Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 5/12/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hello Chrys,
my budgie laid an egg today and sat on it the entire afternoon...now it has left the egg and is not returning to it.  That was about two hours ago...what should I do? Does the budgie usualy sit on it all day and night or does it still sleep elsewhere normaly? thanks for your help in advance....Raquel
ANSWER: Hi again, Raquel.

I'm waiting on information from you from your first post.  Thanks.

Chrys

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QUESTION: Hello Chrys,
I need your urgent help again...my budgie laid all the eggs and the babies are well thank God...but now the budigie is trying to lay eggs again...what should I do??? There is one more baby in the nestbox than cant fly yet....should I remove the box or let her lay the eggs???I cant do this all over again...thank...raquel
ANSWER: Hi, Raquel.

How old is the baby still in the nesting box?  How feathered is this baby?  The baby doesn't have to be able to fly to come out of the nesting box, however, the baby has to be able to stay warm enough when outside the nesting box.  Dad and mom will still feed the babies when they are out of the nesting box.  If this baby can perch, I wouldn't hesitate to remove it from the box, particularly if the baby is standing at the nesting box entrance hole a lot wanting to come out.

The nesting box needs to come down if you don't want any more eggs.  Depending on the age of this last baby, you might be able to remove the baby from the nesting box and take the nesting box down.  You'll need to be the judge of whether this baby can be removed/the box taken down because I can't actually see what's going on.  If your female lays another egg or two before you can get the baby out, you can remove these one or two eggs when you take the box down.  The best thing for you to do is remove the last baby and handfeed it yourself, which will allow you to remove the nesting box BEFORE the female starts laying again.  Otherwise, you need to get the baby out of the box and into the cage as soon as possible so you can take the box down.  Again, depends on how old the last baby is.

Chrys

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QUESTION: Hello Chrys, thanks again very helpful info...the only thing is, isnt it bad for the mothers health to remove the box now that another egg has already developed inside of her???i was just worried about the mom...the baby is ready for outside.,..thanks a lot again

Answer
Hi again, Raquel.

How do you know another egg has developed inside your female?  Just because birds mate doesn't automatically mean eggs will be produced.  No, it's not bad for the mother's health to remove the box...if she's going to lay any more eggs, she'll lay them with or without a nesting box being up.  The process of laying eggs itself is hard on a female...nesting box is just a place where she can deposit her eggs (has nothing to do with her health).  If you want to spare her health, don't let your female lay eggs and raise offspring.

Chrys