As your bird has a protracted, long term appearance of the symptoms described, I am suspicious that the amount of iodine may well be your trouble – as only minute quantities are needed. An excess will affect the thyroid gland adversely.

However you do not indicate if you have one bird or more. If more and they are fit, then iodine overdose is not a factor.

There are at least 15 different budgerigar diseases that give the same symptoms you describe, so may I ask you to work your way steadily through Dr Robert Marshall’s diagnostic techniques which are published on this website under “Health”.

This will narrow down the possible cause.

Gerald Binks

I have a male english budgie that sits fluffed up and has been like this for several months. In the summer he comes around. He also sits very close to a heat lamp.

He eats well and his droppings look normal but he always looks unwell – his feathers look a bit ruffled.

He gets a good diet of vegtables, cuttlebone, iodine and some egg food now and again.

I would appreciate any help you can give.

Thanks in advance, Martin

My view on the egg eating hen problem is as follows:

This abnormal behaviour may be an inherent parenting flaw or a physically induced behavioural problem.

My approach to this problem is to see if the abnormal behaviour occurs in related birds. If so, breed away from this family. If there is no family relationship with this abberant behaviour then a low blood glucose or low blood calcium level is the immediate cause of the egg eating as low calcium and glucose levels induce irritability and anxiety in birds (and humans). Recall how we become irritable by the afternoon when miss lunch or do not eat all day.

The underlying cause of the low blood glucose or calcium in an individual bird does not always indicate an inherent weakness. Rather it is more likely that this bird has entered the breeding cabinet at an inappropriate stage of its breeding cycle (see Chapter 22 The Budgerigar book). So it would be unwise to cull such a bird from your breeding plans until appropriate treatment has been completed.

Egg eating will occur when the hen has been placed in the breeding cabinet too late in her breeding cycle or before she has shown signs of breeding condition. When placed in the breeding cabinet too late she has not received the courtship stimulation or nest making activities that prime her female hormone release. In some birds this may produce a “cystic ovary” that produces copious amounts of fluid in the abdomen. This hormonal condition causes anxiety in budgerigars. You may have noticed this condition as a tight feeling abdominal distension (with tail bob and wet pasted vent) in affected hens.

See chapter 22 “Breeding Pair Problems” of “The Budgerigar” book for a detailed discussion on this subject.

As well, if the hen has been placed in the breeding cabinet at an inappropriate time she becomes susceptible to low blood calcium and energy levels whilst laying the eggs. These abnormal blood findings will cause anxiety and egg eating in an attempt to replenish her calcium levels. This condition will occur usually after the second egg so it is important to observe when she starts eating her eggs.

The immediate treatment is to fortify the food or drinking water with an energy source (e.g. Quick gel) and potent calcium source (e.g. Hical or Calcium Sandoz syrup) each day for 5 days. Remember a diet lacking in energy and calcium and vitamin D or lack of sunlight (which provides vitamin D) will also predispose to a calcium availability problem.

In terms of vitamin D deficiency it is important to note if the hen is in a breeding cabinet that is in a dark spot in the stud away from the sunlight or UVA (an artificial vitamin D) light source. For example a nesting site that is high near the ceiling or too close to the floor.

I hope this helps you with your problem.

Dr Robert Marshall. Veterinary Advisor to Budgerigar.co.uk

This is a common problem and, if a quality hen is involved, very frustrating.

However the breeder needs to be careful as frequently it is the cock that can be the offender. Cocks do chip a hole in the egg and eject it from the nest.

The solution is to re-pair it / them to another female to check this out.

If you are certain it is the hen that is breaking up her eggs then you have a problem that cannot be solved.

Some breeders have a nest box concave with a hole through the centre in the hope that the egg(s) will drop through into a “catching receptacle” which contains sawdust to prevent breakage. That can work but frankly most breeders “move on” to re-pairing the non-offender to another partner.

Finally it should be mentioned that some cocks try to mate inside the box with disastrous results to the eggs.

The first egg was broken and shen removed it out of the next box. She ate the second egg soon after laying it and did the same with the third.

She lays in the afternoon and by the time I get home from work all that is left is a bit of shell.

It’s frustrating that I can’t even get to the eggs to remove them.

It seems she may be deficient, but I feed her budgie breeder and budgie tonic, feast softfood with wheatgerm oil, and a cuttle fish bone.

She is a good quality bird, what should I do?