Age Of Weaning

[deb 0]

i am new to the forums and have just started to hand raised 4 baby budgies after the mother flew away. i have found information on raising baby budgies on the forum but it says to wean them when they are fully feathered and sorry but i do not know alot about baby budgies so at what age are they fully feathered and i am using a heating cord to keep them warm but at what age do i stop using a cord to keep them warm and move them to a little cage. any information would be greatly welcome. i also have 4 and a friend would like to have two to raise. what age would you seperate the babies.i am sorry if they sound like silly questions but i am going away at christmas and wanting to know what things i will need to take the budgies with me.

[**KAZ** 0]

i am new to the forums and have just started to hand raised 4 baby budgies after the mother flew away. i have found information on raising baby budgies on the forum but it says to wean them when they are fully feathered and sorry but i do not know alot about baby budgies so at what age are they fully feathered and i am using a heating cord to keep them warm but at what age do i stop using a cord to keep them warm and move them to a little cage. any information would be greatly welcome. i also have 4 and a friend would like to have two to raise. what age would you seperate the babies.i am sorry if they sound like silly questions but i am going away at christmas and wanting to know what things i will need to take the budgies with me.

Expect your babies to be fully feathered at 4 weeks. You can stop warming them a few days before that, especially if you have a few and they huddle to keep each other warm. In a nestbox with parents the Mums and Dads stop going in and keeping them warm at around 2 weeks of age as they keep each other warm. Hope this helps

[deb 0]

thank you, your info will help me to look after the babies better

[juliet 0]

hello, sorry about your hen being gone, i am raising 4 right now but sharing feeding with mom and dad. our house is really warm in winter 85 so no heat needed and babys stay with the parents at night, i hope all goes well, and if ya do separate and babys have feathers they can be separated, either take the babys or let the freind take all or your vacation, if the freind is expierenced, they will be more comfortable together, good luck,

juliet

[deb 0]

i am sorry about the mum, she has been the best breeder i have ever owned. she was very protective of the babies and would bite me if i put my hand in the nesting box and the father was not allowed in the nesting box either. i am wondering if it is better to wait till i wean them before i sell them to my friend but the problem is that i am becoming quite attached to them myself that i am not sure if i can part with them. they are so cute and there colours are starting to develop.

[Daz 0]

My average time table is this.

 

Pair up the bird.

10 to 21 days for the eggs. If no eggs after 21 days. Split up.

 

When the egg is laid. 20 days for the first egg, 18 days for all fertile eggs after that.

 

When the eggs hatch. 8 days to ringing.

21 days to identification on sex and variety.

28 to 35 days to come out of the nest. (Start of weaning)

42 days old to the nursery. (weaned)

3 months to the junior flight.

6 months to the main flights.

12 months to breeding or selling.

 

Showing starts from 2 months old for nest feathers and 4 to 5 months for young birds. Depending on condition.

 

These are only rough times. I have rung chicks at 5 days and also at 12 days.

Some chicks are ready to leave the parents at 35 days but I'll still leave them till they are 42 days.

 

Some chicks are sold as young as 8 to 9 weeks if I am happy they are capible of feeding themselves and they are not part of my Show plan.

Edited December 3, 2007 by Daz

[deb 0]

the babies i have i am hand raising,so would it still be best to wait till they are 42 days old before i sell them. i do not breed for show. i have been doing colony breeding but after reading your forums i am going to remove the nest boxes from my avairy because i did not realise that it could be stressful for the budgies.

[**KAZ** 0]

As far as the age to sell a baby budgie, I always make sure they can eat on their own and fly well, no poopy bottom, bright and alert, no depression. That is generally a 7 week old budgie if you are selling as babies. A very young budgie baby can go backwards and get "depressed" and not eat if sold too early and often the new owner thinks nothing of the pooey bottom and weight loss until they start to stagger and fall over sideways ( death being imminent ).

[Ravengypsy 0]

My average time table is this.

 

Pair up the bird.

10 to 21 days for the eggs. If no eggs after 21 days. Split up.

 

When the egg is laid. 20 days for the first egg, 18 days for all fertile eggs after that.

 

When the eggs hatch. 8 days to ringing.

21 days to identification on sex and variety.

28 to 35 days to come out of the nest. (Start of weaning)

42 days old to the nursery. (weaned)

3 months to the junior flight.

6 months to the main flights.

12 months to breeding or selling.

 

Showing starts from 2 months old for nest feathers and 4 to 5 months for young birds. Depending on condition.

 

These are only rough times. I have rung chicks at 5 days and also at 12 days.

Some chicks are ready to leave the parents at 35 days but I'll still leave them till they are 42 days.

 

Some chicks are sold as young as 8 to 9 weeks if I am happy they are capible of feeding themselves and they are not part of my Show plan.

 

Thanks for posting this Daz!! This should be added to the FAQ, it's very helpful for beginning breeders to get a rough estimate of when to expect things (aka not do them too soon or know when something's amiss by waiting too long). I printed this with my other FAQ files for personal refrence.