Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 11/13/2006

Question
Hi My budgie laid 4 eggs the first one hatched on the 8th the other 3 have not yet. She seems a little week and has large watery droppings when she comes out of cage she has pooped. She is a little week in her flying? I looked today and there is a large dropping around her eggs and the one chick. The one chick looks like its growing. What should I do about the droppings in the nest. She has kept it clean up till now?

Answer
Hi, Angela.  Thanks for posting!

One or two of the other 3 eggs might hatch, but I don't think they are all going to hatch.  Does she have a mate feeding her while she's caring for the eggs/babies?  Her weakness might be the result of poor diet, then having to feed the new baby...takes a lot out of a female bird.  What type of daily diet are your budgies on?  Females caring for eggs/babies only come out of the nesting box once or twice per day.  When they do come out, their feces will be large and perhaps look more watery than usual because they hold themselves all day in order to keep their eggs/babies warm.

You can clean out the nesting box.  Carefully remove the baby, place it in a warm, safe place while you clean out the nest, then put the baby back in the nest.  Adult birds don't usually defecate in their nests...I wonder what's up with this.  You also might want to very carefully clean off any poo on the eggs just in case any are destined to hatch.  Use a Q-tip with warm water and very gently try to clean the eggs off.

Come back with any questions.

Chrys