my parakeet laid some eggs please help

[big5dogg]

hello I got a quick question, my parakeet laid 2 eggs about 14 days ago, how long does it take for the eggs to hatch?? Also dont parakeet normaly lay more than two eggs when pregnant? she has been in her nest box most of the time and comes out rarely to eat or sometimes the male goes to the nestbox and feeds her how will I know when the one egg has hatched?

 

[Spiritbird]

If you are not an experienced breeder how are you going to handle the little ones if the eggs are fertile??

 

[big5dogg]

im not experienced they just happend to mate, I am researching on how to take care of them.

 

[MikeyTN]

You should bring the eggs out and shine a flash light through them to check for fertility. The male does ALL the feeding. He feeds the momma and the chucks. The female will not come out of her nest box, she incubates the eggs on her own.

 

[big5dogg]

will the mother get mad if i take one of the eggs out to see if it is fertile? shes always laying on top of the eggs

 

[Garnet]

Yes, the mother is going to be very upset with you, but once you put her egg back, she will settle down. If you decide to candle the egg to check for fertility, please be very careful not to shake or disturb the egg in any way. Take it out, put a flashlight under the egg, if you see a red streak, it is fertile. Very gently place the egg back in the same place you found it. Mom will rearrange the eggs as she pleases. Just lift the egg straight up, hold it in one hand while you use the flashlight with the other hand, and do not turn the egg in anyway. Are you planning to handfeed, or just let the parents feed the chicks?

 

[big5dogg]

im gonna let the mom feed them

 

[Garnet]

In that case, I wouldn't disturb them at all, just let nature takes its course and mom and dad will know what to do. Normally a parakeet lays from 4-8 eggs and it will take approximately 24 days for them to hatch.

 

[big5dogg]

ok thank you very much

 

[Amps]

Extra good luck! Hope you have a wonderful clutch of babies and all of them make it! I wouldn't know what to do either if lily ever started to lay eggs. If anyone on this forum knows, can a cockatiel that hasn't mated lay eggs? I come from a farm, we raise chickens..... No one else here has birds really. Of course I know that's an engineered thing that chickens lay eggs that much, but I was just kinda wondering if it could happen.

 

[Ratzy]

Yay! A question I can answer.

Eggs take approx 18 days to hatch from incubation. The hen doesn't usually incubate until the second egg has been laid.
Budgies don't actually get pregnant but yes, the average clutch is 5-6 eggs.
You should be checking the box every day, twice a day when they hatch.
Somebody has already mentioned candling, but you don't need to touch the eggs at all!
I could go on and on, feel free to ask me questions!

 

[MikeyTN]

Extra good luck! Hope you have a wonderful clutch of babies and all of them make it! I wouldn't know what to do either if lily ever started to lay eggs. If anyone on this forum knows, can a cockatiel that hasn't mated lay eggs? I come from a farm, we raise chickens..... No one else here has birds really. Of course I know that's an engineered thing that chickens lay eggs that much, but I was just kinda wondering if it could happen.

Yes they can! It is NOT a good thing!!! Especially if the female is attached to you and you must ignore her at all cost. Some females are cronic egg layers that can eventually kill them. Plus egg binding can be a problem to deal with as well. I love my girls but im afraid to have them. I have a cronic egg layer that almost died 4 months ago. I was lucky I caught it in time when she was in trouble. I used to raise them so I know all the signs to watch. She hasn't laid anymore since, which I hope she doesn't....