This seems like a silly question, but does a hen need to mate every time she lays a fertile egg? What I mean is, can a hen mate once and then produce (for example) 7 fertile eggs or would she need to mate, then lay an egg and then mate again to lay another and so forth…?

 

The reason for this question is that my budgies have recently raised a clutch (3 budgies survived out of the 7 eggs but the 3 are very cute!). These baby budgies hatched around 6 weeks ago. The babies are now cracking seed on their own (have been for a week) so I removed the nest box yesterday as I did not want them to continue breeding (I think the hen is tired and I don’t want anymore budgies as I am not a breeder it was just a once off). However, after I removed the nest box, she lay an egg on the grate at the bottom. I was shocked as I did not realise they can start laying eggs again so soon after raising their first clutch. I was not really sure what to do, so I separated the hen from the cock (and the 3 other babies) and I have put the nest box in for the hen and placed her egg inside. I am hoping she will stop at this one egg as she will not be able to mate being alone (hence my initial question). If anyone has any thoughts or ideas to shed on this situation, it would be greatly appreciated . Thanks!

This seems like a silly question, but does a hen need to mate every time she lays a fertile egg? What I mean is, can a hen mate once and then produce (for example) 7 fertile eggs or would she need to mate, then lay an egg and then mate again to lay another and so forth…?

 

The reason for this question is that my budgies have recently raised a clutch (3 budgies survived out of the 7 eggs but the 3 are very cute!). These baby budgies hatched around 6 weeks ago. The babies are now cracking seed on their own (have been for a week) so I removed the nest box yesterday as I did not want them to continue breeding (I think the hen is tired and I don’t want anymore budgies as I am not a breeder it was just a once off). However, after I removed the nest box, she lay an egg on the grate at the bottom. I was shocked as I did not realise they can start laying eggs again so soon after raising their first clutch. I was not really sure what to do, so I separated the hen from the cock (and the 3 other babies) and I have put the nest box in for the hen and placed her egg inside. I am hoping she will stop at this one egg as she will not be able to mate being alone (hence my initial question). If anyone has any thoughts or ideas to shed on this situation, it would be greatly appreciated . Thanks!

Hens often start the next round of eggs when the chicks are still in the nest. If she is tired and not up to this, I would remove the nestbox. She would lay one or two from the perch and stop. As she would have nowhere to lay them she WILL STOP. Its probably best she goes into a cage alone to recover, realise she has nowhere to have more babies and the egg laying should stop at the second egg laid while perching. Make sure she has no nesting materials or containers to lay eggs in.