Laying Again But Still Raising Chicks

[kerri]

Hi Everyone,

My kids and I are VERY new to budgie breeding. Our first breeding pair are in the process of raising their first clutch. The hen laid 4 eggs, 1 of which was infertile and we lost a chick at two weeks. (Our fault, not hers I believe.) The two remaining chicks seem to be doing very well. The oldest is 26 days old, fully feathered and desperately wanting to come out of the next box. He/she comes out momentarily and then hops back in. Little sibling is 24 days old and seems a little developmentally delayed, if that makes sense. Much smaller than the older sibling and still covered in a substantial amount of down though feathers and colour are also present. He/she seems healthy enough and is quite active, maybe just a little delayed.

This morning I checked on them and there is an egg in the nesting box. I did expect it as they had begun mating again but I didn’t expect it so soon. The hen has not shown any signs of aggression towards the chicks at this point. My question is, can we leave the chicks and eggs in the nesting box for Mama to sit but be willing to keep sharing the nest with the young chicks, or do I need to remove the eggs?

Thanks in advance for your helpful advice.

Kerri

[starlingqueen]

I found this old thread for you,it might help. budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/3978/laying-eggs-whilst-babies-nestbox

[Hezz]

Good find, starlingqueen.

I would have suggested removing either the box or the hen. Seems like either may work, as long as you keep an eye on your hen.

[kerri]

Thank you.

I am removing the eggs as she lays them (three so far) as I read somewhere that they will keep for two weeks if you keep rolling them so that they don’t settle. Thought I might return them to her in two weeks if she is still inclined to sit. You see, I am keeping a close eye on the hen and she is not getting aggressive towards the chicks and she and the cock are continuing to look after the two chicks really well. 

Is this ok? I am a real novice when it comes to budgie breeding and don’t want to do the wrong thing. The two chicks (Pippin and Popcorn - aka Pip and Poppy) are the cutest little chicks and my kids would be devastated if we were to lose one or both because I should have removed the hen (Princess). I would be none too pleased myself.

Pip is now 39 days old, can fly, is eating seed, and tentatively comes out of the nest box.  Little Poppy seems to be a little delayed. She is only two days younger than big brother and still has some down but her tail feathers are developing as are her wing feathers and she is now making her way to the entry of the nest box and looking out of the hole. She is quite active but looks significantly younger than big brother and is significantly smaller. She is certainly not ready to come out of the nest box.

Am I doing the right thing or should I remove the hen? They seem like such a happy family so am a bit reticent to do so. The nest box gets rather full with the two chicks and Mum and dad all in the nest box at the same time with the hen feeding one chick and the cock feeding the other. But if your recommendation is that I remove her, I will.

Thanks again.

[Hezz]

I very much doubt that the eggs you are removing will be any good in two weeks time. I have not heard of this. As far as I know they need to be incubated almost straight away.

My concern is that by removing the eggs as your hen is laying them, she will continue to lay indefinitely as she will never get to her clutch quota. So she will continue to be in egg-laying mode and trying to start a new clutch. She could become very frustrated and turn on the chicks.

At over five weeks for both chicks, they should be feeding themselves, perching and in the air. Obviously one is not quite there yet, but neither chick should be compromised by not having the hen in the cage - Dad should stepping in by now and teaching the chicks to forage - sprinkle seed on the floor of the cage, or a shallow dish so that the chicks learn to feed themselves. Add a hide on the floor of the cage, a tissue box with a little entry "door", so that the chicks can go in and out if they want and get used to not living in the nest box. Once they are perching they will generally abandon the hide and sleep perching up off the floor.

[kerri]

Thank you Hezz,

I appreciate the help.