budgies and reeding

Question
I just bought a pair of budgies to join my other pair of budgies, I also bought a nesting box.They were mating in the pet store and I bought the two of them and brought them home. about an hour after I got the new pair home, the female laid an egg, but hasn't gone near it since,she laid it on the top of the cage so I placed her in the nesting box, and moved the egg, without touching it, in to the box as well. I was just wondering what exactly I should do, and if there is a possibility that she will care for it, or lay anymore eggs. Basically I need to know what in general to do in this situation. They are in the same cage with my other two birds and I have never bred birds before. thank you

Answer
Hi, Christina.  Thanks for posting!

First, budiges need to be about 1 yr old before breeding them.  How old are your budgies?

Also, you need to separate your pairs into different cages.  Don't breed 2 pairs in the same cage.  

Normally, hens don't start incubating their eggs until the second egg is laid.  Since you just got these birds, they may not want to have nothing to do with the nesting box or the egg until they feel settled in their new home and are used to you.  However, they may immediately start going in/out of the nesting box and if they do, she could lay up to 5 more eggs.  Other than separating your pairs, their isn't anything you should do except take as much time as possible to learn everything you can about breeding budgies BEFORE you breed them.  Start with my website and go from there:

http://www.angelfire.com/falcon/birdinfo/index.html

There's much information there you need to have.  Come back with any questions.

Chrys