There is nothing cuter than seeing a budgie chick hatch from its egg.
If you have a love pair of budgies (meaning a male and a female), it could be exciting to breed them and bring a new baby bird into the world.
It is easier said than done, however.
There are quite a few factors that will ultimately lead to the successful breeding of the budgie pairs.
In this article you’re going to learn the following
- Do all budgie eggs hatch?
- How to know if your birdies egg is alive? (signs to look out for)
- How long does it take for a egg to hatch?
- What happens if a birds egg doesn’t hatch? (What you should do)
So if you’re interested in learning about eggs hatching then you’re going to love this article
Sound good?
Let’s get started!
Do All Budgie Eggs Hatch?
Most eggs laid by budgies will not hatch.
Just like most birds, budgies do not need to breed to lay eggs.
An unfertilized egg is similar to a chicken egg that you would eat.
There is no embryo inside because the male has not bred with the female which leads to the fertilization of the egg.
On the other hand, an unfertilized egg will not hatch.
Not all budgies of the opposite sex will form love pairs.
It is common that the pair is not compatible and therefore will not breed.
Even if the budgies are “getting it on”, the female will still likely lay unfertilized eggs, similar to how a human female will continue a menstrual cycle.
If you have a love pair that is actively breeding, there is still a likelihood that the eggs may not hatch.
This can be for a number of reasons including:
- male infertility
- the chick does not develop correctly in the egg
- the female budgie is stressed so will not incubate the eggs properly.
- a damaged egg.
If your budgie is consistently laying fertilized eggs that do not develop correctly, you should take your feathered friend to the vet to see if there are any underlying health conditions.
How Do I Know If My Bird Egg Is Alive?
If your budgie has been mating and you are unsure of whether there is an embryo inside the eggs it lays or not, then it is important to know how to distinguish a fertilized from an unfertilized egg.
There are a few ways that you can check for signs of life in bird eggs.
If the egg is warm, it is likely an alive egg.
You should also check if the egg has any fractures as a broken egg will indicate that the egg is unfortunately dead.
Once you’ve confirmed that the bird egg is warm and unbroken, try shining it under a bright light in the dark.
If it has visible veins when under a bright light, it’s a sign of life.
Finally, when you’re at the point of incubating an egg, check for any signs of movement.
A little wobbling motion indicates that this egg is alive and well.
It also helps to check if your budgie keeps returning to the egg.
If it is, then it is likely looking after the egg as it has a growing chick inside of it.
How Long Do Budgie Eggs Take To Hatch?
The female budgie will generally lay something between four to eight eggs and will lay one every couple of days.
Each egg that is laid will need incubating for 18 days (sometimes a little bit longer).
At the time of the hatching, it can sometimes take up to a few hours for the chick to crack through the shell, this is completely normal and should not be cause for alarm.
What Happens If a Bird Egg doesn’t Hatch?
It is inevitable that some eggs in a clutch will not hatch.
There is a reason that birds lay multiple eggs and can continue to breed throughout the year.
Rarely will every egg laid become a healthy chick that will emerge out of its shell after a few weeks.
If a budgie lays eggs and some do not hatch after more than 4 weeks, then most likely these eggs are duds and can be removed and thrown away.
Make sure to give them some more time than the average 18 day incubation period, because they sometimes will need a little more time than normal.
Have a read of my articles that are similar which you’d definitely find interesting!
When to remove unhatched budgie eggs?
Do budgies eat their own eggs?
When to remove unhatched budgie eggs?
Do budgies lay eggs without mating?
Budgie laying eggs on bottom of cage
Why Is My Budgie Laying Eggs On The Bottom Of The Cage?
It can be surprising if your budgie decides to lay eggs on the bottom of the cage
Usually they would use a cozy nest box
So what could be the possible reason to lay them at the bottom of the cage?
Here’s some possible reasons
- It could be because of the lack of space in the cage. The cage needs to be large enough so both the female and her mate have enough space to be together and can seek out privacy when they want it. Check out my article Best large cage for budgies
- The temperature of the room might not be comfortable for your budgie. Budgies only have light layers of feathers to protect themselves from cold temperatures. Check out my article How to keep baby budgies warm in winter
- Your bird may not like the environment. It may be too loud for your budgie which can scare your budgie so they go to the bottom of the cage
- Your budgie may not be feeling which can cause a change in their behavior. If you think your budgie is stressed it’s best to consult an avian veterinarian
Wrapping Up
When breeding a pair of budgies, there can be a number of things that cause the eggs to be infertile or fail to hatch.
Pay attention to your female bird to make sure she is healthy, because a happy and healthy budgie will create happy and healthy chicks.
If she continues to produce unfertilized eggs, it is most likely the case that the male is unfertile or there is a change needed in her diet to aid her fertility.
Once you discover the cause for the issue, it won’t be long before you see little chicks starting to crack through their shells!
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