Budgie Mating Issues

[TomPorter]

I have three female and three male budgies all adults. They are in a large flight cage and have freedom to fly around the room. The room also has another large flight cage with two cockatiels in it, both female.

Windows and doorway have screen meshes hanging to keep them confined to the room. I have a full spectrum swag lamp that is on for 8 hours a day and then a moonlight bulb that runs all night long. Recently the budgies really increased their mating drive so much so that the white cere and forehead feathers on my female cobalt have turned a bright pink. I actually found her hiding in part of a desk hutch book area and looked like she was wanting to lay eggs. The other two female budgies have not changed color, however they are all looking for nesting areas since none exist in the cage. All three pairs continue to mate at least once a day. I'm making sure that they have continuous access to cuttlebone, they seem to go through an entire bone each day, although it looks more like they are using it more as a chew toy and actually eating the calcium.

The outside basement window has a shade pulled closed and while it doesn't block all light there is a serious reduction in the light from outside.

I really don't want babies, and I don't want to lose a bird either. Is there something I should be doing to help the females get through this safely?

 

[sthiele]

Do you provide plenty of shredable toys to keep them busy? None of my budgies try to mate with each other, but they're also busy every day going through balsa like beavers. Mine use the cuttlebones as toys, as well. Seems to be a game...how fast can we shred it lol. What is their sleeping pattern like?

 

[TomPorter]

Thanks for the reply...they do have toys and plenty of cuttlebone...they normally have the freedom to roam the room...I've closed the flight cage and that seems to have helped now that they don't have access to the cubbyholes in the hutches.

I was also wondering if the change to the Cere and forehead feathers is a mating indication or egg forming indicator?

 

[sthiele]

Females will get a brown, crusty cere when they are in season. What kind of toys do they have? Any foraging opportunities to keep them busy? Mine are always so distracted that mating is never an issue, they'd rather chew balsa and bounce around everywhere.

 

[TomPorter]

Thanks for the replies. The bright pink coloring of the cere (almost back to white) and feathers is dissipating. I do give and rotate lots of toys and fresh cuttlebone is provided once and sometimes twice a week. I'll give them another week or two in the cage and see if they return to trying to nest in my desk hutches. Again thanks for the replies.

 

[Kolkri]

Just don't let them keep any eggs.

 

[Lady Jane]

I think you may want to consider investing in dummy eggs. http://theeggshop.com/

 

[Glacier313]

A pink cere and head does'nt indicate breeding, perhaps your female rubbed up against something pink? Also, if you are very worried you can try to separate the females from the males.

 

[JLcribber]

I have three female and three male budgies all adults. They are in a large flight cage and have freedom to fly around the room. The room also has another large flight cage with two cockatiels in it, both female.

Windows and doorway have screen meshes hanging to keep them confined to the room. I have a full spectrum swag lamp that is on for 8 hours a day and then a moonlight bulb that runs all night long. Recently the budgies really increased their mating drive so much so that the white cere and forehead feathers on my female cobalt have turned a bright pink. I actually found her hiding in part of a desk hutch book area and looked like she was wanting to lay eggs. The other two female budgies have not changed color, however they are all looking for nesting areas since none exist in the cage. All three pairs continue to mate at least once a day. I'm making sure that they have continuous access to cuttlebone, they seem to go through an entire bone each day, although it looks more like they are using it more as a chew toy and actually eating the calcium.

The outside basement window has a shade pulled closed and while it doesn't block all light there is a serious reduction in the light from outside.

I really don't want babies, and I don't want to lose a bird either. Is there something I should be doing to help the females get through this safely?

You should be keeping the hens fit (flying) and on a healthy diet (which is sounds like you're doing). That's about it. You can not stop this behaviour. It is a biological function driven by hormones that must run its course and leave the system in due time. Egg laying is a perfectly natural thing and as long as the hens are healthy and fit there really shouldn't be any problem.

Diane gave you a link above for fake eggs. Get yourself a bunch of the appropriate size and replace any real eggs with fakes. Then let the birds go about doing what birds do.