Hen breeding behaviour?

[itchybear]

Hi all, 

After a bit of advice, our female budgie; Maggie has been making the strangest noise recently, it's a whimpering noise, similar to a puppy kind of whining. It does get louder if we're around, making me wonder if it's an attention thing?

also she seemed to be regurgitating seeds last night, not for long and she was definitely moving the neck in a regurgitation motion. She seems a bit lazier than normal but not to the point of not moving around at all. She also looks a little scruffy looking too, but she's eating ok and flying around still when we let them out. She is about 10 Months old, her cere is not yet brown, but starting to show a tiny bit of brown. Does this sound like she is coming into breeding age?


I don't want to ignore any ill health signs, but she seems generally ok. Just want to be safe 

Thanks for any advice you can share x

[Nicola]

Ummm not too sure about this one. I don't think its normal breeding behavior though. When my hens come into condition they become must more lively and chase the boys around looking for attention. You said shes looking a little scruffy? It it just like a tired look (aka moulting)or does she look like she has no neck and has added a few kg? I'm not very good at health issues but I hope this helps a bit. She sounds like shes a little bit under the weather, but check her poos- they are a great indication of their health. If they are runny and have a slight green tinge to them, she might need a bit of TLC, but if they are pretty solid looking and white/black with a clear colour change between them then she should be fine.

Hope this helps,

Nicola

[starlingqueen]

I don't think it sounds like breeding condition either. My hen becomes more feisty and wants to be the center of attention when she's in condition. She doesn't do the regurgitating, it's the male who does that, she begs for food from him. And she rarely makes any sound at all, definitely not a whimpering noise.

[itchybear]

Thank you both. She is moulting a bit too, she has the casings for new feathers. I put some additional newspaper down and her poo does look a little wetter and greener than Lenny's. Is it vet time? 

[Hezz]

Has she had any fresh food lately? This can cause wetter and greener poos sometimes even if they are used to veggies. To see a vet? That call is up to you, it is hard to say what may be the problem from afar, but the odd noises and regurgitation make me wonder if she doesn't have something caught in her throat ....... is she trying to regurgitate to something, a toy, mirror etc?

[ffiscool]

could their poop change when a heavy moult, like a baby teething or something?

Bailey has also been looking like he is choking, the last two days, and he was on my finger doing that too. Then he scratched vigourously and it seemed to stop.. He has also been eating the odd feather when stuck to his beak.

So maybe it might be moult related? Do you have a vet you could maybe email or call?

[itchybear]

Hi all, thanks so much for the advice and sorry for the delay! Been out a few nights, other half at home and budgie forum is my job

She definitely seems much better and less grumpy. She's making the weird noise still, less of it mind you, but it's seemingly more and more like an attention noise as the minute one of us appears in the room she does it. I got up earlier the other day than normal and came downstairs in the dark, she didn't do it until I put the light on in the kitchen and she must have woke up!

Poo is back to normal and she's flying around and chasing Lenny round the cage like normal. He chases her back too, it's like a game of tag!

Anyway, once again thank you for all the advice, we're keeping an eye on her still and will let you know (or ask more questions lol!) if anything changes!

[ffiscool]

Glad all sounds back to normal, except for the noise. But it does sound, as you say, attention seeking

[Hezz]

So happy that normality seems to be restored.