How Can I Tell If My Parakeet Is Pregnant?

About points out that an owner can tell if its parakeet is pregnant or incubating eggs if it has a brood patch. A brood patch is an area located on the underside of the bird that is featherless, due to the imminent arrival of eggs. This occurs so that the parakeets can share their body heat.

Another sign of a pregnant parakeet is its behavior, according to Budgerigar Parakeets. The female starts to find a suitable place to build a nest about eight to 10 days before she lays eggs. It only takes a few days after mating for the female parakeet to lay eggs, with an additional 18 days for the eggs to hatch. Right before laying eggs, the female stays at the nest and rearranges it and her cloaca swells in preparation. Usually a parakeet lays five to six eggs at a time. During the 18-day incubation period the female stays with the eggs on a constant basis, allowing no visitors. The male is sometimes excluded. Within a few days of hatching, the chicks should have a healthy, brilliant color and a full crop. The chicks stay at the nest until they are five to six weeks old.