Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 2/7/2007

Question
My bird and her mate have been really nice to each other ever since I provided a nesting box. My female goes into the nesting box and loves to chew up the stuff inside but never lays an eggs, fertilized or not. Sometimes she just goes in and doesn't make a sound, she just sit in there. It's been two weeks.

Answer
Hi, Megan.  Thanks for posting!

You need to take whatever you've put inside the nesting box out.  Budgies don't want substrate in the bottom of their nesting box...just leave it empty.  This might be why she hasn't laid yet.  Also, do you know if your birds are pair-bonded or if they have mated?  Birds can be "nice" to each other, but not be pair-bonded.  Pair-bonded is when the male feeds the female beak-to-beak and needs to occur before mating occurs.  If your birds haven't mated yet, no eggs will come.  Your birds might be using the nesting box as a place to sleep rather than laying eggs in it, depending on if they are pair-bonded and/or have mated.  

Once mating has occurred, it often takes 10 or more days for the first egg to arrive.  Two weeks may not be long enough yet if they've just recently mated.  Be patient and see what happens!  

I'm assuming you know for sure you have a male/female pair.

Chrys