can someone please help me, our budgies laid 5 eggs with the first being laid around the first of august. How long before they start to hatch? She sits on them all day and night, and always on them all. will they eventually hatch or are the infertile? If they are infertile why does she still sit on them?

 

Thankyou

can someone please help me, our budgies laid 5 eggs with the first being laid around the first of august. How long before they start to hatch? She sits on them all day and night, and always on them all. will they eventually hatch or are the infertile? If they are infertile why does she still sit on them?

 

Thankyou

 

Firstly hi and welcome. Budgie eggs take 18 days to hatch, but sometimes the hen (mum) doesn't sit tight right from the start, so you can always count from day one. The other thing... they may not be fertile. You'll need to candle them. Shine a torch through the eggs. You'll be able to see something in there if they are. If not they will be clear. (check out this website for more help Candeling eggs) As to your question about why she sits on them if they are infertile... sometimes they just do. Usually after awhile she'll get sick of it and leave the nest.

Edited August 22, 200816 yr by maesie

The hen usually sits tight on them after the 3 egg is laid which would of been about the 5th August of she laid the first egg on 1st August approximately. So it would be about 18 days from then so possible 23rd August the first should hatch but I would give her until about the 30th until I removed any eggs that hadn't hatched. Good luck.

i think I will try the candling, when is the best time to do this? I dont want to disturb her too much. I might wait until tomorrow (the 23rd) and try then if nothing is happening.

 

Thanks, Im finding out heaps of info on here.

 

Could anyone tell the possible colour outcomes of the babies. The mum is white with pale violet on her chest and the male is a mixture of olive green with blue and yellow through him. I think they called him a rainbow?

 

Thanks again

I can't help you with possible colours, but with candling it is eaiser to do it when it's dark as you can see the details more. She shouldn't mind to much, just take them out one at a time and candle them. You could mark any that are fertile (with a grey lead) but just do it softly. Then it will be eaiser to know the ones that should hatch. I ususally wash my hand well and dry. I have a small bowl with some tissues in it, take the eggs out one at a time and candle and then place into the bowl. When all done I replace them and the hen is happy as! Good luck and let us know how you go. Another thing to remember is to tap lightly on the door of the nesting box, to let her know you're comming. That way shy won't get a fright

If you arent comfortable candling the eggs ....handling them at this stage....you can tell by the colour of the egg. The fertile ones are a solid white..the infertile ones are a creamy pinkish colour.

Like this

Fertile egg on the left ...infertile egg on the right ........see the difference in colour ?

Hi and Welcome ...

 

This is a great place to learn and ask questions ... Remember we were all beginners once and no questions is too silly .. Where about is Aust are you ?

 

If you can post a picture of MUM & DAD ( budgies that is ) we will be able to tell you what they are and what your

babies may turn out to be ... There is a link in my signature that tells you how to post a picture

 

I look forwarded to reading more of your posts and questions and seeing pics ..

 

With fertile Egg Blessings

 

Neat

hi, I had no luck with candling the eggs but once I saw the picture with difference in colour I now know I should hvae 4 fertile eggs and one infertile. How silly of me I kept wondering why that one was a different colour.

 

Will be going out soon to check on the eggs so fingers crossed

hi, I had no luck with candling the eggs but once I saw the picture with difference in colour I now know I should hvae 4 fertile eggs and one infertile. How silly of me I kept wondering why that one was a different colour.

 

Will be going out soon to check on the eggs so fingers crossed

 

 

Good luck, Hope all goes well for you

You don't even have to touch the eggs I just place a small strong torch next to the eggs & you can see which are solid or clear...welcome to the forum & good luck.

Eggs can take anywhere from 17 to 25 days to hatch. it depends on the ambient temperature, how tightly the hen sits on them and when she started sitting on them. The warmer it is the sooner they will hatch as warmth speeds up metabolism.

 

I had one that hatched at 17days

Edited August 23, 200816 yr by Sailorwolf

I saw the picture with difference in colour I now know I should hvae 4 fertile eggs and one infertile. How silly of me I kept wondering why that one was a different colour.

 

Not silly of you at all!!!

 

I only found out that way abot 6 - 9 months ago

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

these are the best pics I could get. Hope you can see their colours enough etc.

 

Thanks for your help. I have also read the hen can sit too tight on the eggs. How can you determine this

Edited August 24, 200816 yr by molly

This is hard to determine, But have a marble, or fake eggs on hand just in case

Usually you can tell that a hen sits tight after a the first or 2nd baby is hatched ..

You may get squashed chicks Or when /If they develope splayed legs

 

I will probably be corrected on this - So wait until other members have replied D

 

Here --->Is an article some good reading in there

Edited August 24, 200816 yr by Neat

there is still no sign of anything happening with these eggs. Im really starting to worry.

 

I think I will leave it still at least another week or so but wish something would happen soon. My children are so excited and keep asking me if they have hatched yet.

 

I am thinking of getting a new pair and putting in a separate cage. Does anyone know of any good places in perth and what cost for the birds I would be looking at?

 

Thanks

I would wait for at least 30 days after the last egg was laid before giving up. As the first few eggs laid may not be fertile.

i have just checked on the eggs again and they seem to be turning a different colour, not the pinky colour like in the picture. The mum still seems to be sitting on them continuously though. Should I just remove them and give her a break, maybe try again orleave them? Is there some way once removed they can be incubated just in case.

 

Im just worried as to how long she can stay there.

I am thinking of getting a new pair and putting in a separate cage. Does anyone know of any good places in perth and what cost for the birds I would be looking at?

 

There are lots of fantastic breeders right on your doorstep in WA. Kaz is one - PM her and see if she has any available for sale at the moment

 

i have just checked on the eggs again and they seem to be turning a different colour, not the pinky colour like in the picture. The mum still seems to be sitting on them continuously though. Should I just remove them and give her a break, maybe try again orleave them? Is there some way once removed they can be incubated just in case.

 

Im just worried as to how long she can stay there.

 

She will be fine in the box - its normal for her to sit in there all day and night. She will stay in there once the eggs hatch too. As long as the male is feeding her well, she will be fine. As SW said, dont remove the eggs until at least 30 days after they were laid.

If they are changing from Pink to WHITE ..LEAVE HER!

The whites are fertile eggs :hap: :D

 

I do the same as Norm hold a bright torch ( LED lights are the brightess)

I am thinking of getting a new pair and putting in a separate cage. Does anyone know of any good places in perth and what cost for the birds I would be looking at?

 

There are lots of fantastic breeders right on your doorstep in WA. Kaz is one - PM her and see if she has any available for sale at the moment

 

I do have some birds for sale right now. PM me if you are interested.

just an update, Today I went out to check on the eggs because I saw the hen going in and out of another nest box. When i checked them they were all cold and she wasnt even worried about them. I removed them and took them inside. They all looked from the outside that there was yolk all down the bottom with nothing else, so my husband opened one. The babies had not formed at all.

 

Is there a reason this would have happened? was she not sitting on them correct?

 

should I let her try again since this was her first and hope things work next time?

just an update, Today I went out to check on the eggs because I saw the hen going in and out of another nest box. When i checked them they were all cold and she wasnt even worried about them. I removed them and took them inside. They all looked from the outside that there was yolk all down the bottom with nothing else, so my husband opened one. The babies had not formed at all.

 

Is there a reason this would have happened? was she not sitting on them correct?

 

should I let her try again since this was her first and hope things work next time?

Sometimes hens go to nest and lay too soon and the eggs are not fertile as she concentrates on nesting and egglaying and not the mating act. Age of the pair of birds comes into play and experience of the birds also. Sometimes too much feather on show types stops sperm reaching the hen properly.

Many reasons.

If you arent comfortable candling the eggs ....handling them at this stage....you can tell by the colour of the egg. The fertile ones are a solid white..the infertile ones are a creamy pinkish colour.

Like this

Fertile egg on the left ...infertile egg on the right ........see the difference in colour ?

Thanks for the picture Kaz, I was exactly looking for similar picture few months back and till now I was under wrong impression that white colour egg is infertile and pinkish colour egg is fertile one.

 

Kaz, when egg is layed it is white in colour and usually after how many days since this egg was layed, we can see this colour difference.