One of my males mated with 2 of my females in the same day!

[Lunalie]

So, Raiden my male, is bonded to one of my females Storm. However, I was cleaning cages and had put a couple in their cage. Suddenly as I am cleaning the bottom of one cage (After a mite scare due to exterminator spraying!) I have been cleaning them hard core.
Anyway, I caught Raiden mating with one of my females, Sage who isn't bonded and of age and can always tell she is willing to mate because she will try and let a male often. She hasn't the last few weeks due to craziness here so while cleaning I put her with Raiden and Storm. She gets a long with them. Well, even right next to his bonded mate (yes I know they are not monogamist lol) He's mating with her right next to Storm! Whom didn't look amused.

Anyway, I'm not sure how long it went on, but after moving her to the other part of the cage with Aries and Astraeus she's over here trying to take over her nest and fix it up. Oh boy. I guess she's reallllly wanting to breed.
It's more of Aries hide away nest these days ever since she recovered.

Well, just a half hour ago I look up and he's mating with Storm! They haven't done anything since last month, even with Raiden in a mood for that sometimes, Storm hasn't been. I guess my birds are feeling back to normal. (My other post about Aries and the post on their with an update explains things)

Now Sage in in the cage where I have my runt and my two youngest budgies who all have no urge to mate.... yet. I'm still not even 100% sure what sex one is yet because he/she is so young, but I let my friend name "him" Hermes.

Now, I wasn't quite ready for Storm to try yet. I haven't even given them a nest box yet because they just laid eggs (3 unfertile) last month.

I'm glad she feels like things are normal again to even let him, but man! I'm worried because he mated with 2.

Anyone have experience with this? I know people who mass breed do. That's not my intentions!
What should I do if Sage starts to show signs of an egg? Only thing in this cage that she could possibly lay an egg in is a coconut hut or I guess the food dish. lol I do have nest box on hand. (It's a big cage with 4 in there.) I only do because I had thrown away anything mites could get into that was ALL wooden items. Including my nest boxes... so now out of paranoia I have extra. (again, in my post about Aries having egg yolk periostitis explains why I'm so freaked out over mites. lol)
Oh, and yes... I probably threw away over 200 dollars worth of wooden objects and spent hours cleaning cages and other things and then bagging them except one large cage where they were treated for mites. luckily it was the beginning and when I noticed them in the house I checked right away. I always did anyway and they had/have lice/mite protection.

Okay so after a very long post! Any advice if both do end up "with egg". Since Sage technically doesn't have a bonded mate. I wonder how the young ones would do if I had to put a box there. Tempted to put her with them and another box to see if he'd help both, but I know that the girls can get mean.
WAIT! Something just came to mind.
What if Sage ends up with egg and Storm doesn't? I'd think put Raiden and Sage together, but Storm and Raiden always yell for each other when separated. As do Aries and Astraeus.

Honestly, I'm probably thinking WAAAYYY too into this. I tend to over think. Lol Just how things have been lately that be the story of my life. HAHA
I could be writing all this trying to figure out what I should do and both not end up "Eggnant". :04:

I really hope I don't sound like the crazy bird lady. I was hoping not to here. My friends call me that. I just have loved birds my entire life. Always wanted a houseful. Lol Oh, also if babies come and when they are ready; they will be going to new homes. If anyone is worried I promise they are well taken care of. 3 story, 5 bedroom house with multiple cages. Plenty of room and light! Also 4 kids! 3 who play with them. my 8 year old is in love with my runt and wants him in his room, but I don't have the heart to separate him from everyone else. One is 4 years old and likes them, but doesn't like to hold them because of their nails. Even when trimmed and when they nibble he thinks it's biting no matter what we say. lol ​

Sorry if this sounds all scatter brained. It's nearly 2am and I haven't felt well and have had awful insomnia through it all. (My illness is chronic so I deal with daily life with it. Just makes me scatter brained sometimes. I have Dysautonomia/POTS. Living life to the fullest I guess you can say!)

(let me put a disclaimer! I grew up with budgies. Just haven't had one mate with 2 females in the same day. I also have hand fed baby birds and what not -they weren't budgies though- I have all I need on hand if I ever had to hand feed any babies. I do NOT want it to come to that, but not afraid do help out or take over if it was my only option. Oh! Also a great vet! Who has already helped once when Aries got sick. )

 

[noodles123]

I haven't read this whole thing, but get rid of that coconut hut. Any shadowy huts, tents, hammocks etc actually encourage egg production and mating.
A bird can lay an egg without these things, but if you provide these spaces you are encouraging the behavior and increasing the likelihood of egg-laying etc.
Same with a box...no box should be in there unless you are trying to get them to mate...or if you have super super young babies...and in that case, I would be wary of the male because if he is wanting to mate again and there are tiny babies, they will sometimes kill them.

Only ever provide a nest box if you WANT them to mate.

3 can be a complicated number with budgies...I would consider pulling one of them as well, I mean, it's a tricky situation...I am not inclined to house them in massive mixed groups for this reason, but some do.

Box of them could lay eggs...
If they do, I am assuming you do not want them to hatch....because that can be a nightmare quickly (not always...but it can get super complicated). I will find the other post that mentions what to do when they lay..

You do have a cuttle-bone in there for the females right? They need higher calcium levels to safely pass eggs.

 

[noodles123]

Here's a copy and paste of what you can do if eggs appear and you don't want them to hatch:

Here's the thing, if eggs are laid and you do not want the babies hatch (which, honestly, you don't unless you have experience with that sort of thing--it can get super expensive and complicated and sometimes violent..plus, babies would eventually need to be separated the avoid inbreeding and genetic issues, and you'd possibly need a brooder and humidity gauges, and proper syringes, and formula and sterilization methods in the event that you had to intervene....) then you don't just want to throw them out but you do want to prevent them from hatching. To prevent the eggs from incubating further while you wait for the female to lay the whole clutch and lose interest in the eggs, you can quickly remove the egg and boil it like you would a hard-boiled egg (careful not to crack it---if worried, you could probably even put a washcloth in the water for cushioning once the water is boiling as long as you don't scorch the fabric). Once you have boiled it, mark it with a pen (small dot)--let it cool so that it is safe to touch etc, and return it to the cage. The mark shows you which ones have already been boiled in case new ones show up--parakeets almost always lay multiple eggs over a span of days. Remove, boil, mark, cool, return. You want to try to do this quickly.
You should leave them until the female loses interest, or you can end up stimulating her to lay a new clutch if you remove them before the process is complete.

A laying female can have health issues. You want to make sure they have a cuttle-bone or something around in the event that she does start producing eggs, because if a bird lacks nutrition, the shell can either break internally, or get stuck on its way out (egg-binding). This is yet another reason why you don't want her laying eggs if you can help it.

Just an FYI-- in case you ever have a single female bird in the future -----when hormonally triggered, single females can ALSO lay eggs, but unless they have access to a mate, the eggs will be infertile. In the event that a single bird were to lay infertile eggs, you would still want to leave them until she loses interest, but the boiling part would not be necessary, as the eggs would not be viable to begin with.

 

[SailBoat]

Truly great information provided by Noodles!

Just a tip that will help other members read your Post. In the future, consider leaving the text formate on standard. Yes, not as pretty, but easier to read especially with longer posts.

 

[Lunalie]

I haven't read this whole thing, but get rid of that coconut hut. Any shadowy huts, tents, hammocks etc actually encourage egg production and mating.
A bird can lay an egg without these things, but if you provide these spaces you are encouraging the behavior and increasing the likelihood of egg-laying etc.
Same with a box...no box should be in there unless you are trying to get them to mate...or if you have super super young babies...and in that case, I would be wary of the male because if he is wanting to mate again and there are tiny babies, they will sometimes kill them.

Only ever provide a nest box if you WANT them to mate.

3 can be a complicated number with budgies...I would consider pulling one of them as well, I mean, it's a tricky situation...I am not inclined to house them in massive mixed groups for this reason, but some do.

Box of them could lay eggs...
If they do, I am assuming you do not want them to hatch....because that can be a nightmare quickly (not always...but it can get super complicated). I will find the other post that mentions what to do when they lay..

You do have a cuttle-bone in there for the females right? They need higher calcium levels to safely pass eggs.

Oh Raiden and Storm are in a separate cage. They were only together when I was cleaning the cages. lol Other wise Sage is with the runt and 2 babies (I guess you could say more of young adults, just not ready to breed. LOL)

Storm and Raiden I don't mind because they are my breeding pair. I was just caught off guard when Raiden decided to do that while I was cleaning!

I did write this in the mist of sleepy, panicky mode so I have figured out some things since then. Completely forgot I posted! EcK! (Things have gone on here... crazy things with ex husband. Had me preoccupied

and yes, cuttle bones, vitamins, etc.

i'm sorry! It was a lot to read! I tend to do that. lol

 

[Lunalie]

Here's a copy and paste of what you can do if eggs appear and you don't want them to hatch:

Here's the thing, if eggs are laid and you do not want the babies hatch (which, honestly, you don't unless you have experience with that sort of thing--it can get super expensive and complicated and sometimes violent..plus, babies would eventually need to be separated the avoid inbreeding and genetic issues, and you'd possibly need a brooder and humidity gauges, and proper syringes, and formula and sterilization methods in the event that you had to intervene....) then you don't just want to throw them out but you do want to prevent them from hatching. To prevent the eggs from incubating further while you wait for the female to lay the whole clutch and lose interest in the eggs, you can quickly remove the egg and boil it like you would a hard-boiled egg (careful not to crack it---if worried, you could probably even put a washcloth in the water for cushioning once the water is boiling as long as you don't scorch the fabric). Once you have boiled it, mark it with a pen (small dot)--let it cool so that it is safe to touch etc, and return it to the cage. The mark shows you which ones have already been boiled in case new ones show up--parakeets almost always lay multiple eggs over a span of days. Remove, boil, mark, cool, return. You want to try to do this quickly.
You should leave them until the female loses interest, or you can end up stimulating her to lay a new clutch if you remove them before the process is complete.

A laying female can have health issues. You want to make sure they have a cuttle-bone or something around in the event that she does start producing eggs, because if a bird lacks nutrition, the shell can either break internally, or get stuck on its way out (egg-binding). This is yet another reason why you don't want her laying eggs if you can help it.

Just an FYI-- in case you ever have a single female bird in the future -----when hormonally triggered, single females can ALSO lay eggs, but unless they have access to a mate, the eggs will be infertile. In the event that a single bird were to lay infertile eggs, you would still want to leave them until she loses interest, but the boiling part would not be necessary, as the eggs would not be viable to begin with.

I do have things on hand. Including the syringes. I've checked the both of them. While Sage seems to want to nest and stuff I don't see signs. Belly isn't getting bigger like Storm did last time before eggs. I know this can take awhile also.

I don't know why I was in such a panic the other night. HAHA I think it was the no sleep and wasn't feeling well myself, so I kind of panic easily.

I thought Aries was egg-bound awhile back and when I realized I felt no egg and Storm was laying eggs and she wasn't and started to look unwell I took her to the vet where they told me about the E.Y.P. They looked very grim about the out come, but I don't go out without a fight so I asked for adult bird formula and hand fed her, gave her meds.. bought her a bird warmer. ETC ETC ETC. I think I was up nights with her, but I didn't want to lose her.

Also I had a cockatiel when I was a child and by the age of 15 I had just my cockatiel and 1 parakeet left over the many years with many of them. (Only 1 cockatiel at that time).
Anyway, I had a parakeet named Lemonade (HEY! I was a child :60: and cockatiel named Airraiser. (Yes, from a cartoon). She was female and my budgie, Lemonade; male. He would always breed with her. Of course she would keep laying eggs that were not fertile.
We kept giving her supplements to help from all the egg laying. My mother had taken her to the vet who gave us the supplement (I can't remember at the time). However it didn't work or it was too late because she passed.

Couple months later Lemonade went and I suspect he was just heart broken.

I had another cockatiel after that, that my ex husband got me at the time (Then boyfriend) that I ended up giving my grandmother when I got pregnant at 16.

I know better now. I have calcium supplements. Get better food than my mother did. (No offense to my mother! lol She just had plain pellet. Not that they didn't have all the treats and cuttle bone and what not.) Things are different now.

Thank you all for your advice! I'll keep you posted!

 

[Lunalie]

Truly great information provided by Noodles!

Just a tip that will help other members read your Post. In the future, consider leaving the text formate on standard. Yes, not as pretty, but easier to read especially with longer posts.

I totally get it!
Sometimes I just over do it. >.<
I guess that's why the disclaimer may of been missed. lol