If you are getting upset about your parakeets who broke their own eggs then you must take immediate notice. We will discuss this topic in detail to make you aware of what you must do to prevent it.
This post is in the continuation of the previous topic which we have covered about budgies killing their own babies.
The breaking of their own eggs by parakeets can be attributed to stress, aggression, and anxiety, but the primary concern is to identify measures that can prevent this occurrence.
Why Do Budgies Break their Eggs and How to Stop them?
Budgies are playful and cute colorful birds However, one common problem that some budgie owners may encounter is that they break their own eggs due to several reasons which confuse the pet owner.
So why do budgies break their eggs? There are many reasons why this may happen, and understanding these reasons can help you take steps to prevent it from occurring.
Predator Fear
The presence of other pets in your bird room, such as cats or dogs, may cause the mother budgie to feel anxious about the safety of her eggs. As a result, she may break the eggs out of stress to prevent them from being attacked by the other predator.
Disturbance Leads to Anxiety
Even though you have tamed budgies but while taking care of their babies, they may become untamed and dislike their owners checking on their eggs frequently.
Chances of breaking eggs increase when there are other people around, such as children, who frequently check on your pet, the mother budgie may become anxious and break the eggs.
To address this, you need to make sure your bird room or budgie’s cage is away from the busy area of your home to ensure the relaxation of your parakeets
Inexperienced Mother Budgie might Break their Eggs
When a young mother budgie lays eggs, there is a higher likelihood that she will break them, as she may not have developed the proper parental instincts to care for them.
To address this issue, you need to make sure all breeding pair must have reached their maturity before mating. Allow your parakeets to mate and have babies after 1 year.
Calcium Deficiency Leads to the Breaking of Eggs
Calcium plays a crucial role in the formation and maintenance of strong bones and teeth, as well as in the development of strong eggshells in birds. If a mother budgie has a calcium deficiency, it may lay eggs with weak eggshells that are prone to breakage.
In the case of a calcium-deficient mother budgie, the eggshells may become so weak that they can break with just the slightest touch, such as from the budgie’s toenail. This can happen even during the normal process of the mother turning and adjusting the eggs in the nest.
To prevent calcium deficiency in budgies, it is important to provide them with a balanced diet that includes foods rich in calcium, such as eggshells, cuttlefish bone, and dark, leafy greens.
Why Do Male Budgies Break Eggs?
Male budgies do not intentionally break eggs. If they do break eggs, it is usually by accident and not a deliberate action. Some of the possible reasons can be,
Small Nesting Box
Male parakeets also help in parenting and they regurgitate food to the mother to make sure she does not come out of the cage for food.
If the nesting area is too small or overcrowded, the male budgie may accidentally step on or bump into the eggs, causing them to break while transferring the food to its partner.
Lack of Calcium
Female budgies require calcium to form strong eggshells. If the female does not receive enough calcium in her diet, the eggshells may be thin and fragile, making them more prone to breakage, therefore male budgie might stumble upon the egg accidentally breaking the egg.
Can a Cracked Budgie Egg Still Hatch?
Wondering if a cracked budgie egg may still hatch or not, depends on the severity of the crack if the egg membrane is not damaged then the baby will grow in the egg and hatch successfully after 21 days.
There are some ways to repair the outer shell for the safety of the baby.
Patch up the Cracked Eggshell with a Piece of another Broken Shell
In case the crack is only on the outer shell, you may consider the following steps:
- Obtain a fresh egg and break it to use its shell for patching the crack.
- The fresh shell will be moist, which allows it to adhere to the cracked shell effectively, forming a strong bond.
Use Nail Polish to Seal the Crack
While I do not suggest using nail polish due to the presence of chemicals that may permit bacteria to enter the egg through a damaged inner membrane.
it is acceptable to apply a thin layer of nail polish to the surface of the egg if you are confident that only the exterior shell is cracked.