly it's now closed, but the man that used to own it knew more about birds than anyone I've ever met. That man was amazing.

I'd suggest googling "Parrot experts" and then your area. Or maybe place an ad looking for a parrot expert. Do not go to a pet store for advice, they barely know the names of the birds they sell. You could also find a breeder, talk to him her about your Grey.

I'm sorry I couldn't be more help. Good luck with your teenager. :)