• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

How to Re-home Budgies and Tell If Bird is Egg-Bearing??

BirbBrains

Strolling the yard
Joined
8/31/18
Messages
87
So, I keep on asking questions about birds today! Sorry!

But this question isn't for me, its for my friend who actually made me realize I really wanted budgies in the first place! I'm going to call her Phoebe.

So Phoebe and I were recently looking at her budgies, and we realized that one seems to be pregnant (Is that the proper term for the egg when its still in the stomach?)...at least we think. She had suspected it for a while based on her birds' activity, but now we're very sure. She is larger than usual, moves less (but not to an unhealthy extent), and has a barely visible bulge in her abdomen. In addition, her mate is acting more protective of her. Is she actually pregnant? Does anyone know from personal experience??

My second question: What do we do if there are too many chicks? I, along with one of her other friends who likes owning birds, currently are thinking of adopting one, but budgies can have 4-8 chicks! As one may guess, she doesn't want to care for possibly 6 other birds, but wants them to be taken care of. Any advice on safely rehoming budgie babies?
 

expressmailtome

Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/15/10
Messages
49,992
Real Name
Matthew

Lady Jane

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/25/12
Messages
26,573
Location
Maryland
Real Name
Dianne
First item on your post. The bird with a swollen belly may have other problems such as a tumor or buildup of fluid from liver disease. Bird should be taken to the vet ASAP.

My second question: What do we do if there are too many chicks?


For this one you just don't give the birds opportunity to mate and or you render the eggs that were laid infertile. To do this one either puts the eggs in the freezer for a while or boils them. You can replace them under the female is you want. Other option is to purchase dummy eggs and replace the laid eggs with the dummy eggs.
 

BirbBrains

Strolling the yard
Joined
8/31/18
Messages
87
Hmm. We already had her checked for any signs of medical disease. She's definitely having chicks. Before she started to become larger, my friend had twice heard the budgies mating. At this point, we're just waiting for the eggs to be laid, and if at least 4 survive, we need to know how to succesfully find people who will adopt them and take care of them.
 

Jas

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
11/9/17
Messages
1,612
Location
UK
Real Name
Jasmine
*I don't know what you know in terms of breeding so I'm not being patronising iim just cover all areas.

Some questions
Wht did the vet say
Are you sure they are male and female
Do you have extra money to take birds to the vets (babies included)
Can you handle that these chicks may not survive as this is the parents first clutch?

A budgie will pass an egg every two days until the whole clutch is is laid an then sit on them for 18days for them to hatch. A bird does not become pregnant like mammals and the baby develops outside of the mother. Egg binding is serious in female birds and can be fatal (egg shell doesn't develop and female can't pass the egg).

Birds can also ly eggs with no males around and they will be infertile (no chance of babies). Both male birds will mate with each other and females too but there will be no babies.

Raising babies is very draining on the parents and may result in fatalities of parents and chicks. Diet is very important and hand feeding is useful to know as many new parents will not know how to care for babies and they will die. There are so many birds is this world and breeding is one reason why. So I would strongly reconsider breeding.
 

BirbBrains

Strolling the yard
Joined
8/31/18
Messages
87
She is egg-bearing (I keep saying pregnant by accident, sorry about that,) she is female and her mate is male, my friend is prepared if some don't make it, and my friend isn't planning on keeping all the chicks, my question was mainly about just how to find local people who will take care of them willing to adopt them. Before you get the wrong idea, my friend Phoebe is not a budgie breeder, and never intended for the birds to mate. She's trying to prevent it in the future, and would've known what to do with the chicks if she had originally intended for them to breed.
 

Jas

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
11/9/17
Messages
1,612
Location
UK
Real Name
Jasmine
Has the female laid any eggs?

The best thing for the birds welfare is to replace the real eggs with fakes. However if no one wishes to do that then meeting potential owners and doing a home visit (bring someone else) will allow phoebe to understand the person and give them advice on bird care. It also means you can decide if they are a good fit or not. Though do be aware homes may still be a prison senctance to that bird. (things happen in life like illness, children or education.) budgies can live 20 years.

I wouldn't sell or Craigslist but genuine bird websites and magazines would be a better selection of people. Bird fairs are a breeding ground for bacteria and illness.
 

BirbBrains

Strolling the yard
Joined
8/31/18
Messages
87
Yah, we weren't thinking of online sites in the first place. Checking out a buyer's house seems like a good idea. Also, to clarify further, Phoebe had originally thought and had been told that the male bird was actually female, and only realized he was not recently.
 

Garet

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
10/12/17
Messages
2,877
Location
Montreal, Quebec
Real Name
Garet
Birds usually show their pregnancies in their butts, not their abdomens. With budgies, it's especially hard to tell visually.

If they do have babies, you could always try the forums here. Kijiji or Craigslist are also good, and vets will sometimes let you put up ads in their office if you want to adopt them out. Emphasis on adopt, not sell. They're not like Kijiji or Craigslist.

Just be sure to screen people and not just pawn them off on whoever. There are some pretty nasty people out there, and some very stupid people who release pet birds into the wild deliberately, where they don't survive.
 

BirbBrains

Strolling the yard
Joined
8/31/18
Messages
87
@Garet
I'll suggest that to her! Neither of us know enough people irl who will take birds. Thanks for the help :)
 

Garet

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
10/12/17
Messages
2,877
Location
Montreal, Quebec
Real Name
Garet
@Garet
I'll suggest that to her! Neither of us know enough people irl who will take birds. Thanks for the help :)
It's nothing.

Like I said; we have a rehome highway here, and a few people who like budgies. :p

Also, a tip of advice? Scramble a little bit of eggs with finely crushed shell for your birds and cook it well before serving. I like giving it to Triss when she gets an eggy butt. Birdy parents appreciate the added protein and calcium.
 
Top