8 Year Old Budgie Laying Eggs

LuvMyBabies · Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:42 pm Post subject: 8 Year Old Budgie Laying Eggs

I have two 8 year old budgies (male and female in separate cages). The female has laid 3 eggs in the past 3 days. The strange part is that she has never laid eggs before. There is no chance that the eggs are fertilized. My question is, why would she start laying eggs after all this time? Should I be concerned?

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2259 Location: uk

Hi enviromental changes aswell as hormone changes play a part in the breeding cycle.

If the temp in the house has increased and there is light in the house for around 14hours a day wether it be natural light or artificial light this can make her broody.
If she has been getting soft foods lately such as bread, cabbage, pasta then this will make her lay eggs aswell.

Since there is no way these eggs are fertile i would just leave her with them until she gets bored and abandons them.

Laying 1 egg a day is really not normal as they lay 1 egg every 2days.
Personally i would take her to see an avian vet and have her checked over.
Also because of her age she is also higher risk of egg binding which is when the egg becomes stuck in the oviduct and this can be fatal if not noticed and treated straight away.
Make sure she has cuttlefish bone in her cage this will help with calcium and help reduce the risk of egg binding.

Mike

LuvMyBabies · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:07 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the information Mike. I am really at a loss with Sprite. Nothing in her environment has changed (be it lighting, temperature or diet). Also, just to clarify, she didn't lay an egg a day for three days, she laid 2 eggs on Saturday, none on Sunday and 1 on Monday.

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2259 Location: uk

Hi, I would take her to see an avian vet as laying 2 eggs in one day is not normal, Could 1 of them been there a day or two before you saw the 2nd one.

Birds don't lay more than 1 egg at a time so for her to have 2 the same day suggest something could be wrong, I do not want to worry you by saying that but i would definatley have her checked out.

Mike

LuvMyBabies · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:54 pm Post subject:

Thanks again Mike. I have taken your advise and we have an appointment this evening. Hopefully everything is okay. I am very worried about her.

LuvMyBabies · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:55 pm Post subject:

Thanks again Mike. I have taken your advise and we have an appointment this evening. Hopefully everything is okay. I am very worried about her.

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2259 Location: uk

I hope everything is ok with her, Please let me know how she gets on and what they think could be wrong.
It may just be her hormones are really out balanced and they can give a hormone shot to help settle them down.

Mike