Can anyone help me with a Budgie question, please, urgent!

Chooky · Post by **Chooky** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:43 am

My big blue pied budgie, Jenkins, today laid two eggs on the bottom of the cage....she has a partner - a little green native Budgie, Johnson. They are taking turns sitting on the eggs. I thought they were both female budgies, could I be wrong??? Neither of them have blue beaks, and both are over two years old. What should I do??? Should I leave the eggs in there??? I feel so guilty, I was told by the fellow that sold Jenkins to us that Budgies wouldn't lay if they didn't have a breeding box :cry:

pinkdevil · Post by **pinkdevil** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:25 pm

I would tend to lean towards 2 girls if they are both over 2 years old and no blue cere.

Budgies can lay eggs with out a male present (just like cockatiels), but obviously the eggs will not be fertile.

Just like a typical female, if she wants to lay eggs then she is gonna lay, nest box or no nest box lol. :lol:

I would leave the eggs and see what she does. It won't harm her to sit on them. If you take them away, it could entice her to lay again and again.
She will leave them once she realizes that nothing will come of them.

I have a young (9 month) broody tiel at the moment without a partner. If she lays any eggs, I will leave them for her otherwise she will most likely lay again and could get egg bound or calcium deficiency at such a young age.

Good luck, who knows, maybe Johnson IS a boy and you might have little bubs! lol

Chooky · Post by **Chooky** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 2:30 am

Thank you so much, pinkdevil, that is just the advice I wanted/needed to hear! I'll leave the eggs with her and see how she goes. Little Johnson, when not sitting on the eggs is up on the perch keeping an eye on anyone that comes too close

. It would be great if he turned out to be a boy and we got little-uns out of this.

Another question, if Jenkins is going to lay eggs anyway would it be better to put a nesting nook thing (those little woven ones) and some nesting material in the cage with them?? I don't like her sitting on the bottom of the cage, she just doesn't look comfy at all.

Again many thanks!!

pinkdevil · Post by **pinkdevil** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:14 am

Ummm.....I have heard conflicting info on this...some people say putting in a nest will only encourage more egg laying, others say it doesn't make a difference as the birds are laying eggs anyway.

Maybe if you put a dish in instead of a nest so that she is not directly on the floor of the cage. Thats what I am planning on doing if my tiel lays eggs. Hopefully it wont encourage her to keep laying.

I know someone who had a budgie for 8 years or so and the hen laid eggs all the time.

Maybe if your budgie is going to lay eggs frequently, make sure they have plenty of calcium in their diet to replenish what the eggs are taking out of her.

Chooky · Post by **Chooky** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 4:25 am

Ok - I see what you're saying and I don't won't to encourage her ...I like the idea of the bowl and will give that a try! Watching the budgies over the last couple of days has been enlightening. I feel sad for Jenkins that it's most likely that her eggs won't hatch and she'll have spent so much time sitting on them for nothing, she's a sweet thing (though huge compared to Johnson, who's a wee little thing).
I will look out for her and make sure she has enough calcium, both budgies and Tricky (irn) get pretty much the same diet....I really don't think that it's lacking....plus we pick cuttlefish off the beach when we go down the coast (let me know if you'd like some and I'll send it to you) for them to scratch at.

Thanks pinkdevil, you really have been a big help, I was so worried when I saw Jenkins on the bottom of the cage yesterday, I thought she was sick...I couldn't believe it when I tried to move her and saw the eggs. You've really put my mind at rest and I'll sure do my best to keep her and Johnson happy and healthy!!

Many thanks!!!

pinkdevil · Post by **pinkdevil** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 5:16 am

No probs

It is a bit sad that Jenkins will be going through the motions and not have any bubs at the end of it, but if you do take away the eggs, she will more than likely go down again.

I have a little green bush budgie here. His name is Tommy. Such a sweet little thing even though he is not tame. Sings his little happy tune in the morning. lol

Thanks for the offer on the cuttlefish

I think we are heading to Sydney next Sunday if all goes to plan, and I am hoping we will get to a beach. May be able to find some there. Been way too long since I have been to the beach lol

Knowing my luck it will be raining the whole day then fine when we leave lol

I have just re read your original post....so there was 2 eggs laid in one day, have I got that right? Is one egg smaller than the other? If that is so then maybe Johnson has laid an egg also. lol

Keep us updated on how they are doing.

Rolly · Post by **Rolly** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 7:13 am

Chookie, you mentioned that Johnson, if not sitting on the eggs is up on the
perch...and that they take turns sitting on them?
Could it be that Johnson is Joahnna, after all?
Male budgies rarely, if ever, enter a nestbox(if there's one) while
the hen's setting and they never sit on eggs.

And since both birds do not have blue ceres,
chances are you got two hens.

Chooky · Post by **Chooky** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 5:01 am

Thanks Rolly, yeah I did think originally that they are two hens. Little Johnson was named even after we knew (or at least thought) that she was a hen, by my youngest son....I said, "but she's a girl budgie" and he said "Mum, get with the times....girls can be named boy names these days"...LOL

They are both still taking turns sitting on the eggs, Jenkins does the majority of sitting but when she wants a break or is hungry Johnson comes down from her lookout and sits with the eggs. They are so sweet...they are making me want to get them a bigger cage and a couple of boyfriends

Edit.....boyfriends for the birdies, not me..lol.

Cheers and thanks

Chooky · Post by **Chooky** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 5:11 am

pinkdevil wrote:No probs

It is a bit sad that Jenkins will be going through the motions and not have any bubs at the end of it, but if you do take away the eggs, she will more than likely go down again.

I have a little green bush budgie here. His name is Tommy. Such a sweet little thing even though he is not tame. Sings his little happy tune in the morning. lol

Thanks for the offer on the cuttlefish

I think we are heading to Sydney next Sunday if all goes to plan, and I am hoping we will get to a beach. May be able to find some there. Been way too long since I have been to the beach lol

Knowing my luck it will be raining the whole day then fine when we leave lol

I have just re read your original post....so there was 2 eggs laid in one day, have I got that right? Is one egg smaller than the other? If that is so then maybe Johnson has laid an egg also. lol

Keep us updated on how they are doing.

I hope it didn't rain too much while you were there, pinkdevil. We got some rain from about 2pm on.

Oh you have a bush budgie too!!! They are sweet little things aren't they!
Jenkins is a cross bred English budgie and she is huge in comparison to little Johnson. I checked the eggs and they are both the same size....I doubt very much that anything that big would come from Johnson.. :lol:

Both budgies are doing well, they seem quite happy....they obviously didn't get their Saturday cage clean out this week though.

Your welcome for the offer of cuttlefish....it is in good supply down the coast at the moment - I think the big tides have had something to do with it.

Cheers again

Chooky · Post by **Chooky** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 6:20 am

OMG - since my last post Jenkins has laid another egg!!!

My daughter just got home from her boyfriend's house and she wanted to see how Jenkins and Johnson were going.....she raced back in here to tell me that there are now three eggs!!!!

The kids have all been ribbing Jenkins lately about her weight, well now she is Slim Jim!!!!

pinkdevil · Post by **pinkdevil** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 5:31 pm

lol chooky I have not yet been to Sydney....hopefully going THIS sunday lol. :lol:

So I haope all the rain is out of mother natures system just for that day lol

Chooky · Post by **Chooky** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:38 am

Did you get to go to the beach pinkdevil??? Hopefully the weather was kind if you did!!! I've been away myself for a couple of weeks, down the south coast...very cold weather but lovely sunny days.

An update on Jenkins and Johnson....Jenkins now has six eggs (yes six!!). She is still sitting on them and is quite a skinny thing now :lol:

Johnson still helps her with the sitting but it's obvious they aren't going to hatch. Since she laid the eggs I haven't been able to clean their cage out and it is a huge mess - I worry about diseases due to the unhygienic state of the bottom of the cage.

How long is a reasonable amount of time to leave the eggs with her?? The first eggs that she had have started to crack (I think she moves them around and damages them)I don't want to upset her by taking them away but at the same time it is so sad to see her diligently sitting on eggs that are never going to hatch

:cry:

pinkdevil · Post by **pinkdevil** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 5:44 am

Hey chooky

Yeah finally got to the beach...went to Bondi plus a few others for a look. Was a bit chilly and no sun but it was good to feel sand between the toes. lol

I looked for cuttlebone but there wasn't any, even the shells were scarce

. Oh well I have a few cuttle bones so no dramas.

WOW 6 eggs...she's a little egg factory isn't she??? lol

You could probably remove the eggs if you like if she has lost alot of weight. Next time, you could also remove any broken or cracked eggs to.

If she keeps laying you could pop into your vet and see what they have to say. Might be a great excuse.....errr...reason to get ther a man :wink:

So far I am lucky that my broody teil girl has not laid any eggs....whew...lol

Chooky · Post by **Chooky** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 5:43 am

Well, pinkdevil we said goodbye to the eggs yesterday...it was more than time for them to be gone, both the budgies had been sitting on them until the day before...they are ok with them being gone, thankfully. Tricky has been very interested in the goings on and "helped" me clean the cage. He tries to make friends with the budgies but I think they find him a bit intimidating (and loud).

I;m glad you were able to feel the sand between your toes on your beach visit....there is nothing like it. I bet it's cold over your way now...not long until Spring....woohooo!!!Can't wait to feel some warmth in the air and see the garden growing again!!!

Cheers!!!

pinkdevil · Post by **pinkdevil** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:14 pm

Good to hear all went well with the budgies.

Yes it was great to get a beach "hit"! lol. Long time between beach visits for me lol.

It has been FREEZING :shock:

up until today. Overcast so no frost ice....yay :lol:

And the temp feels like it is above zero, which is alsways a good thing lol.

I am glad spring is just around the corner, over winter now lol and it also means babies on the way lol.

My rainbow lories pair had successfully hatched 2 chicks on Monday.

Been keeping a close eye on them in this weather.

Chooky · Post by **Chooky** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:46 am

How are the little ones going pinkdevil?? It has been cold hasn't it...we took a trip up to Blackheath a couple of weekends ago and it snowed while we were there...not just softly falling down snow but real snowing snow!!!

Well my little Jenkins has done it again...she has two eggs that she is sitting on, one laid yesterday and another today. I didn't put anything in her cage so again she is sitting on the cold floor. I am learning though, I saw her kicking all the seed out of her dish and just knew she was going to lay. I would like to get the girls a bigger cage and a couple of boyfriends for them but we go away a lot during the warmer months and I would worry about them...also breeding budgies hasn't been high on my list of what I want to do, but I feel so sorry for the poor little thing....well huge thing. I don't really know whether I should let her breed or not...seeing her sit on these eggs that will never hatch is breaking my heart though.