My parakeet laid an egg, and now she never leaves the nest box. If the egg isnt fertile, will she ever?

Question

leave the nest box, abandon the egg, and get back to her normal life?

Answer 1

Do you have a male that she could have bred to? If you don't, give her a couple days with the egg, then remove it. It sounds harsh, but you don't want her starving herself over an egg that does not even have a chance to hatch. Good Luck with her!

Answer 2

When budgies (parakeets) lay eggs, they will generally lay an average of 4 to 6 eggs in a clutch. It's generally one every other day until they're done laying. The average incubation (brooding) time is about 18 days once the 3rd egg is laid. Just an average, not a fool proof time line.
If there is a male present and fertility is a possibility, then after an egg is about 4 to 5 days old you can hold a mini mag flash light up to it in a dimly lit room. If it looks like a normal yolk, not fertile. If it looks kinda veiny, it's fertile.
Be sure that the egg is held carefully with clean hands and when returned to the nest it is in the exact same way it was picked up. Meaning that it's not turned over in a way to 'scramble' it up some.
Our budgies have laid 2 clutches this year. Apparantly the male is still too young as none were fertile either time. We removed the eggs from the nest box once they were about a week past hatching schedule. Basically, about a month after laying the first one, remove it if it hasn't hatched. Don't remove the eggs prior to that as it only sets them back psychologically. The female will most likely be very upset and not normal for a little while. It will take some time for her to get over it, but she will be normal soon.
Be sure and have egg food added to the regular feed and it wouldn't hurt to use the 'egg cite' parakeet mix. Also, make sure there is a cuttlebone handy for them to nibble on. Be sure to keep LOTS of food and fresh water for them, especially while laying and brooding. The extra calcium is very important as well as her body will be depleting itself during breeding.
Good luck!

Answer 3

This is a simply question and you should know the answer to before starting to breed.

If she has a partner and is over the age of 1,then there she will continue to lay every second day until she has a clutch of eggs. (average is 5-6 eggs) If she is younger than 1 remove the box immediately!! Young hens are not mentally ready for a family and are still building up reserves of nutrients and minerals in they own bodies.

Brooding the eggs is normal and she will only leave the nest to defecate (which will be large due tot he build up) The eggs hatch around day 18. Around day 5 you can 'candle' the eggs which involves a small torch with a strong light, you are looking to small read veins in the egg. This is a sign they are fertile.

Yes if the eggs are not fertile then she will grow bored with them either before or after th 18 day period, this can change from hen to hen.

If she is along then remove the nest boxed Immediately. They do not need it as a bed or play area. They see nest boxes as one thing - NESTS!

Answer 4

More then likely the eggs are not fertile. The mother bird may sit on them for a while but more then likely she will ignore them in a day or two and then you can remove them from the cage. I would not bother getting a nesting box unless you are sure you have a male and female parakeet and if you want to have young. Often times a female will lay eggs even without a male bird present.

Answer 5

My parakeet had one egg and she has been in the box for like two weeks now she s out she never had another one this is her first one is it normal will it hatch.I don t know if I should o Ulf check it or not what do I due

Answer 6

she may sit on her egg, and she may lay more , one every two days is common. If she stays on them it will be until a few days after they would normally hatch. I dont know how they know that but they all do.

She may be a bit upset when her eggs dont hatch , but she will throw them out or abandon them after a few days .

Give her about a month to enjoy her egg.

Answer 7

if the egg breaks its not gonna stink, dont worry. If its not fertilized she will most likely leave the box yes. I had my bird lay them and she'd sit on them for hours. Unfortunately they broke :( and yellow goo was there hehe so it was fertilized. But sometimes she'd lay an egg...and it would be empty an she wouldn't sit on it. dont worry, its a natural process.

Answer 8

She layed the egg because you gave her a nest box and lots of daylight. Remove both of these and your bird will be happy.

Answer 9

If it's not fertile for sure then take the egg away. If you don't she'll keep at it until she gets tired of it.. Which might take a while.

Answer 10

If the egg isn't fertile, she will abandon it after the normal incubation period passes.