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Need Some Help Please

ange05
ange05
in Breeders Discussion

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Posted

Hi Everyone,

 

Well, I have four budgies, Honky, Snowball, DC & Fuji.

 

I currently have 2 budgies to a cage, which are quite big and roomy.

Finally after all this time I have figured out that I have 3 girl budgies and 1 boy which is definate.

 

I currently have one pair together, Honky & DC which are boy and girl. DC is 2 years old and Honky is just over 18 months.

We decided to put a nesting box in because the female (DC) was dropping eggs on the cage floor.

Well finally DC has laid eggs but it has been atleast 20-21 days since the two eggs were laid. DC has been sitting on them the whole time and at the most would come out of the nesting box for 30 seconds after all this time.

 

I have been away for some of this time on holiday and I thought I may be coming back home to baby budgies.

I did a bit of reading on here and I held the two eggs up to the light to see if they were fertile...well I still need help clarifying what It is I can see.

 

Both eggs have air pockets (I wouldnt say off centre). The air pockets take up atleast a quarter of the egg size in both eggs.

The thing that has me a little confused is that at the other end of the egg it has a pink round spot and it looks a bit veiny, but it could just possibly be the shell. I cant say that I can see any real darkness only the air pocket at the end and the other part of the egg inside which I cant tell what it is.

 

Any help would be appreciated as im a first timer to all of this!!

 

Thanks.

Edited by ange05

I do not candle my eggs. Fertile eggs will be white and not clear, infertile eggs will be pink and see through.

top 2 eggs are fertile, bottom one is not. note the colour difference

SDC12310.jpg

 

The hen doesnt start incubating properly till 3rd or 4th egg is laid so I'd give it a few more days. I've made the mistake of waiting 20 days then getting rid of the eggs because I thought they were overdue.

  • Author

Thanks for the reply.

 

My budgie has only laid two eggs in total and is sitting on both.

The eggs look quite white to me, I guess thats why Im confused when there is quite a substancial air pocket in each.

Pearce......very good advice and the pictures help a lot. Thanks :fingerscrossed:

  • Author

I was hoping for your response Kaz, you seem to be the Budgie Guru around here lol.

 

Thanks Pearce, I was only holding the eggs up to the light, not to an actual torch light. Will try it and get back to you.

 

After 20-21 days I just wasnt to sure about what was happening.

Edited by ange05

Yeah just stick them above the torch and it should work well. If I candle my eggs I shine a torch into the nest box and look that way. I hate touching the eggs.

  • Author

Well I did the torch test. One is completely clear s its infertile. The other one isnt so clear and half of the egg is a tad darker but no where near as dark as the photo above. Both eggs are at atleast 20 days now, so im still confused!

Edited by ange05

I wouldn't worry about the air pocket. Leave it a bit longer, you never know, it might still hatch, especially if you aren't 100% sure when she started sitting...

I wouldn't be touching the eggs too much at this point. The one egg your not sure about may well be fertile and may hatch any day. For a first time hen, handling the eggs or even frequent looking in her box may stress her too much. I would only check the nest box briefly morning and night. If by the 28th ish day they don't hatch then think about removing the eggs if the hen hasn't already. As previously mentioned, some hens don't start incubating until the second or third egg is laid.

 

Hope you find a baby hatched in the next few days. :)

  • Author

Hey Guys,

 

I found the piece of paper that I wrote the date down on.

It has been 26 days - 27 days tomorrow. I had another look at the egg tonight and it's definitely not fertile, far to light and even looks orange like its full of yolk. I have removed the nesting box and she has been looking for the eggs, I feel sorry for her, but its been far to long and they arent fertile from what I can tell.

Hey Guys,

 

I found the piece of paper that I wrote the date down on.

It has been 26 days - 27 days tomorrow. I had another look at the egg tonight and it's definitely not fertile, far to light and even looks orange like its full of yolk. I have removed the nesting box and she has been looking for the eggs, I feel sorry for her, but its been far to long and they arent fertile from what I can tell.

You have assessed the situation right and done all the right things :P

  • 3 weeks later...
  • Author

Hi Everyone,

 

Back again! I took the nesting box out as you can read above as both egg's were infertile and 27 days old that the hen was sitting on.

 

I put the nesting box back in about 10-11 days later. Nothing has happened since then which is fine except sometimes I find the hen sitting on the round sunken area of the nesting box but there is no egg and she has been doing it for about a week.

Also I have been finding the male going into the nesting box, the hen goes in after him and they end up making this strange noise like they are fighting. Does anyone have any idea of what is happening? I know that the hen might be protective over the nesting area, but there are no eggs to protect and the male seems to be interested in the nesting box now more then ever. I find the male in there a couple of times a day.

 

Any ideas?

Mostly its my males that are interested in the nesting box before the hen is....its kind of like the boys get a twinkle in their eye...know what the nestbox means and then they set about trying to convince the hen its a good idea.

Also, check the hen over as some not so well females use the nestbox to hide in when they arent all that well.

the males try to convince the hens to breed.

They usually go in first.

the males try to convince the hens to breed.

 

There are some things that are the same in every species :hooray: :hooray: :hap:

  • Author
the males try to convince the hens to breed.

 

There are some things that are the same in every species :offtopic: :):(

 

 

lol...I can see the truth in that!!

 

Thanks for the reply guys, well DC now has an Eggbum and a Bump near the vent area, so im guessing an egg is on the way!

She is in and out of the nest box alot and sometimes just sitting in there.

Will keep you all updated.

Big abnormal droppings is the best way to tell if she is about to lay.

Wow your having a great time there!

And thanks to all of you that replied cause this was a very helpful post!

Good luck

Can't wait to hear!

  • Author

Hi Everyone! Back again.

 

WE HAVE TWO EGGS! Yay. First Egg on Saturday 9th and second egg yesterday Monday 11th.

 

The male keeps on going into the nestbox with the female, I can tell because every time I hear this noise like she is telling him to GET OUT! lol

I look in through the hole and he is crouched up the back of the box, not doing anything and she is up on her legs high trying to peck at him and trying to get him out.

congratulations on the eggs :D hope this time they hatch... :) for you. I have no idea what to do in regards to the cock going in there and disturbing her all this time... they others might be able to help you there... :D

  • Author
Hi Everyone! Back again.

 

WE HAVE TWO EGGS! Yay. First Egg on Saturday 9th and second egg yesterday Monday 11th.

 

The male keeps on going into the nestbox with the female, I can tell because every time I hear this noise like she is telling him to GET OUT! lol

I look in through the hole and he is crouched up the back of the box, not doing anything and she is up on her legs high trying to peck at him and trying to get him out.

 

 

Does anyone else know what may be happening with these little arguements! lol

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