Still not breeding

[Budgies Retreat]

I have had my hen and cock paired in the breeding cage now since 1st March. It is a wooden cage with the built in nest box at the end. I put some shavings in the nest box, and the pair were all over each other in the flight, so I transferred them into the breeding cage hoping that things will happen. However, almost a month has gone and there appears to be no evidence that the hen has been in the box. They are still very affectionate with each other, still preening and feeding, and following each other from perch to perch. I have been giving egg food but they just seem to separate it from their seed. The seed is a good brand and has had tonic seed added at a ratio of about 4:1.

They have natural daylight from around 8am, and then the tube light comes on at 5pm, and then that goes off at 9pm automatically and the night light comes on at 8.55pm before the tube light goes off. They have the radio on from the time I open the blinds in the morning until the night light comes on.

Any ideas what I should try and do next?

Thanks

[BudgiesBuddy]

I guess there is not much you can do about it.

There are many reasons. Sometimes they don't want to breed. Sometimes the pair is not compatible. Sometimes they don't feel safe. At times they need stimulation from other breeding birds.

Four to six weeks is a maximum for them to be in the breeding cage, after which you will have to separate them and try again in a while, depending upon their breeding condition. Maybe be with different partners.

[BudgiesBuddy]

Can you post closeups of their ceres taken in natural light?

[BudgiesBuddy]

Any ideas @corie?

[nev90]

It seems quite early in the season for your area. Budgies usually start to breed when the rains come so a very light spray on part of the cage for about 15 minutes a day might help. Budgies will usually play in a light shower which stimulates breeding, I know it can be messy but it works wonders. Also I think that 13 hours of light per day may not be quite enough.

[Budgies Retreat]

Due to possibly having to move house (in-laws aren't well and we may have to join forces and buy a house together to take care of them) I have decided to put the birds back in the flight, and wait until we know what's going on. I don't want the birds to breed and half way through have to move, and possibly cause issues with the raising of the chicks, so thought it best to put them back for now. In a way I'm now glad that they didn't breed!

[BudgiesBuddy]

Excellent decision Budgies Retreat

Most birds would abandon the eggs or chicks during shifting.