Unexpected Breeding

Hi all, I am new to the hobby. We have a pair of budgies that we originally thought were both female. One is an albino and the second one is a pure yellow DEC. We got them from a local pet store some months back and the attendant then told us that they were both females when asked, just to confirm.

One morning, before continuing my progress of trying to tame them, I saw the yellow one mounting our albino. I was convinced he was female because he has pink cere as I thought males had blue, so I wasn't sure anymore. We really weren't looking to breed them, and taming them is our top priority- and after reading more about budgie colors and behavior, I learned that he is a DEC and DEC males have pink ceres even in maturity.

I bought a nest box for them after observing their behavior, just in case, as I read that it wouldn't be ideal for the hen to lay eggs without a nest box (if it turns out that our DEC is male).

A few days later, our Albino went in the nest box and started spending more of her time there. And days later I could hear a new chick chriping! Confirms my suspicion that our DEC really wasn't female, but a mature male. Fascinating stuff!

I didn't check the nest box throughout the whole nesting and hatching process as to not disturb the new parents, and considering they not fully tamed yet. I just go to them to give them the greens and seeds they need and clean their feeding bowls and water bowls. But after 7 days (turned to two weeks) I could only hear one chick. When the momma bird was hanging out of the nest box more, I knew the chick was growing so I gradually resumed staying there for longer periods of time trying to tame them again (and somehow get them used to me again to eventually check their nest box).

But before I could check the box, what I saw peeking out of the entrance was a baby Lutino! A bright yellow chick with red eyes. I really didn't expect a Lutino, considering only one egg hatched. Really happy! The chick is about 30 days old now as I am typing this, and have already peeked on the nest box. They had two other eggs. I removed them gradually one by one, in different weeks. I passed a flashlight into these two eggs and they weren't really bound to hatch from the get-go, no embryos. It's okay though!

Now I have some questions, I read that an average budgie lays 4-6 eggs but mine only laid three, and only one hatched– despite being fed greens and quality seed mixes. Cuttlebone and mineral blocks were always provided. Is this because they are first-time parents?

Also, is it safe to say that our new Lutino chick is a split between DEC and albino? Meaning carrying both green base and hidden blue(from her albino mother- I read that albinos are blue base) in her genes. (I'm assuming she's female for now as I read that most inos are female)

Thank you!

Edited October 21, 20222 yr by newbirblover
grammar