so many budgie eggs!

[dedah]

my budgie hen freddie started lying eggs in the beginning of september. she was rejecting the nestboxes i gave her, one by one she tore out the bottoms and while i was replacing the nestbox she laid her first 2 eggs on the cage floor. she also laid the following 3 on the cage floor as she was repeatedly rejecting and destroying her nests. i finally assembled one with a wood bottom and she accepted it. i placed the five eggs in her nestbox. still she wouldnt sit on them. finally she started to sit on them and began to lay more eggs sept 14-17th. i finally got to see her leave the nestbox and upon looking inside she currently has 12 eggs! this is her second time breeding. the first clutch wasnt viable because i put the wrong kind of nesting material (ceder which is irritating to their lungs) in her first nestbox back in spring. is it normal to have this many eggs? are the first 5 still good?

[dedah]

oh yeah and when should i expect them to hatch?

[Florence]

Hi Dedah, welcome to the forum I don't think the first batch is still OK and I am surprised she started laying new eggs in the same place you placed those.

Budgie eggs hatch 18 days from the time the mom starts to sit on them

[copita]

Hello. is she with a mate? you don´t mentionate it and could be they both are hens and for that reason you see so many eggs.:whistle:

[dedah]

no they are a true pair...and two eggs hatched already! i just want to be better prepared for this so i could prevent anything that could harm them...wow they are so delicate!

[mickles]

wow thats alot of eggs for one bird i am surprised if the first 5 would be ok and u might have quite a few infertile ones thats why she keeps laying have u marked them so u know whats what ? depending on age of hen i sometimes move my eggs /chicks around to give them all a better chance of survival but of course u need more birds that are breeding to do this ! otherwise let them get on with it what will hatch will hatch but jus make sure they have plenty of water,food,cuttlefish and iodine

[bas]

Hi Dedah
Prior to pairing up my breeding birds they are all given CALCIVITE in their water.
A bird laying eggs must not become calcium deficient or it then will take reserves of calcium from it's bones.
My advice is always supply CALCIVITE to laying hens BUT never overdose above the makers recommended dosage.
All the best with your breeding