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My budgies mated. Will she lay eggs, or can she lay without mating?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Bird | Unknown - Bird | Female

Does mating always lead to egg laying in budgies?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on May 17th, 2017

If your budgies are healthy and there is a nest available, the female will likely lay eggs. They can also lay eggs even if they haven't been bred. if you don't want to raise more babies you can simply remove the eggs as they are laid, or remove the nest itself.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jessica Desrosiers
Veterinary Technician
Published on May 11th, 2017
If the babies are leaving the nest, then breeding may be starting up again, however it may just be that your budgies enjoy mating with each other. Sometimes new eggs can be laid when babies are ready to leave the nest, however if you are not ready to raise more babies you can simply remove any newly laid eggs. Making sure all the babies and parents are on a balanced diet can also help keep everyone healthy.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jessica Desrosiers
Veterinary Technician
Published on May 17th, 2017
That's a lot of birds in one enclosure. If you're looking to continue breeding your budgies you may want to separate them into pairs in each cage environment to prevent jealousy and fighting over potential mates. Also, the female may not lay eggs if she is not currently ready to, or if she is still taking care of previous hatchlings. Female budgies when ready to lay will typically lay an egg every 2-3 days, however they can mate much more than this in between laying.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Why didn't my budgie's eggs hatch? Can females lay infertile eggs?

Yes, female birds can lay eggs without a male around but they will not be viable so should be removed. Males can mate with males, but if you suspect you have a male, and a female, and they've mated and laid eggs, then you probably have a pair (and at least one female). If the eggs haven't hatched in three weeks they are likely not viable and should be removed.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My budgie laid eggs. How do I know if they'll hatch and what to do?

It would depend on if the eggs are fertilized or not. If you only have female budgies the eggs will not be fertilized and will not hatch. If you have a mating male with female I would recommend keeping the birds in a quiet location that is low stress. The female bird will care to the eggs and keep them warm. If you find she is leaving them in the open you. An put material in the cage so she can build a nest.

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Will my male and female conures mate and lay eggs in the same cage?

A female does not need a male in order to lay eggs. Once she matures (at around 1 year old), she will begin to lay eggs. They will be infertile in the absence of a male. If placed together and conditions are right, they may mate and she will lay fertile eggs. They typically lay a clutch of 4-6 eggs with 24-48 hours between eggs. Incubation lasts about 3-4 weeks.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My female bird laid an egg. Will she lay more? How do I care for her?

Thanks for your question about Bibi. Budgies typically only form one egg at a time inside their bodies, so if Bibi just laid an egg, she hopefully doesn’t have another present yet. With that said, they can form and lay an egg in about 24 hours, so she may be making another one currently that you could see in another day or two. Usually budgies will lay around 3-5 eggs. I didn’t see if this was the first egg of her clutch or not, but if it is, she is likely to lay more. I would recommend keeping a close eye on her to make sure she isn’t having difficulty laying her additional eggs and that her appetite is normal. Providing her with extra calcium will be important while she is laying as well. I hope that helps to answer your question, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My budgie laid an egg, I don't want chicks. What should I do?

Expect more eggs. Budgies will lay one egg every 24-48 hours until they have a clutch of 4-8 eggs. A hen does not need a male in order to lay eggs. Discourage breeding by removing any nesting boxes or bowls that she can lay eggs in. Move her away from windows and decrease the amount of light she is exposed to during the day. Do not remove any eggs until she is done laying. Removing them early may cause her to lay more eggs. You do not need to do anything to "take care" of the clutch. If you do not want chicks, wait until the clutch is laid then remove and discard them. Replace them with dummy (fake) eggs. These can be purchased in most pet stores. Leave the dummy eggs in place until the hen loses interest then remove the.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

What to do if my female budgie keeps laying eggs after her mate died?

My condolences on the loss of your male budgie. Do not throw the egg away without replacing it. This may spur her to lay more. You can replace the egg(s) with dummy eggs. Find them in the Avian section of the local Petco. Leave the dummy eggs in the nest box for 2-3 weeks, then remove one every few days until none remain. Hens will lay eggs regardless of whether or not they mate. To stop egg laying, limit exposure to daylight (use a cage cover or move them away from windows, light sources, etc.) and lower room temperature by a few degrees. To prevent mating, you will need to separate males from females.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why did my female bird lay unfertilized eggs without a male?

Female birds lay eggs with or without males. They are just not fertilized. You may let her keep the eggs or you may throw them away. Scoobie will continue to lay eggs throughout her life. Please post again if you have any further questions!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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