Sometimes, birds that are anxious to make a nest will lay their first egg on the bottom of the cage. I personally try not to let it get to that point, so that in the future, the pair is not used to doing this in order to get a nestbox. If I am not prepared to raise babies at any point because of other responsibilities, then I do not give my pairs a nestbox and hope that they know not to begin nesting.
Lovebird pairs should be 10 - 12 months of age before you set them up for breeding. Both birds must be this age -- especially the female. Problems can arise if the birds are younger. They will need to be a bonded male/female pair. If you inadvertantly have two females together, they may fight for the nestbox. The birds should be bonded before introducing a nestbox, meaning that they should have been introduced to each other a while before and have shown that they like each other. Many times, you'll see the male feeding the female in the weeks leading up to when they would like to start making a nest.
If all of these above things are accomplished and you are prepared for babies, then you can attach the nestbox to their cage now.
Good Luck!
Jessica
Love 'n Let Aviary
