hello all,

i am having a problem with two of my females they cant seem to lay fertile eggs, i have taken a few out and checked them with the torch method and i cant tell if they have embreo's or not.

 

if anyone has a picture or two of a egg that they know if fertile and ones they know where not, it could help alot

Here is a link on looking at the eggs with good pictures

http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww36eiv.htm

 

Now I am not a breeder, and I am sure someone with more expertise will come along but I will ask the questions.

 

How old are your 2 birds?

What do you feed them?

Are you providing extra cuttlebone?

Are they laying clutches in succession?

If so what clutch # is this?

all my females are about a year and a half,

there is ample cuttle bone and grit ,

one of my females lays 10 eggs per clutch the other two lay the normal 5 or so.

i would guess i am on clutch number 10 15.

and i feed them breeders mixed seed or premium seed mix.

 

and i allways have a few millet sprays and a seed bell and i try to give them fresh fruit and veg twice a week normaly monday they get some veg and thursday they get some fuit. always a good suply of water as they seem to get it pretty dirty very quickly.

 

the only females of my three that is laying and hatching eggs has given me 9 successfull babies over two clutch's of eggs. they where hand reared from when the youngest was 1 week old. i am currently on week 5 for the second clutch only two weeks to go untill they get rehoused

I've had this problem with one pair, and I still don't know if it was the male or female at fault, but none of the eggs were fertile. You can try changing the pairs around, depends how bonded they are to each other. One thing I do recall reading is that a male budgie needs to hear other budgies to be able to produce sperm, though if you've got a few pairs, they should be able to hear each other.

 

Try feeding them fresh vegies everyday, fresh foods should be the largest proportion of their diet. Millet can be eaten in preference to something healthier, so I would use that as a treat once or twice a week. Same with the seed bell. Try some egg and biscuit mixture too. Some birds like it wet (mixed with water), but it needs taking out after a few hours like that. I feed mine it dry, and when they have babies they chow into it as it is so easy to feed to their babies.

 

Mmm, I feel I have forgotten something, but can't think what it is. Someone else will be on with more advice. Let us know how it goes

 

Oh, how old are the boys?

Edited January 26, 200619 yr by Lin

my three males and three females are all in a flyte cage

i shall try the eggs and other treats for them so they get something each day one male is 2 and the other 2 are about a year

Mmm, just rereading this again, your on clutch 10 or 15? You should let your hens rest after 2 clutches, let her rest for at least 6 months, or else you will find she will get into really poor condition and her chicks won't be very strong. Are the 2 who are 1 year old the ones that are having infertile eggs? They need to be at least 12 months old to breed, and I would say that is the absolute minimum. Maybe give them a 6 month break, that will bring you to the beginning of the breeding season again (it's really not breeding season at the moment), and you may find you have more success.

yeah they are on a break atm for the past few weeks while i got the last clutch out to hand rear them i took all the boxes out.

i think maybe the other two non breeding females might have been a little young, i think i have a egg or two that look like they might be fertile from the webpage i was given on the first reply

if your breeding in cages your hens could be going to the nest to quickly and not allowing the cock to do the biz 1.

put your pairs in for two days

2. then block the nest entrance for a day

3. then open it for a day

4. then block it for half a day

5. then open for one and a half days

then repeat steps 4 and 5 two more times

they where hand reared from when the youngest was 1 week old. i am currently on week 5 for the second clutch only two weeks to go untill they get rehoused

 

 

Hello Perth...

 

I saw that you hand rear your chicks from as early as one week...I too am going to hand rear my chicks. I was thinking taking them from the nest at 2 weeks. I have hand reared birds before but I can't seem to find information on how often to feed the chicks and do they need a night feeding? Any info would be appreciated. Also, I am sorry I don't have too much information on your problem...I have candled eggs before, I always wait until the 6th day and then use a penlight. Hold the penlight at the large end of the egg so the light shines through the egg. If it is fertile, you will see red veins appear. I hope that helps!

 

Wendy

hi wendy i dont night feed as you need to let the crop empty over night other wise the seed and rearing mix will become sour and make your babies sick.

 

as for amount of feeds per day i normaly feed them every 4 hours for a week old chick, and maybe three or two times for a 5 week old chick plus i leave seed and some soft fruit on the table for them to pick at.

 

you can tell if your chicks are getting enough food as they should gain 3 grams or so each day i wiegh my birds every morn at 6am and recorde it if a chick starts to loss wieght give it more feeds if it still loses wieght probley should call someone.

 

the chicks will generaly let you know when they are feeling hungry by squarking at you will you are watching tv

Welcome to the forum perth breeder, hope things work out for you.

here is a picture of one of my females haveing a splash in one of the water bowls

 

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/mic...82/DSCN3222.jpg

 

 

 

and another one of the splashing female's babies (turned out to be a boy

and hand reared )

 

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/mic...82/DSCN3337.jpg

 

 

Moderator’s Message to user

pictures changed to links as they are over size. 450 x 450 max

Edited February 3, 200619 yr by daz

there so cute

has anyone seen a budgie with black or any colour in their flight feathers,

i recently picked a male out to be kept as a pet inside he has a

blue/green belly with yellow and black markings but the black has also made its way onto hs flight feathers.

the last two inches of his feathers are black, i am hopeing this is wont disapear after he matures.

Normal patterned wings have black flight feathers.

i have never seen a budgie with black flight feathers befor, the only colour i have ever seen on flight feathers is white.

 

i think you might be thinking of the budgies feathers that cover his flight feathers (flight feathers as in the things you cut to clip them).

i may be wrong

 

See dark (black) flight feathers.