Hey there,

 

I have recently attempted my first budgie breeding season. Both breeding pairs laid about 5 eggs and have been dutifully sitting on them happily. One of the hens cere looked to be flaking and whitish about the edges so I didn't think her eggs would hatch as she seemed like she wascoming out of season but I didn't disturb her. To my suprise one of her eggs hatched and seems to be doing very well. The other hen began laying a day later than the Hen1 (who's 1st egg hatched 2 days ago) and no more babies have arrived. What type of time line should I expect with the other eggs or how do I know when no more are coming?

 

Please let me know!

Do you have any photos of the eggs?

I have recently learnt that you can tell by their colour whether they are fertile or infertile. The hen lays an egg every two days, meaning that they should hatch two days after each other. Sometimes she starts sitting on them after she has laid a couple. So if they are fertile and you say there are around 5 eggs then the last should hatch around eight to ten days after the first. I think that is right!

However some eggs can take longer than the 18 days, so maybe it would be safer to leave them for longer

Hi rachelrose,

 

Congrats on your first baby. The eggs should hatch every 2 days just like when they were laid. The eggs hatch between 18-21 days. You can often tell if an egg is fertile by the colour of the sell,if it is fertile it will look whiter and shinier and the others will look pinker and opaque.

 

If you are concerned sometimes people can tell if you post a picture of them.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck

 

Kathryn and I posted at the same time

 

I will add, if you do only get one hatch it is better to leave an infertile egg or two in with it because it stops the hen sitting to heavy on the chick and also retains a bit of warmth and give it something to prop itself up on.

Cool, similar information, seems I am learning

I hope all goes well for you, I just started my first breeding season as well, it is awesome, but you need a lot of patience

Hi Rachelrose,

Good info from the girls. I would add that even though eggs are laid 2 days apart they may not be fertile, in that order e.g. no 1 may hatch miss 2& 3 the 4 may hatch. I'd leave all eggs until after all eggs were due, then check out any unhatched eggs. You can candle eggs after 5 days or so of laying, if fertile you will see little veins beginnng to form and egg will whiten non fertile eggs stay a pinky 7 opaque as Nadene said.

Congrats on first chick and hope you get some more pinky's from your eggs.

Thanks everyone for you replies, I've had a second egg from same hen hatch today I'm very excited! I've candled duck eggs before but at the moment the way my breeding boxes are hooked up I can't really access them I'm just peaking in the entrance to see what's going on. From what I can see the eggs look white and shiny rather than pinky so hoping for more chicks. Now waiting for the second hen to have one hatch

 

After years when I was a young kid of trying (without success - due to two females we found out haha) to breed budgies it's finally happened!

 

 

Great news, your second hen's eggs could be about ready to hatch so keep us posted. It's also good to have 2 pair with eggs at the same time as well, in case one Mum doesn't know the ropes, you may be able to foster eggs or chicks to the other one.

Success we have 4 baby budgies in nest one but still none hatched out of nest two... I'm getting a little worried now

It seems like the second hen should have 3 chicks by now. Do you know how many eggs she laid? If you can figure it out, I would wait until the last egg is a week overdue (4 weeks after it was laid), and then take down the box so you can look in it better. Probably throw away the old eggs, clean out the box, and let her try again, if she seems healthy and fit enough. Good luck. Sounds like the other nest is doing well!

 

Oh, and is there any way you can attach the box so it is easier to check next time? That might help you to help the hen, if she needs it.

Bad news, the hen has come out from sitting on eggs. Think ill have to try again with hen number 2. Meanwhile though hen 1 is doing great and we have 4 growing chirpy little budgies

 

Next time ill try to change the way we hook them up but it's bit difficult given the cages etc... Will have to be creative haha.