Ways To Stimulate Budgies To Breed?

[Guest BudgieLove]

I've had a pair of budgies for a long time, and I am always attatching and re-attatching the nestbox (i take it out for a few weeks sometimes, if no luck), and both the male and female most definitely take interest in it right after it's put in. They have been in breeding condition for a very long time, it's very rare that they aren't; the female almost always has a dark brown cere and the male has a deep blue cere. Their courtship behavior is a little different than most i've seen. Although the male is always feeding her and "kissing" her, they don't usually sit next to eachother or cuddle, since the female will nip at the male to push him away. The never fight or hurt eachother, it just seems like she's a very snobbish girl who doesn't really like to cuddle, and only wants food. :(Laughing out loud): She is always in and out of the nestbox though, checking it out, being fed by the male from the opening, and occasionally ripping up the newspaper on the bottom of the cage.

 

That's as far as it's ever gotten though, she's never laid an egg in her life! (They're both a little over 2 years old.) And i've never seen them mate before; the only time he has ever mounted her was when she was first put into the same cage as her, which was over a year ago.

 

So as you can see, i'm very puzzled and i'm not sure what more i can do to stimulate them to 'mate' or lay eggs. They are both healthy and in good condition, and i've been interested in this and reading up on it for years, but i've never had any luck. I was thinking that there are some distractions in the cage maybe, such as toys and mirrors and such, and maybe taking those out would help? Also maybe adding some nesting material (although usually they don't care for that, i'm assuming) or even placing a fake egg in her nest box?

 

Any suggestions and help is really appriciated!

[Feathers 0]

Hello, there is a chance that the hen is too far past breeding condition. It is usually best to put a pair together when the cere starts to turn brown.

 

There is also the possibility that she doesn't see the nestbox as a safe place for a clutch. There could be many reasons for this, such as the nestbox being too low, or the nestbox entrance not being private enough. To help her feel more secure, if you have them in a normal cage cover 3 sides of the cage with a blanket and make sure the nestbox is placed up high with the entrance facing away from you.

 

There is also the possibility that one of the budgies are fertile.

 

Some inexperienced budgies just 'don't get it' and they may take a year or more to get their act together.

 

 

Feathers.

[Daz 0]

Here is some information in our fact section.

 

Why won't my hen lay an egg?

[kabel05 0]

You could try adding another pair that often stimulates the hen to lay. I know it's worked before.

[Elly 0]

The article Daz posted is excellent

 

Making sure your hen is mentally ready if very important. You can stimulate her to lay but she may not be ready to have a clutch and it could fail due her not taking care of the chicks right, not laying etc...

 

Patience is best and you will find everything will work out.

[**KAZ** 0]

You could try adding another pair that often stimulates the hen to lay. I know it's worked before.

You dont have to add another pair. Just the sound of budgies nearby will do that without adding another pair to either breeding environment or aviary.

Edited June 11, 2007 by **KAZ**

[Maryb 0]

Hi guys, 

I have some questions about budgie breeding. I'm new to this forum but I've had budgies for awhile. I'd like to just give some background info before I start asking questions.

I have 4 budgies - 2 males and 2 females. I've had the males for well over a year, one of them (a blue English/native mix) is over 2 years. The other male is native green. Of the females, one is over a year and is white colour (not albino) and the other is a light-wing, bright green opaline (she is just over a year).

All 4 are somewhat bonded to each other. The blue and the white female are especially close, so I used them as a mate pair last year. The female laid a clutch of infertile eggs last year, and it was her first time. The blue male is very devoted to the female but has some problems when it comes to actually mounting the female. He seems to not quite get what he's meant to do - he even took up the female mating pose once (crouched down bum up in the air while the female desperately tried to get him to mount her).

They are all in breeding condition, all healthy and have been on breeding diet for around 3months prior to the nest box being put in each cage. The nest box was put in 17 days ago. So far, both females immediately took the the nest boxes and spend most of their time in them. There are no eggs yet, however. The white female seemed to exhibit signs off egg bum, but did lay, so I took her to the avian vet who told me there was no egg but she was otherwise healthy. I tried to ask why she had the bulge if there was no egg but I didn't get an answer. I have examined her today and there seems to clearly be an egg in there (her abdomen is very swollen and droops down, her vent in enlarged and when I stroke the abdomen, I can feel a hard egg-sized lump).

The other pair have no signs of eggs yet but they seem very attached - they sleep cuddled up next to each other right outside the nest box entrance and the male often feeds the female. (however, it's this opalines first time breeding)

Now to my questions. 

Why does the blue male seem so oblivious to mating? 

How can I help the females lay their eggs easily and safely? (the white female had to be induced by the vet last time because she wouldn't lay. She wasn't egg bound, she just didn't lay and the vet didn't know if she would do it on her own. She had help with the first egg but laid every other one successfully on her own afterwards. She laid 5 eggs total.)

How long should I wait before trying new pairs of they aren't successful? 

Is there anything else I can do to help stimulate successful and safe breeding? 

 

Side note:

Diet - was on peckish breeder pellets but now on vetafarm budgie crumble. 

Get fresh veggies everyday 

Vet told me to put a supplement in their water, so they have that everyday as well. 

They have a shower every other day, and sit in the warm, humid air for a bit to relax. (I can't give them flight exercise in their room because they tend to fiddle with the nest boxes and the females get tetchy)

Please any advice is welcome!!