My budgie nest box smells bad. Is it dangerous for the baby birds?

It's possible that is the baby bird poop. Most often the parents will take care of cleaning and can do a sort of technique where they press the stool to the nest wall to keep it "cleaner". I wouldn't disturb the babies until they are actively coming out of the nest and exploring on their own, which you can then use to remove the nest and clean it safely without injury a baby.

It is normal for the adult birds to press their stool up against the sides of the nest as they rear young, thus making the nest a bit "dirty". I would leave the parents to care for the babies without disturbing them as long as they seem healthy, alert, and are growing. Once the babies start to leave the nest more on their own, you can then clean out the nest as needed, and should clean it between every clutch as well. If the nest is extremely dirty or becoming dangerous, you can attempt to move the babies carefully to a new one (and then place it in the same area), but I would not do this unless it is absolutely necessary.

If you're in an area where the temperature has risen, you may be more likely to smell a stronger odor with the stool. Changing the bedding regularly may help reduce the odor. If the odor is very strong right after Bubbles has a bowel movement, is changing in consistency or appearance without any changes to treats or diets, or you see other signs of illness such as changes in eating habits, drinking, behavior, etc, then having a vet take a look at a stool sample or examining Bubble is best to rule out any health issues.

You can clean out the nesting box as needed. Gently scoop the chicks out and place them in a clean temporary box. Expect mom to complain and peck. Scrape the box and fill with clean nesting material. Return the chicks to the box afterwards. If the hen is not feeding them adequately, you will need to supplement​ them or pull them for handraising. Use a commercial handfeeding formula. Follow label directions. If you don't have experience hand feeding, ask your avian veterinarian or an experienced breeder. If this is Boo Boo's first clutch, the loss of some of the chicks may be due to inexperience.

Hello. While having a spiked vent isn’t itself dangerous, it does signal that something is amiss. When birds pass droppings, they actually every the cloaca very slightly and project the combined urofeces out away from the body, so the vent should actually be clean in a healthy bird. If Angel has a soiled vent, I would be worried about diarrhea, or weakness that is affecting his ability to eject the feces properly so instead it covers the feathers on its way out. The best course of action would be to have Angel seen by a veterinarian who can do an exam and try to determine if there is an infection or other issue present. Good luck.

Birds will naturally have a bit of a watery stool (compared to say, dogs or cats), that usually has a solid and liquid component to it that dries quickly. If the stools are completely watery, discolored, or you're seeing signs of illness such as refusal to eat, weight loss, etc. it may indicate an issue such as a parasite or infection and should be checked out by a vet.

Thanks for your question about your budgies. Your instincts are correct - inbreeding in any species is not advisable as it can lead to defects and potential for a decreased immune system (which will make the birds be more susceptible to getting sick). There is a chance that you may not see any issues, but it is definitely something to be aware of. As far as the stress with multiple nests - I would recommend ensuring that there is plenty of space and food available as this can help decrease any potential conflicts. I hope that helps, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!