I've had my paired up budgies for 5 years, once before the female made a nest in a play log and layed 4 eggs which she later broke, i think that the nest was not appropiate since she barely could fit in it.

Now, 3 years later she was trying to make a nest in a seed container so i rushed to the pet store and got a

real nest, she went in as soon as she saw it and started spending lots of time in it.

I don;t want to scare her and open the box, her looked slightly dirtier than usual and her droppings are

bigger. It has been 5 days or so since the nest arrived and even yesterday she was coming out a lot to eat and play with her mate but will go back.

Today, she hasn't come out at all since i've been home for 3 hours and i can see her in there but don't know if she is okay. The male is going in the nest ocassionally and stays there for a few min.

I want to make sure that this is normal. He has been feeding her but now it worries me that she won't even stick her head out at all.

Is this normal?

They are not tame and i just dont want to open the nest box and have her freak out.

Sorry, cannot help you there, one of the breeders should be along shortly. It is good that you can see her from a distance.

i would tap on the outside of the box lightly to give her a warning you are aproaching, it sounds like she is getting ready to use the nest box, when you tap on it she should come out just open the lid a tiny bit and have a peek in , it wont do any harm, just go slowly and quietly.

 

would love to see pics. you never know you might get a suprise wih something in there if so make sure you keep up the fresh vegies greens and calcium if she is going to produce eggs.. and learn all you can about breeding and babies. good luck

A 5 year old hen that has only had 1 round is not a good breeder. She will have trouble. Add Cod liver oil to her seed. Calcium to her water, both at the surgested dose.

 

I would not have added a nest box. It's a bit late to remove. I hope for the best for you.

 

You have about 3 days before the first egg is due. I would read up on breeding especially Egg Binding.

good point daz i forgt about them being the age they are, perhaps they are not going to be good breeders, be aware as daz said about egg binding and the complications.

I breed my hens no older than 4 years of age. Even 4 year olds can have trouble with eggbinding, or retaining a soft shelled egg and such like. All life threatening conditions. It's possible, is it, that your hen is even older than 5 years ? Since you have had her for about that long and she may be older again ?

If you are still going to proceed, you will need calcium in her water as Daz says and the cod liver oil in the seed. She will need to be in the best of health both now and leading up to this stage....good diet, supplements etc. You will have to watch for signs of egg binding and soft shelled eggs....unable to pass an egg. You will need a hospital cage ready for her if she takes a sudden downturn in her health and the phone number of an emergency vet who is specialised in birds ...Avian vet. Watch her if she is TOO LONG in her nest as she may be trying to pass an egg that won't come. What colour is her cere right now ?

I would retire the hen ( if it were me ) and if breeding is what you want to do, use birds 12-18 months of age. Hens should be retired at around 4 years of age and cockbirds can go till 5 or 6 depending on all being right. :offtopic:

Edited March 21, 200718 yr by Bubbles

All good advise given there.

 

I will add that what you have described is normal behavior for a nesting hen, the poops become large and runnier. Once an egg appears some sit on them straight away and others once there are 2 or 3 eggs.

 

You have to get over your fear of scaring her from the nest if you are going to continue them on this path. For the heath of the hen and future babies you need to check at least ONCE a day twice is better (morning and afternoon) . Do as Rexy said tap on the box so the hen knows your about then open the box.

okay so i finally looked yesterday since the hen started to come out more

there were 2 deflated eggs, i was going to throw them out but left them in there since i don't want her to feel she has to lay more. This morning she layed one while she was on a branch outside the nest

the egg fell all the way to the cage floor, didn't break and i put it up in the nest.

Just want to clarify it was not my intention to breed this old pair, she just started making a nest in the seed container so i found it humane to buy a nest and let her do it if she was so decided to do it.

Otherwise she is healthy and has been eating fine and flying, and playing with his mate.

will keep you updated. I want to take the nest out but don't know exactly when to do this so she stops

for good.

A "deflated egg" is a soft shelled egg and a certain sign the bird is lacking calcium. I would not proceed as the next egg or one after that could become stuck. Soft shelled eggs more often than not get stuck. The egg that dropped will be no good either. Sorry. :sad: I would take the nest out. After that any egg thats laid will probably be dropped from a perching position. In my experience they usually only lay one from a perch and then stop. Nestbox is the incentive to lay. (except Phoebe's experience ).

I have had two hens with soft shelled eggs stuck and they nearly died. Thanks to hospital cage and medications and my vet experience I pulled them through. In all seriousness...I would remove the nest, if I were you.

Edited March 23, 200718 yr by Bubbles