# How long after first time mating will the female lay the first egg?



## jg_tommy

Hey everyone, I can only seem to find two answers.

1. 30 - 48 hours after mating
2. two to three weeks after mating

I know eggs form after mating and it takes two days once the egg laying has started. However, it has been a week since they first mated and no egg yet. I am fairly new to breeding, trying to do everything as carefully as I can and put what I've learned about breeding into practice.


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## Cody

Mating does not always result in an egg. What is the reason you are breeding your birds, how many do you have and what type of set up do you have? Please read this link Before You Ever Consider Breeding Your Budgies


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## jg_tommy

Cody said:


> Mating does not always result in an egg. What is the reason you are breeding your birds, how many do you have and what type of set up do you have? Please read this link Before You Ever Consider Breeding Your Budgies


I've read that before, it was about 10 years ago when I had an aviary full of parakeets that I bred. I actually was a member of this forum way back then! and I'm pretty well experienced when breeding budgies. I give them a pre-breeding diet the entire time, even if they're not breeding I still feed them a diet rich in fruits, veggies, sprouted seeds, eggs, and nuts. I believe that parakeets can get all the minerals and vitamins from the food they eat if its a proper diet.....

My setup is a flight cage with a big enough wooden nest box plenty of perches natural and wooden rods as well. they get sun every morning for about an hour at sunrise so it's not hot at that time, I only have two parakeets, I breed them because I enjoy the hobby and amazing experience that it is to breed budgies, it's just something I did as a kid growing up I would spend most of my day in the aviary with the birds. I do it because I love it and it brings happiness to my life and I also believe that parakeets naturally should breed at least once a year because it is the natural process of things...

I know all the ins and outs, but I haven't done it for 10 years so I'm having to re-learn some of the basic things I knew before... I take really good care of the budgies and I enjoy having them so the real issue I'm having is that her bum is a little swollen and her tail is bobbing. I'm suspecting early signs of egg binding. In all my 62 parakeets never did I experience egg binding but I did see swollen bellies and never suspected anything from them and no egg binding ever happened...

I'm just in over my head because her droppings are big as if an egg is in her. I'm keeping a close eye on her and will take her to the vet.

I forgot though about how long it takes approximately after they start mating a lot and being in the nest box most of the day for the female to lay the first egg? would you be able to answer that question?


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## Cody

This webinar at about 26:30 minutes into it has a good explanation of the timing and laying of egg formation


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## ChickWas

I really don't get people who say breeding animals is their hobby, especially when it comes to animals as small and dependent as budgies. You have a hobby collecting strangely shaped rocks? Cool! You have a hobby where you like sculpting things out of clay? Love it! You have a hobby where you bring living, breathing, dependent animals into the world that live for 10 years or more and can end up abandoned and suffering? Yeah, no.

Your comment about breeding them each year, it just baffles me because I wonder what you'll do when you eventually have too many budgies for your aviary. Rehoming them is a weak excuse because chances are they'll just end up in a small cage and be passed around from family to family, or worse yet, just get neglected. Maybe I'm too pessimistic but I just really don't agree with bringing new life into the world when there's such a high probability of them leading pretty unfair lives.


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## jg_tommy

ChickWas said:


> I really don't get people who say breeding animals is their hobby, especially when it comes to animals as small and dependent as budgies. You have a hobby collecting strangely shaped rocks? Cool! You have a hobby where you like sculpting things out of clay? Love it! You have a hobby where you bring living, breathing, dependent animals into the world that live for 10 years or more and can end up abandoned and suffering? Yeah, no.
> 
> Your comment about breeding them each year, it just baffles me because I wonder what you'll do when you eventually have too many budgies for your aviary. Rehoming them is a weak excuse because chances are they'll just end up in a small cage and be passed around from family to family, or worse yet, just get neglected. Maybe I'm too pessimistic but I just really don't agree with bringing new life into the world when there's such a high probability of them leading pretty unfair lives.


I completely disagree I think budgies will find a way to breed even if there is no intended breeding and nop nest box I know budgies like the back of my hand, but thanks for not answering my question and instead assuming that I don't take good care of my budgies. Reproduction happens in the wild why would you stop it in captivity? your ignorance is just disappointing. A lot of people breed budgies for a hobby and because they enjoy doing it just like I do. I don't see anything wrong with the natural process of things


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## ChickWas

Your word salad made no sense. Budgies breed in the wild therefore we should breed them in captivity, except for the major difference being in the wild, they're _free_ to come and go as they please in proper flocks and are happy. In captivity, they're cooped up in cages and subject to our whims without the ability to properly roam. Human lives are complicated and so much can happen in ten years, and you're lying to yourself if you can guarantee a safe, comfortable home for _all _the budgies you're mindlessly breeding during those 10+ years or more. Your life 5 years from now will be drastically different, and how can you say for certain that these budgies you've brought into the world won't become a hindrance or point of contention in your life? What if you move countries? But all that doesn't matter, the short term satisfaction of fulfilling your hobby is more important 

Also, how will budgies 'find a way' to breed if males and females aren't kept together? I didn't answer your question because I'm not interested at all in breeding budgies, therefore I can't help. I also never assumed you're bad at taking care of budgies, I said they're a long-term commitment and needlessly breeding them each year until the population has exploded is just inhumane and selfish. A hobby stops becoming a hobby and starts becoming something inherently selfish when it affects the lives of living breathing creatures.

Start an ant farm instead of bringing more birds into the world when there's a million and one living in awful conditions that could do with being rescued.


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## Grootlover

When you breed budgies they can be hand tamed and full companions for life. When you get them from a pet store, they usually are wild and not able to be tamed. I agree in both ways with some things. When you breed they could go to bad homes but most of the time they go to loving families who adore them for life. That is why when you breed you usually have the people come to you, who want the baby budgies, and you can a learn a bit about them. If you think they are not a good fit then you can tell them I am sorry I don't think it would be wise for you to have my budgie. Or another way to tell if they will be good is to see if they ask you to lower the price. If they ask that, that will usually mean they can't afford a budgie and you tell them it won't work. I have 4 siblings who are professional breeders and they are very good at finding out if there budgies/birds go to good homes. I don't want to side with one person or make anyone angry so please don't take what I wrote the wrong way.


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## jg_tommy

The egg was laid! 
She's doing good thank god.
I would make sure my budgies would go to safe homes. however, I intend to keep them!
not gonna be breeding them anymore as I would have hand fed tames budgies which is the reason I decided to breed these.


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## Cody

So glad to hear she was not egg bound, is she in the nest box, there could be more coming.


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## jg_tommy

Cody said:


> So glad to hear she was not egg bound, is she in the nest box, there could be more coming.


yes, there's more coming! shell be fine though I can feel it. she is in the nest and they are mating every day. She spends most of her time in the nest coming in and out. i will update and post pictures of the eggs and babies.


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## Grootlover

That is exciting, I am also glad to here she is not egg bound. And it is also exciting that you will be keeping them. Good luck! And enjoy the hand feeding and getting up early.


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## FaeryBee

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Domestic budgies are much healthier and happier when they are never bred. *
*A Heartfelt Plea to All Members*
*Before You Ever Consider Breeding Your Budgies*
*Tips For Discouraging Breeding*
*Guidance for Breeding Advice Threads*
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Discouraging Breeding
Rearranging their cage frequently will help tremendously.
Please be sure you never put a nest box or anything that could be used as a nesting site in their cage.
When they come into condition, you need to limit the light they get to 8 hours a day and limit the amount of protein in their diet.

A budgie lays a specific number of eggs each cycle.
The first week the hen's body is preparing to lay the eggs.
The next two weeks is when the eggs are laid.

As you have indicated you will not breed again, please be sure you separate your budgies by gender once the chicks are fully fledged and weaned.
That is the only way to be 100% sure you will have no unwanted breeding and you certainly don't want the parents breeding with the chicks or the chicks breeding with their siblings.

Please ensure you remove the hen from the cage when the chicks reach 3 weeks old. This is to prevent her from double-clutching and/or becoming aggressive toward the chicks. The father will finish raising the chicks until they are fully fledged and weaned.

Best regards,
FaeryBee
Talk Budgies Administrator*


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