# Need help with cleaning nest



## M Ali

Hello all, 
So I have a pair of budgies that mated and now I have 4 eggs and 1 chick(hatched yesterday). The budgies are not tamed, simply because I am a university going student and do not have the time to spend with them. They are healthy and eat healthy.
The nest is full of poop. Like the chick can sink in the amount there is in the nest. So naturally I wanted to clean the nest but the female absolutely refuses to come out if the nest. And she literally screams her lungs out if I tap the sides of the nest in hope to make her come out. She goes into full attack mode while staying inside the nest and tucking the chick and eggs under her.
The reason I didn't clean the nest when there were eggs was because I didn't want her to feel threatened and destroy the eggs if I handled them. And now I don't want the chick to die of any illness. The female just doesn't want to come out. 
One thing to clarify, there is nothing I ever did to the bird that may have scared her in the past. I have never touched her since the say I got her. So I don't know why she thinks I'm a predator. The male is pretty calm whenever I approach them and doesn't make a fuss.
So basically, how to deal with the situation? Thanks a lot!


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## FaeryBee

*Why did you allow these birds to breed?
You obviously have neither the knowledge nor experience to be breeding budgies!

You posted three months ago in a panic when there was "blood everywhere" and yet didn't bother to answer the posts on that thread when staff responded to you.

I'm very distressed at this whole situation.

You are going to have to remove the female from the nest and clean the nest box!
Do you have a proper wooden nest box with a concave bottom?
Are you using the appropriate bedding material? Pine shavings or Aspen Shavings is what should be used.
Is the Male budgie assisting the female by feeding her?

You MUST answer these questions if you expect help and advice.*


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## M Ali

Hi, thank you for responding.
I understand how important it is for you that the birds remain in the best of health. Regarding the previous post, I have also mentioned this before that I didn't receive any email notification for a reply. That may be why I didn't respond to a reply. But part of the blame is on my side too as I should've visited the website on my own to check for updates. The male bird healed perfectly and the issue with his health was completely resolved. He was stressed before, maybe due to how the pet store handled them(I don't know for sure), and that's why he hurt himself. But he's happy now and sings a lot for the female in the nest and is always bobbing his head when he wants to mouth feed the female.
Anyways, the reason I couldn't stop them from mating is because I never actually saw them mating. I have a caretaker in my house that feeds the birds and I only got to know that she was laying eggs when there were already 3 eggs. I didn't want them to actually mate as I thought that they may not be ready for parenthood. But I didn't want to emotionally hurt them too by removing the eggs. So I let them carry on. And yes, now I AM realizing that I shouldn't have let that happen as I am inexperienced.
Now to answering your questions.
The nest is a wooden bird house. It's bottom is not fully concave but rather it has a small hole in the center where all the eggs and the chick are currently. It's diameter is about 2.5 inchs. I never used any soft bedding initially. But when I saw the three eggs, I removed the eggs using a tissue paper and used Apsen shavings and then put the eggs back. At this time, the mother wasn't too protective so I could easily do it. The mother then flapped her wings and threw out about 60% of the shavings. This happened two times when I finally gave up as I was worried the eggs might break.
The male always helps the mother feed the chicks(now two). He goes inside the nest and feeds them. He is always be the entrance to the nest and spends time there unless he wants to eat and drink. Both the father and mother are doing a good job in taking care of the eggs as well as the chicks. My only issue is the cleanliness of the nests. The mother suddenly became a bit too protective as soon as the first chick hatched. She was pretty calm before when I handled the eggs two times before so that I could put them over a soft bedding. But not now as she refuses to leave the nest. She will eat whatever the male comes with and feeds her through mouth. The only reason why I'm paying attention to them now is because my second semester ended and I have some free time to spare.
I will visit this discussion every 12-24 hours so I don't miss anything.


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## FaeryBee

*It is critical you keep the nest box clean for the health of the budgies. 
Is it mounted to the outside of the cage?
Does the nest box have a top that can be opened? If so, then open it and gently move the hen out of the box into the cage.
If necessary, then remove the nest box carefully and clean it.
It would be helpful for you to get a second nest box. That way you can move the hen out of the box, transfer the chick and eggs to the clean box and then take the dirty box, clean it and prepare it for the next time. 
If you are afraid of the female biting you, wear a cotton gardening glove when you move her. 
It is important you check the chicks daily to ensure the are not developing splayed legs. You must also keep their feet and legs clean of feces. 
The nest box needs to be cleaned daily. *


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## M Ali

The nest is mounted inside the cage. The cage is big so there's plenty of room for them to fly and stretch. Also, the cage can be opened from the top. A second cage would indeed be helpful as she won't be able to see what I'm doing to her chicks if I seperate them for a short time. 
My concern is that, as she does not want to come out of the nest, will she feel too threatened that she'll abandon the chicks and eggs? Of course I will be extremely gentle and encourage her to come out of the nest on her own, but she will definitely feel somewhat threatened. Do female budgies gladly accept her chicks and eggs back after being separated for a short time? Do note that she screams if I get too close to the nest which she did when I was inspecting the condition of the nest.
Thanks a lot.


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## FaeryBee

*She is aggressive in protecting her nest so she will not abandon it. The nest box should be mounted properly on the outside of the cage with the opening accessed through a breeding door. 
please post pictures of your set up. 
How to upload images to your post. *


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