Broken Eggs

[Miko_the_birb]

My 3 yr old pineapple has been laying her first clutch for the past 15 days laid number 7 today (1st was on 1/4) I noticed today that three eggs were broken and empty. Can someone tell me why? I don’t want to just assume. Also she really isn’t sitting on them yet she will here and there. I’ve read that they won’t start incubation until all are laid. Is that true? Is it ok for eggs to just sit for 2 wks Thank you

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Thats a lot of eggs for a little conure! They probably broke them for unknown reasons but they're empty because they probably ate the insides. Maybe they needed the nutrition in those eggs. Probably more than maybe because that's too many eggs. I wouldn't let a bird raise more than four chicks. The strain on the parents keeping them all fed is too much. Too many chicks makes for weak, unhealthy chicks with weak unhealthy parents.
Do you know if earlier eggs or later eggs were broken? I put dots on them so I'll know about what order they'll hatch.
Is she sitting full time yet?

 

[Miko_the_birb]

She’s not really sitting on them yet. She will here snd there. She’s going up to 65 hrs between laying each. I’m just waiting to see if she lays an 8th (everything I’m reading says egg is the max clutch) I’m kind of relieved that some of the eggs broke for whatever reason (nature knows best) I do give her plenty of healthy foods (protein, calcium, fruits, veggies, along with pellets and seed mix)

 

[DonnaBudgie]

If this is her first clutch she may need more experience to get this right. Regarding max clutches, budgies are supposed to lay less than eight and mine laid 12 in her last clutch before we had to separate them. Too many eggs depletes the hen's calcium reserves leading to egg binding which is usually far as r r mlĺĺ

 

[Miko_the_birb]

I don’t know how to get her to stop laying (as of now I’m assuming she’s probably going to lay an 8th) I’m also concerned is it possible for her to start laying a second clutch right after the first because her and my male are constantly going at it.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

If this is her first clutch she may need more experience to get this right. Regarding max clutches, budgies are supposed to lay less than eight and mine laid 12 in her last clutch before we had to separate them. Too many eggs depletes the hen's calcium reserves leading to egg binding which is usually fatal without avian vet care.

hout immidiate

I don’t know how to get her to stop laying (as of now I’m assuming she’s probably going to lay an 8th) I’m also concerned is it possible for her to start laying a second clutch right after the first because her and my male are constantly going at it.

My budgies did the same thing. Wouldn't stop doing it and kept laying eggs. I read that one good mating act fertilizes the whole clutch and all this mating activity is unnecessary and probably just stimulating her to lay more eggs. I think at some point you will need to separate them because they will breed themselves to death. Have you candled any of them? If they haven't started significant embryo development I would take all of them and sub dummies. It doesn't sound like you really want this. Or just give them three or fourth fertile eggs and the rest dummies.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

After she laid 10 or 11 eggs in her second clutch (I only let her have three viable eggs and gave her dummies for the rest) she did stop and sat full time until they began hatching. She and the Dad were excellent parents but she began laying a third clutch with four week old chicks in the nest that didn't want to leave. All 11 eggs were subbed with dummies. When the chicks fledged I took away the box and pit her in a large, all girls cage with 3cother budgies. She dropped a 12th egg on the cage floor and was done with it.

I think at some point you are going to need to try put an end to the egg laying by separating them. Excessive egg laying could very well kill her. Make sure she's getting plenty of calcium in her diet.

 

[Miko_the_birb]

I’ve candled them a few times. Just a yellow center (I’m assuming yolk) don’t I have to wait til she starts sitting consistently on them before I see any development?

BTW I want to thank you for all your help and info

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Yes. They won't show any development until they're incubated for several days straight.