Shes Not Feeding Them

[budgieloverkirsty 0]

My hen is not feeding her babies, and she sits beside them in the nest box, so they are cold.

I have another hen with two babies, should i put them in with her?

Kirsty

 

 

More info:

 

She has sucessfully raised two previous clutches.

Has a supportive mate.

Edited March 5, 2009 by budgieloverkirsty

[**Liv** 0]

How old are the babies?? If she is not doing her job, and the other pair are good parents and have babies around the same age as these babies, then foster the chicks.

[**KAZ** 0]

I agree with Liv...and you havent given enough information.

[budgieloverkirsty 0]

The Babies are 7,5, & 3 days old, I have fostered the youngest as it is the same size as the forster parents chicks,

and the first hen is now feeding her two remaining chicks.

 

Thanks

Kirsty

[**KAZ** 0]

The Babies are 7,5, & 3 days old, I have fostered the youngest as it is the same size as the forster parents chicks,

and the first hen is now feeding her two remaining chicks.

 

Thanks

Kirsty

Good news

 

Now make sure that there is lots of good and easy food available to the mum. Also put loose seed ( half to a full cupful no containers ) and millet sprays in the nestbox with her. If she can eat this kind of thing in the nestbox she will be more tempted to deliver the food straight to the chicks.

[Kazzy 0]

The Babies are 7,5, & 3 days old, I have fostered the youngest as it is the same size as the forster parents chicks,

and the first hen is now feeding her two remaining chicks.

 

Thanks

Kirsty

Good news

 

Now make sure that there is lots of good and easy food available to the mum. Also put loose seed ( half to a full cupful no containers ) and millet sprays in the nestbox with her. If she can eat this kind of thing in the nestbox she will be more tempted to deliver the food straight to the chicks.

 

This is a great idea that I have adopted with my breeding. Not only does the hen get a chance to keep her health up when the babies are at the newborn stage, but the older chicks get a real good practise at cracking seeds on their own before they even leave the nest.

[**KAZ** 0]

Good news

 

Now make sure that there is lots of good and easy food available to the mum. Also put loose seed ( half to a full cupful no containers ) and millet sprays in the nestbox with her. If she can eat this kind of thing in the nestbox she will be more tempted to deliver the food straight to the chicks.

This is a great idea that I have adopted with my breeding. Not only does the hen get a chance to keep her health up when the babies are at the newborn stage, but the older chicks get a real good practise at cracking seeds on their own before they even leave the nest.

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....c=22446&hl=

[budgieloverkirsty 0]

Blossom was showing signs of being sick, so i immediately separated her, and the Dad took over the feeding, but one chick died this morning, as he was not sitting on them overnight, but he does sit on them in the day. Blossom also died yesterday. I have another hen I have been thinking of fostering the 1 remaining baby to, but what if the baby is sick? It might make the foster mothers babies sick? The Dad is still feeding it, but not siting on it, so it feels cold.

 

Kirsty

[**Liv** 0]

2 birds dieing in one day suggests something contagious. i would not foster the chick to any other parent, leave it with the dad or raise the baby your self.

 

What were the symptoms that mum had? was she thin, poopy bottom etc..

[budgieloverkirsty 0]

The Hen was all fluffed up, and poopy bottom,

Will the remaining chick be okay if the dad does not sit on it to keep it warm?

 

Thanks

Kirsty

[**Liv** 0]

How old is the chick?

[budgieloverkirsty 0]

10 days old, eyes still closed, and the same size as the other hens 7day chicks.

[**KAZ** 0]

Apart from a contagious illness, bugs can come into their system from contaminated water. Water is easily contaminated, especially in hot weather, when seeds from their beaks gets into their water dishes or drinkers and sours the water. Is this a possibility ?

More info:She has sucessfully raised two previous clutches.

Was this her third clutch in a row ?

[budgieloverkirsty 0]

Apart from a contagious illness, bugs can come into their system from contaminated water. Water is easily contaminated, especially in hot weather, when seeds from their beaks gets into their water dishes or drinkers and sours the water. Is this a possibility ?

More info:She has sucessfully raised two previous clutches.

Was this her third clutch in a row ?

 

 

 

I had trouble with the water with her last clutch, so i have changed that daily,

 

I have given her a break between her clutches of about 2 months.

 

Kirsty

[**Liv** 0]

A hen can only handle 2 clutches in a year, as hens need a good 6 months to recover from breeding. She may have not been rested long enough. Hens that dont get enough rest can not produce the quality crop milk required to produce healthy chicks

[**KAZ** 0]

I think you may possibly have put a hen down to breed who wasnt rested enough, wasnt fully back into health condition and may not have actually been in full breeding condition.

[Pearce 0]

A hen can only handle 2 clutches in a year, as hens need a good 6 months to recover from breeding. She may have not been rested long enough. Hens that dont get enough rest can not produce the quality crop milk required to produce healthy chicks

 

I've been told they can breed 4 times in a year, with 5-6 months break in between.

[**KAZ** 0]

A hen can only handle 2 clutches in a year, as hens need a good 6 months to recover from breeding. She may have not been rested long enough. Hens that dont get enough rest can not produce the quality crop milk required to produce healthy chicks

 

I've been told they can breed 4 times in a year, with 5-6 months break in between.

What they can do and what they should do are two entirely different things Pearce. Budgies will literally breed themseloves to death if we ALLOW them to.

Do some maths...............

2-3 weeks to bond at times and start laying....laying eggs another week or so.......three weeks to incubate.....another week or more to hatch out all chicks.....4-5 weeks to raise them.......adds up to around 3 months. Times that by 4 times a year as you said ....equals 12 months...when did the bird get her 5-6 months rest between raising her FOUR clutches ??????????

 

Edited March 9, 2009 by KAZ

[Pearce 0]

Im only saying that is what some of the uk breeders do, their birds dont take 3 weeks bonding. It may have been 3 clutches a year.

Edited March 9, 2009 by Pearce

[budgieloverkirsty 0]

Hi all,

 

The Dad has taken over the feeding, but he is not sitting on the 1 remaining baby, one of Lemons chicks is 3 days older and is twice the size and its eyes are open, but this ones eyes are not open, and it is half the size of lemons baby that is 3 days older.

The baby has not grown any bigger since the hen died, and the dad took over.

 

HELP PLEASE

 

Kirsty

Edited March 12, 2009 by budgieloverkirsty

[**KAZ** 0]

Hi all,

 

The Dad has taken over the feeding, but he is not sitting on the 1 remaining baby, one of Lemons chicks is 3 days older and is twice the size and its eyes are open, but this ones eyes are not open, and it is half the size of lemons baby that is 3 days older.

The baby has not grown any bigger since the hen died, and the dad took over.

 

HELP PLEASE

 

Kirsty

 

Is there food in its crop ? If not it needs crop feeding. If you cant do it then you need to get the chick to someoneone who can.

Edited March 13, 2009 by KAZ

[budgieloverkirsty 0]

Hi all,

 

The Dad has taken over the feeding, but he is not sitting on the 1 remaining baby, one of Lemons chicks is 3 days older and is twice the size and its eyes are open, but this ones eyes are not open, and it is half the size of lemons baby that is 3 days older.

The baby has not grown any bigger since the hen died, and the dad took over.

 

HELP PLEASE

 

Kirsty

 

Is there food in its crop ? If not it needs crop feeding. If you cant do it then you need to get the chick to someoneone who can.

 

He always has heaps of food in his crop.

He sits in the box all night without any warmth, as the dad does not sit on him, how do you recommend i keep him warm at night?

 

Kirsty

Edited March 13, 2009 by budgieloverkirsty