Unusual Breeding Experience. . .

[bissobudgie7]

Here's a brief explanation of what I'm currently dealing with. . .Anyone's input would be greatly appreciated.. . .

I'm currently breeding two of my budgies. . . One of them laid 4 eggs, the first one being laid on 4/27 with each subsequent egg being laid every other day, thereafter. Based on my studies, I count 18 days from the time each egg was laid, as in this case. However, incubation "may" last up to even 19 days. Be that as it may, I counted the first egg being due to hatch on 5/15.

Well, it didn't hatch. Neither did the second one, when it was "scheduled to," nor the third. What is strange is, that I saw the cock ("Paulie") and the hen ("Trixie"), on several occasions, copulate, and so there's no doubt in my mind that the eggs are fertilized.

This past Saturday, however, having recorded as the 4th egg scheduled to hatch, an egg finally hatched!! At this point, however, I'm not really sure which egg hatched--the 1st, or the 4th, etc. And just last night (5/22), another egg hatched late in the evening, and so this particular breeding experience has me quite puzzled. This is my 2nd year breeding budgies, and so, obviously, I don't have much experience, but this is my first time seeing this, sort of, "weird" situation with the eggs hatching. :aiwebs_01

Does anyone have any insight, comments as to "why" this happened the way it did, whether based on your experience, or something you read in a book, etc? I would really appreciate your thoughts. :icon_smil

[Monica]

Well, from the sounds of it, you have your incubation period wrong. Incubation (sitting tightly on the eggs keeping them warm) is a minimum of 18 days (max, usually 2 weeks after incubation began), and eggs can last up to 24 days without being incubated (sat on). The only way an egg will hatch is if the mother has been sitting on the egg constantly until it hatchs (and if its fertile. So from the sounds of it, she didn't start incubating the eggs until she had 3-4 of them, and didn't sit tight on them all the time so therefore, a delayed hatching. Temperature and humidity can also effect how soon or late the eggs may hatch.

[VeraT]

Like the guy on jurasic park 1 said life is caos!! maybe they just werent done cooking. I carried my son for close to 10 months. I dont know if birds are the same but I think nature and developement are. you cant put them on a time clock.
By the way how old are budgies before they start breading?? I dont nesasarily want a bunch of grandfids but I guess 1 clutch wont hurt any thing, especialy since I know about 20 people who would want one but only about 2 or 3 I would actually give any to.