One of my budgies, Storm, has had 2 clutches in total. In each one she had 6 eggs, 2 hatched, (the last one only 1 hatched)..another one hatched but was found dead a few days later..and the rest, though fertile, were DIS. The amount of dead-in-shell babies, could that be because of the dad, who helps the mum sit on the eggs and when startled or feeding her, he kicks the eggs around?

I just need to know if there is anything I can do so not so many die and more actually hatch and survive..and why this is happening??

Thanks.

Edited January 30, 200916 yr by Jen144

Dad kicking the eggs around will be the main cause.

Okay so he is the main reason why so many eggs are DIS..is there any way I can stop that? The only thing I know what I could do is take the dad out, but that means he would have to be there for the first clutch, so that the second are fertile, and then take him out and let Storm raise the second lot? I couldn't let Storm raise two clutches on her own all the time...

Dead in shell can be other reasons too, but addling the eggs by kicking them around is one of the reasons that is actually occurring here. He could also be disturbing his hen in the nestbox to the point she isnt sitting consistently on her eggs which is another reasson they wont hatch. Is he a young or first time Dad ?

He may have to be put in an adjoining cage and only in with her for morning and evening feedings. If she raises babies alone make sure it is s small and managable number, like 3 or 4 maximum.

Edited January 31, 200916 yr by KAZ

He about a year and a half, maybe less. The two clutches she's had have been with him, and those were his first two.

So only have him in there long enough to fertilise all the eggs, and she can raise them on her own if there are a small amount of them..

Problem with having him in to feed her but not to incubate the eggs..is she won't breed (she's kind of claustrophobic I think) in a breeding cage, I have to put them in an aviary by themselves...So it's not easy to catch him and recatch him etc..

Any chance I could keep him in to fertilise the eggs, then take him back out and put him in when the chicks have hatched? Or will she treat him like a stranger and attack him?

Edited January 31, 200916 yr by Jen144

I actually said to put him in for the morning feed and out again and in for the evening feed and the rest of the time in his own cage.

So to put him in for the morning and evening feed of the chicks..but then he'd have to be in to help incubate the eggs too though wouldn't he? I don't get it..

Edited January 31, 200916 yr by Jen144

Isnt the problem that he is in the nestbox creating issues kicking around eggs ? Most dads dont help incubate the eggs anyway...its the hens job. She may well do a far betterr more peaceful job if he has little to no access to the nestbox.

Morning and evening SUPERVISED access for feeding the hen through the whole egglaying and chick raising process. If you havent time or cannot do this then you need to foster these eggs to another bird with eggs.

Yes the problem is that he is helping incubate the eggs, (by actually sitting on them, and also just sitting next to her all day) and in the process kicking them around when he gets distracted..(ie, feeding her, gets scared, etc)

So supervised access to feed Storm while she's laying and incubating the eggs..(I'd have to make sure he doesn't get in the nestbox somehow?) and then I can put him in permentantly once all the eggs have hatched? He feeds the babies fine, he just addles the eggs. Like I said though, catching him and taking him out of the aviary and putting him back in, etc, is kind of hard, as they are by themselves in a pretty big avairy..it'd stress them, wouldn't it? I'd think it would be better if I could just take him out, wait for all the eggs to hatch, and put him back in to feed the babies until they fledge. Would that work?

Edited January 31, 200916 yr by Jen144

Yes the problem is that he is helping incubate the eggs, (by actually sitting on them, and also just sitting next to her all day) and in the process kicking them around when he gets distracted..(ie, feeding her, gets scared, etc)

So supervised access to feed Storm while she's laying and incubating the eggs..(I'd have to make sure he doesn't get in the nestbox somehow?) and then I can put him in permentantly once all the eggs have hatched? He feeds the babies fine, he just addles the eggs. Like I said though, catching him and taking him out of the aviary and putting him back in, etc, is kind of hard, as they are by themselves in a pretty big avairy..it'd stress them, wouldn't it?

 

Avairy breeding makes this difficult....cabinet breeding would help in cases like this.

 

 

I'd think it would be better if I could just take him out, wait for all the eggs to hatch, and put him back in to feed the babies until they fledge. Would that work? Sounds like a plan.....keep food near the hens box so its all easier for her

Yes I know cabinet breeding would make it a lot easier, but she does refuse to breed and is constantly trying to escape when in a cage, unfortunately.

So if I put him back when the babies have all hatched, she won't think he is a stranger and attack him or anything?

Yes I know cabinet breeding would make it a lot easier, but she does refuse to breed and is constantly trying to escape when in a cage, unfortunately.

So if I put him back when the babies have all hatched, she won't think he is a stranger and attack him or anything?

She may....you need to judge that based on how bonded they are and how they react when put back together when ALL chicks have arrived.

Okay then. I'll take him out when all the eggs are laid, and put him back when they have all hatched...and watch carefully to see how Storm reacts. Thanks.

:rofl:

Kaz has given you some excellent advice which you should try.

 

If however, that doesn't work remember that most times when a chick fails to emerge successfully from the shell it is a sign of a natural weakness in the chick, ie. it wasn't meant to be.

 

There are a couple of things you can do to improve the hatchability-

1. Vitamin B supplements

2. Increase the humidity

 

But these options will be extremely challenging if you continue to aviary breed because you won't easily be able to manage the breeding environment.

Kaz has given you some excellent advice which you should try.

 

If however, that doesn't work remember that most times when a chick fails to emerge successfully from the shell it is a sign of a natural weakness in the chick, ie. it wasn't meant to be.

 

There are a couple of things you can do to improve the hatchability-

1. Vitamin B supplements

2. Increase the humidity

 

But these options will be extremely challenging if you continue to aviary breed because you won't easily be able to manage the breeding environment.

 

I know sometimes a weakness in the chick causes it not to be strong enough to hatch, but I want to give them the best chance to do so. (to hatch successfully.. and I want to lessen the chances of a baby being too weak to hatch itself because of some problem)

Okay thank you. About the Vitamin B supplements, can I just get that at a petshop?

I'll keep that in mind for other pairs. (that do breed happily in a breeding cage) It would be virtually impossible to increase the humidity in an aviary..

So, Vitamin B can be found at a petshop, or would I have to go to a vet or something?

So, Vitamin B can be found at a petshop, or would I have to go to a vet or something?

 

Stock Feed stores usually supply it. Or else if you are a member of a Budgie Club you may be able to get it via the Accessories Table. :rofl: