Hi Ash,
When a single budgie – a hen without a male/mate – lays eggs, it is something that needs to be discouraged. So it is actually great that she is not interested in the egg. You need to take out the nest that you made and you can throw the egg away, also, if she still is not interested in it. Adult birds do not need a nest unless they are in a breeding pair, and then they only need the nest during breeding season. In captivity, budgies use a large wooden nest box, not an open nest, and it has to be attached to the outside of the cage, as high as possible. With your bird, do not ever give her a nest or anything she can use as a nest – no boxes, no nesting material, no bird huts or tents. If she comes out of her cage, keep her out of dark, cosy places. Single birds can become chronic egg layers, and this is very dangerous for them because laying eggs too often is a drain on their system. If she is a pet that you handle, always limit pets to her head – never pet her on the body as this can be a hormone trigger. If she lays an egg again, just leave it on the cage floor and if she shows no interest, throw the egg away. Other ways to discourage egg laying is to limit her daylight hours to 8-10, cover the cage early in the evening if you need to. Rearrange the toys and perches in her cage every 2-3 weeks or at least once a month, and move the cage to another spot in the room about once a month if possible. This keeps her from getting too comfortable in one place and thinking it is a good place to lays eggs. We recently hosted a 2 part webinar on pet birds and hormones that you may want to watch – I will post the links for you.
Webinar: “Spring Is In the Air: How To Deal With Your Pet Bird’s Hormonal Behavior!”
Webinar: “Pet Birds & Hormonal Behavior: Part 2!”
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
