How Long Should my Budgie be in Labor Before Laying an Egg?

[hoofstep]

The Short of it:
I didn't know we had a pair.
I was looking at the ceres and thought they were both blue so both males.
Now we find egg in bottom of cage. Egg was incomplete- had a crack and was not full on the inside.
Anyway, Pickle (the she) appears to be laying another but has been doing so for a couple of hours. How long do I wait before I get concerned that she may be binding or having some kind of laying issue?

My experience level is I had one bird before- a Cockatiel - have read a decent amount - wasn't prepared to be owning a breeding pair, this was an accident (but a happy one).
We got these birds from a pet store - I had lost my cockatiel of 23 years and decided that there being no local budgies to rescue right then (and I was in serious withdrawal) I would go to the first place I could and get the first thing I could and love it to death. Didn't realize my boyfriend was missin lil bird too and so we wound up with 2 after getting first the one. Now they are a pair.

The female is sitting on one of the upper tiers of the cage where I had made a platform with birdbath and appears to be trying to lay another egg. It's agony watching her. Can anyone walk me through this? I never saw Lil BIrd lay an egg in her whole life, though she laid several clutches without a mate. She didn't move around as much as this budgie: She used to just squat quietly. Looks like budgie is breathing heavily and though her eyes are open and bright her head is resting on the shelf- she isn't holding it up, as my cockatiel did. It's really got me scared. Here is a short video- it was the only angle as the bars were in the way at any other...https://youtu.be/hZ4vA4uVv_c

Thanks for your help..Anybody?

[boomer girl]

On my goodness she does not look good at all and no doubt you have got to be so worried. I would definitely put a heating pad on the outside of her cage and cover that side with a towel to keep the warmth in there. I have no idea what to do for egg binding other then taking her to the vet. My heart is breaking for you because I sure know I would be panicked and crying if this was my bird.

[hoofstep]

On my goodness she does not look good at all and no doubt you have got to be so worried. I would definitely put a heating pad on the outside of her cage and cover that side with a towel to keep the warmth in there. I have no idea what to do for egg binding other then taking her to the vet. My heart is breaking for you because I sure know I would be panicked and crying if this was my bird.

Oh it is so hard to get to an exotic vet, but I'll get what I can as soon as I can.

Question though: She isn't spending the whole time there huffing and puffing. She is eating well and is up and down around the cage. I'm hoping that is because she feels well, but worried that she is just playing tough because we (the potential predators) are in thr same room.I now have a reptile lamp over her to give her some warmth. I had given her some straw to nest with if she felt inclined, because she was planted right on the metal screening.

I'm freaked out now. The are totally un-socialized to humans so we don't handle them (yet). They have warmed up to us a bit but not enough to take being turned over or even held in a palm. The female is especially flighty.

[maxollie]

I am sorry I did not get to the forum earlier today. If you have not done so, please call an Avian vet, or in the a!ternative, see if you can find an emergency animal\bird hospital in your area. It should be open 24\7. It appears she could be egg bound. Usually they lay eggs on the cage floor, but I also had a female years, ago that laid one while on the perch. Egg binding is dangerous, so, in my view, get her to a vet or the hospital asap.

[hoofstep]

I am sorry I did not get to the forum earlier today. If you have not done so, please call an Avian vet, or in the a!ternative, see if you can find an emergency animal\bird hospital in your area. It should be open 24\7. It appears she could be egg bound. Usually they lay eggs on the cage floor, but I also had a female years, ago that laid one while on the perch. Egg binding is dangerous, so, in my view, get her to a vet or the hospital asap.

First off, thank ou both, Maxodlife and Boomer Girl. I contacted Pearl Parrot Rescue in Pittsburgh and believe I have found someone who can care for her. She is already having trouble closing her feet when she perches. I hope to avoid permanent damage. Now off to rescue it has been too long already! Thanks again a million!

[boomer girl]

I hope the rescue can help her out. Please keep us posted.

[maxollie]

Thinking of you and your budgie today. I hope you have found the help you need. We will welcome updates!! ((((((Hugs)))))))). Ellen/Maxollie

[hoofstep]

I hope the rescue can help her out. Please keep us posted.

All I can say is that I need forgiveness.


Update on Pickle:

-- So Charles, my sig. other is unwilling to spend emergency money. I get it; it's more than we can part with. So I am waiting for an appointment call from Rainbow Vet in Darlington, PA where I had taken my Cockatiel Squeaks. They have one or two days a week for avian vets but just not open Sundays.

TREATMENT SO FAR:

-- Segregated from Chicklet overnight in heated cage, with food, water (& vitamins). The way I try to make sure they get better nutrition (since they refuse everything but millet) is by holding millet spray over a steam bath, and when it is damp place in a bag with Nekton powder and in her case finely ground eggshells that have had a droplet of vinegar mixed in to help dissolve. I have had no access to liquid calcium, but for all I know that is only for chickens.

-- Have also been coaxing finely crushed egg shell into her thinking it moe than likely IS a calcium deficiency and at the risk of killing her I'm anxious to do something.

Findings after 24 hours from yesterday:
-- Bird is no worse, but not really better. Eyes still bright. Appears a little less rumpled. I can't believe she is alive anyway. Boyfriend said Chicklet misses her so let's put her back. Reluctantly I have done so, but soon after, she is just lying on upper tier of cage as she did yesterday. It's almost like ordinary nesting I would think, but at times she grips the cage bars with her beak: is this a sign of shock, difficulty breathing or pain? IDK. She also (on and off) appears to be breathing heavily. Her vent is once again getting a little mucky (but she was on bundled cloth last night and no place to really drop droppings)

-- when roused or alerted (she is the equivalent of feral or wild because obviously never been handled before we got her) she will sit up, stand up, fly off the platform, whatever (in fear, I assume) but cannot perch properly becuause her toes will not curl around a perch. Her legs are a bit splayed and feet seem slightly paralyzed, same as a chicken who is calcium deficient. When she does walk, her feet are further apart than normal.

Because she is a very small bird I am kind of assuming Pickle is either very young (too young to be having children) or else just not very healthy. She has never taken on the bloom that Chicklet has. Her feathers always look a little disheveled and she is a poor specimen inthat her wings cross each other over her back. She is smaller than one of the nuthatches at our feeder.

OK just got the call from Darlington (Closed Sunday). They are booked up two weeks out from a regular visit and they gave me the same numbers over again to try elsewhere. I feel bad to say we will not be doing emergency for her. I am hoping for forgiveness. Nobody is perfect. Charles has done an awful lot to make both of our lives comfortable and I still have little to offer by way of security. I just had a knee replacement and the bills are just beginning to come in now.

I am also hoping that those of you who have experience in something similar can help me to at least provide the best care I can for her until she takes a turn for better or worse or until I can get her into a check-up VERY SOON. First appt I can possibly get is West Liberty (Dr. Dorn is a very caring vet) NEXT Monday, 10:30 a.m.

[maxollie]

It is often difficult to know exactly the age of a budgie when we get them at a petshop. They should be very young, a minimum of 12 weeks old, but on occasion, An o!der budgie can be in the flock, perhaps due to one not being timely sold, or, for whatever reason, getting into the stock sold to the retailer. Some budgies have leg bands with code numbers on them, that have a hatch date and or code number of the breeder. And of course bringing birds into our home from another owner, is another problem because we never have any history of the bird at all. With this being written, I see no reason for you to be guilty, or need to ask forgiveness. It sounds to me like you have had birds as pets for sometime, therefore, it is not like you do not know anything about them.

It seems to me this is something neurological. I have bred budgies, and when a hen lays an egg, the feet, legs, or tordes do not curl or lose their grip capability. Maybe this budgie is older than you thought. One suggestion I have is to not overfeed calcium. In my view, the seed mix should have had vitamins in it, and cuttlebone is always the best for birds. Crush some cuttlebone and mix it with seeds, or, the crushed boiled eggshells, but do not over feed it. Too much calcium can cause kidney problems. Have you now, or have you ever fed pellets to your budgies?

I would not have any high perches for her. P!ace any perches closer to the cage bottom. Ideally, in my view, get a small cage to put her in. You can get one at a pet store or on line for $30 max. It is always good to have a spare cage. And arrange it so she will not need to climb, and then fall. At this point, keep her comfortable and warm. And nature will take its course. Quite honestly, it would be ideal for her to see a vet, but, it could be she could never get through treatment especially if it is something that cannot be cured.

I send you (((((((hugs))))))), knowing there are some folks who do not have financial status to pay for vet treatment. That does not mean they do not love or care for them and their lives.

We will welcome updates!

[boomer girl]

I agree with the smaller cage and keep her nice and warm. Our vet uses 10 to 15 gallon fish tanks at her office and puts a screen over the top and a towel on the bottom. Put small dishes for food and water. Put a heating pad on the bottom corner so if she needs it she will sit there. I understand the money situation and you got to do what's best for you. I just feel awful this is happening. Hugs to you. I know how awful it is to see your bird not doing good.