Budgies having babies

Marguerite

Active Member
We're in shock here - after years of the same layout, and having a nest box just lying around in the same room as the cage, our geriatric budgie hen has begun to lay her first eggs! Our boy budgie, the hand-tame one, is suddenly zipping around everywhere chasing her and making sure she stays on the eggs.

We're hoping our female is strong enough from all the flying she does (they live loose in the house during the day) to not over-lay herself.

Quite a surprise!

Marg
 

SRL

Active Member
We had a pair of raptors in a zoo in our region that did the same thing after many years of living in captivity, and despite having physical handicaps that made it unlikely for them to mate. The only thing that was different was that a wild one was hanging around that there was thought that his presence either stimulated the action, or perhaps he dropped in for a fling. ;) The wild one took off and left the pair to tend the nest, which they did faithfully until it was part hatching time and was clear the eggs weren't viable. It was interesting.

The zoo had to get special permission from the feds to allow the pair to keep the eggs because of the legalities involved.
 

Marguerite

Active Member
It's bizarre for this to be happening because I didn't think this pair were bonded. They're flock buddies, that's all. A flock of two. All the info says that they need to have other pairs around in order to breed; they won't breed if they don't get along; they won't breed in midwinter (which it is now) and won't breed if the nest box isn't in the cage. And we've not changed anything here, this he has never laid any eggs and we've never seen them mate. But now she's ;laying eggs, they're acting like they're bonded.

I've copped flak for allowing this to happen, but because they fly free all day every day, I suspect if they were triggered into breeding, it was most likely the sound of the large flock of lorikeets outside which we've begun feeding in recent months. There were a few babies being fed right outside our window and I think the sound of the babies begging may have been the last straw. If I turf out the nest box (which happened to be kept in the same room as our birds' cage, not set up or anything) then I suspect this hen will simply find a pile of laundry somewhere to lay another clutch in. So rather than risk that, I figure now she's started laying, I may as well let her finish and hope she's OK. She is very fit and healthy, she flies a lot every day, the length of the house over and over.

I'll candle the eggs tomorrow when I get the chance and the birds leave the nest. The male would let me look, but the hen isn't hand-tame, she's very nervy.

From what I can understand, the only way to stop her now, would be to lock her in the cage all day every day until she stops being broody. But I know that would really upset her a lot, she's been flying free all day every day since she was a year old.

They're a worry...

Marg
 

gcvmom

Here we go again!
That's very interesting...

We've had reptiles (red eared slider water turtle, alligator lizard) lay eggs several times despite there not being a male anywhere near. I'll be eager to know if your budgie's eggs are fertile!
 

Marguerite

Active Member
I had the chance to have a close look today - the first egg laid is definitely fertile, I saw the little heart beating. It's still a bit early to tell with the other two eggs.

Marg
 
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