My new budgie pair that I got on the weekend has laid an egg of the perch. It has not cracked at all. I would like to try and save it. I have put it in their nest box but obviously she is still too stressed to go in there. She is showing no signs of wanting to at all. I put her in myself and she just came out.

 

My question is how many eggs can I foster into another hens nest.

 

I have molly on eggs at the moment but dont want to overload her with too many. This is her second clutch. Last clutch was only 5 and they were infertile

Edited October 14, 200816 yr by Neat

Have you candled Molly's current eggs? How many does she have at the moment? The eggs may not be viable if they did drop all the way of the perch but if she just layed them on the floor you might be able to save them

I assume this is the pair that you rescued and took the box out of the cage

I would be checking to see how many of Molly's eggs are fertile...

How high was the perch that she laid from?? Even if it was fertile and it didn't break, the knock could still have damaged the chick inside (if it is fertile)

 

I'd probably agree with neat. I personally would get rid of the egg and close up the nest box so that she didn't think about nesting yet... give her a while until she was completely settled...

 

Its really difficult to say how many eggs you can fostor to one chick... one might strugle with 2 chicks the other might struggle with 6... each hen is different...

 

Has Molly ever been a parent for you?

and How old are your birds??

You said that you took the nest box off this pairs cage, why is it still there?

They are in a cabinet as they are being quarantined and it is the only cage spare. I had blocked the nest box off however when I found the egg I opened the box and put egg inside and hen hoping she would sit.

As they are in a breeding cabinet the perch is not very high

 

All my birds are over 12 months except one which is only young and in a cage of its own.

 

I havent candled molly's eggs yet as the first one was laid last friday. She has 3 already.

 

She has never had babies while she has been with me.

 

She is very good though and sits all day. I am putting millet sprays in with her because of that.

If you candle them now the first one atleast and maybe the second should be starting to show signs of viens growing. If not then you can probably safely assume that atleast the first one might be infertile and you could probably take the risk of adding an extra egg or two.

I have just candled the first 2 eggs and they both appear to have veins in them. I think I will add the egg and just keep a close eye on everything.

 

Thanks

There is always the option that if you feel Molly has enough you can take out the last couple of eggs she lays to keep the numbers lower.