Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 11/22/2007

Question
Dear Chrys Meatyard this is Katherine again sorry I have so many questions and this was my first question because you said you needed more information hi i have had my budgie peridot for at least two years now and she is now acting really weird she is being mean to all of the other birds in the cage she is always sleeping and she cant fly right its like her wings have been clipped but they haven't she has built a nest out of some supplies i have given her and she sits on it a lot with my other budgie star (male) so do you think she is just pregnant or is there something wrong with her please answer my question a.s.a.p… this is now my new question… The subject is no eggs yet!...

Hi its Katherine i sent you a message about my budgie peridot but she still hasn't lay any eggs yet is there something wrong with her or is this normal for a bird to take this long to lay an egg your expertise is very needed thank you


Answer
Hi, Katherine,

A lot of budgies won't breed/lay eggs if they are in a cage with other birds besides their mate.  This is because they fear their eggs and/or babies will be harmed or killed by the other birds in the cage.  This fear is perfectly normal.  I recommend you separate Peridot and her mate from the other birds...put them in their own breeding cage OR take the other birds out of the current cage so Peridot and her mate can have the cage they are currently in and put the other birds in another cage.  This is also likely why she is being mean to the other birds.  Now, if this bird is always sleeping and she can't fly right (but has never had her flight feathers clipped), she may be sick.  This would be another reason why no eggs.  Do you see any other signs of illness in this bird, such as droppings changed, not eating properly, does she fluff up her feathers when she isn't sleeping, is she losing weight)?  

Have the pair mated?  They have to be pair-bonded before they will think about mating.  Pair-bonding is when the male feeds the female beak-to-beak.  If you don't see this behavior, they probably haven't mated, thus, no eggs.  

Budgies normally don't build nests.  If there is a nesting box present, remove anything inside the box.  This is a good reason for no eggs.  Male budgies don't usually sit on nests.  They feed the female while the female sits in the nesting box laying eggs, incubating eggs, or caring for the offspring.  The male will spend 99% of his time outside the nesting box.  If there is no nesting box, this could be another reason for no eggs.

Chrys