How old is the cock? Is the mum mauve or grey?

 

 

About a year to a year and a half, we're not quite sure but she is under two years, and the hen is grey.

How old is the cock? Is the mum mauve or grey?

 

 

About a year to a year and a half, we're not quite sure but she is under two years, and the hen is grey.

 

Cocks are males.

I have a few more questions, first, what is the average life span for a budgie? second, four of the eggs were fertile and three of them have hatched either two or three days apart. But it has been four days since the last one hatched and the fourth one hasn't hatched, i'm afraid that it might have died in the egg, what do you think? Also the male has been on the bottom of the cage running back and fourth really fast, and i'm not sure what's wrong with her, what do you think?

 

Thanks for your help!

Males or cocks are HE's not SHE's

Males or cocks are HE's not SHE's

 

Oh sorry i keep saying that but he has always been a girl before we saw him mating with the hen, so sometimes i say she, sorry.

Hi Megan

The average age for a budgie is about six years but it is not unusual for them to live till they are ten or more years old, more so now there are better quality feeds and suppliments available.

Your male is most likely pacing the cage as he will be looking for you to bring extra food now that he has babies to look after but it may also be him adjusting to his new cage.

My birds are always exitedly waiting for their soft feed when they have young in the nest.

 

Cheers Jenny

Thankyou for your help we are going to get them some new food soon so he should settle down soon. I have been a nervous wreck waiting for him to have a heartattack or something. What are your thoughts about the 4th egg?

The chances of the last egg hatching are slim but it wont hurt to leave the egg there anyway.

I think the egg is probably DIS ( dead in shell) but you never know... Thimble took 2 days to hatch.

have you candled the eggs to see if they are fertile ? Is there any difference in colour of the shell of the eggs. Pearly white is fertile. Peachy coloured is not ,,,,and white with dark rings or coloured streaks on the shell is a dead in shell in most cases.

Edited April 6, 201015 yr by KAZ

do you think it could have been from moving the nesting box because i was being very careful and it didn't roll around or anything it didn't even move.I have candled the eggs and four of them were fertile and alive.

do you think it could have been from moving the nesting box because i was being very careful and it didn't roll around or anything it didn't even move.

as posted above....dont guess. Check the eggs ( dont touch them...use torch in the nestbox. )

I just shined the torch in there and my sister said the only thing she could really see properly is an airbuble but we couldn't see properly because both the parents and the three babies were in there. there wasn't any marks on the egg though and it was pearly white. It looks like the others before they hatched.

have you candled the eggs to see if they are fertile ? Is there any difference in colour of the shell of the eggs. Pearly white is fertile. Peachy coloured is not ,,,,and white with dark rings or coloured streaks on the shell is a dead in shell in most cases.

 

 

Thimble in the egg had a dark patch on the shell which is why I thought she was a dead in shell chick. She took 2 days to get out so I think she almost died.

i hard boiled an egg and mushed it up with a bit of water and a little bit of seed and put it in a shallow dish on the bottom of the cage for the male to feed them, hopefully that will help the babies.

I just shined the torch in there and my sister said the only thing she could really see properly is an airbuble but we couldn't see properly because both the parents and the three babies were in there. there wasn't any marks on the egg though and it was pearly white. It looks like the others before they hatched.

Best to tap on the box and let the parents out while you do that....................as I recall your nestbox is barely accessible to checking so that doesnt help much. But what you described sounds like a chick in the egg. The delay may be to another egg or two ( between the last hatching and this one ) as being infertile. You most likely will get another hatching.

i hard boiled an egg and mushed it up with a bit of water and a little bit of seed and put it in a shallow dish on the bottom of the cage for the male to feed them, hopefully that will help the babies.

Good job....addding some grated carrot and some finesliced spinach. bok choy or silverbeet is good too. Parents eat a lot of new things when they are feeding chicks.

Best to tap on the box and let the parents out while you do that....................as I recall your nestbox is barely accessible to checking so that doesnt help much. But what you described sounds like a chick in the egg. The delay may be to another egg or two ( between the last hatching and this one ) as being infertile. You most likely will get another hatching. Good job....addding some grated carrot and some finesliced spinach. bok choy or silverbeet is good too. Parents eat a lot of new things when they are feeding chicks.

I moved the box a little so that i could get in there, i just realised that the infertile egg could have been in between the last hatched egg and this one so that is probably it, it could hatch tomorrow morning. Also when i put the egg in my sister moved the dish on top of the box, but Sweat Pea (the male) keeps knocking it off and throwing onto the floor. Also he keeps chewing on the wooden slat for the box and lifts it so it opens the box a little. Why do you think he does that? and why do you think he throws away the egg?Another question, you guys said that at 2 weeks i have to take the babies out and clean them. But should i do it when the oldest one is 2 weeks or when the youngest one is 2 weeks?

I did it at when the youngest is about 2 weeks. Then they start to get really messy. Take the chicks out in a bowl lined with tissues where the parents can see them. Then do the cleaning.

okay, what do you think about the boiled egg and the nesting box door?

We saw Sweat Pea have a look at the egg. He mostly ate the seed, but also had a little nibble at the egg, and then he went into the box. I think he might go back to it again soon!

Not sure why he might lift the door up... could he be trying to get in?

Not sure why he might lift the door up... could he be trying to get in?

 

 

I don't think so because he goes in through the hole all the time so he knows how to get in.

You could weigh it down with something. I have heard horror stories about lifting up the door and a chicks head pokes out and gets strangled when the door comes down.

You could weigh it down with something. I have heard horror stories about lifting up the door and a chicks head pokes out and gets strangled when the door comes down.

 

 

Oh that's awful!!!!! i will find something to keep it down.

Any updates?