HELP! My budgie is laying eggs, how do I take care of her?

[Pianotes]

My female budgie, Paris, laid an egg two days ago. She’s four years old and has never laid eggs before, how do I take care of her properly (to prevent egg binding or any health issues). She’s also losing some of her down feathers?
She started laying eggs after (roughly) 2-4 weeks of masturbating on her toy. Since she’s laid an egg, she’s stopped rubbing her vent on it, but kind of gets ready for mating, (she sings whilst lifting her head up and arcing her back). She also regurgitates food to her toy. This morning, some spots on her cheeks were covered in an orange substance? Is that a symptom of crop infection? I’ll attach a photo.
Hopefully, I’m going to feed her: eggs, sprouted seeds, and fresh food (in addition to seeds and water). I can feed her: (defrosted) peas, sweet corn, broccoli, carrots, raspberries; (fresh) cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, cherries, melon, watermelon, strawberries, almonds, pumpkin seeds (I’ll check if budgies can eat them?), dried cranberries, dill, parsley and mint.
How much eggs can I feed her? She’s eating a lot more eggs than usual.
I read yesterday that budgies can lay 6-8 eggs, and lay one every other day.
I have no experience, and I need advice regarding how to keep her healthy and preventing any health issues.
Thank you.
PS we don’t have a male budgie.

 

[itzjbean]

This can often happen even with single birds. She likely sees her toy as her mate (the regurgitation, masturbation on it). The toy should be removed from her cage and never put back in, and instead she should be given a variety of toys to chew that hopefully won't entice her to rub on it. More toys/perches/things to do in her cage will ultimately keep her entertained enough so that she doesn't feel this need to rub on a toy but just play with them.

Have you kept the eggs in the cage or did you toss them away already? There are a few approaches to how you help her stop. One is just letting her sit on her clutch if she is protective of them, and just wait out the incubation period of the clutch. This means she will lay a clutch but then stop so she can incubate them. The danger of taking the eggs away right away is, she will just keep laying and laying until she has a clutch she feels comfortable with. So it may be best to leave the eggs in with her, let her get bored and then take them away. You can also take the eggs and boil them so they don't become rotten and stinky, but either way you will ultimately throw these eggs away and hopefully she will stop and be kicked out of her cycle of laying.

The most important thing she needs to get s calcium, and ti sounds like she should be getting it with cuttlebone or eggshells along with scrambled egg and everything else you listed which all looks great.

 

[Pianotes]

Thanks, I let her out in my room, her toy is outside as well.
I was insulating her egg in a jumper, but I’ll place them on her toy, and wait it out.
She’s just laid an egg, and it’s a bit bloody?! Is that normal? She was also the panting a lot (with her wings away from her body). Is she just tired or is this abnormal?
Thank you for the advice, I’ll get more toys (and adopt a friend) for her.

 

[Rozalka]

I think panting is normal - once time we saw how our budgie was laynig an egg and could see how really this is exhausting. But I don't remind any blood.
Losing some feathers on her stomach during breeding time is normal. I don't know why once time an expert denied me but I think she missunderstood me because I meant some feathers, not all (I was breeding budgies and my female also lost some down feathers)

 

[Pianotes]

Thank you! I can see why she’d pant after laying an egg. I think I’ll research the blood.

 

[MonicaMc]

The blood is normal for first time hens.

Besides eating a healthy diet (if she isn't good about eating fresh foods daily, or doesn't get them daily, then pellets should be a part of her diet), exercise via flight can also be a great way to try to help prevent egg binding.

 

[Pianotes]

Ok, I’m glad that it’s normal. Thank you!