Hi everyone, New to the world of budgies and would appreciate any advice from members.

 

I have two budgies Billy, a female lutino and Max, a Blue male. They have been sharing a large cage now for only a couple of days and i was wondering can I keep them in the same cage without them breeding?

 

I have had Billy ( alone ) for about two years and in that time she has laid about 14 eggs, just laying them from her perch and breaking at the bottom of the cage. Showing no interest in them at all.

 

Now Max is the new arrival, he is a mature male and shows keen interest in Billy.

 

Will she reject his advances if there is no nesting box in the cage? or will they breed anyway, I would hate for her to become egg bound.

 

Any advice would be welcome.

 

Regards,

 

Bat-action.

Your hen has already shown she will lay eggs with or without a male and with or without a nestbox. So expect eggs as per usual as she has this habit. Only difference is the eggs may be fertile due to the male.

 

Are you aware that a period of quarantine is essential when you first introduce another bird......that at least 30 days in another cage in another room in another airspace. Too many diseases are carried these days and the stresses bring them out. If he's new, he shouldnt be in the cage with her.

 

As she has a habit of CHRONIC EGGLAYING then he shouldnt be in her cage either on a constant basis. All these eggs will be depleting her calcium levels and lead to egg binding at some point.

Your hen has already shown she will lay eggs with or without a male and with or without a nestbox. So expect eggs as per usual as she has this habit. Only difference is the eggs may be fertile due to the male.

 

Are you aware that a period of quarantine is essential when you first introduce another bird......that at least 30 days in another cage in another room in another airspace. Too many diseases are carried these days and the stresses bring them out. If he's new, he shouldnt be in the cage with her.

 

As she has a habit of CHRONIC EGGLAYING then he shouldnt be in her cage either on a constant basis. All these eggs will be depleting her calcium levels and lead to egg binding at some point.

 

 

Thanks for the advice, Max has had his quarantine period. Is 14 eggs in two years considered chronic? She hasn't laid since early June and can go months at a time without laying. It is always only one egg when she does.

I guess if she lays eggs with no male that could be considered chronic egglaying. The fact she now has a male in with her will provoke her to laying again. Generally no nestboxes means no eggs, but in her case she may still lay anyway.