hi everyone- i was just wondering when baby budgies start eating on their own? also do the parents start to bring them whole food in order to teach them or do they just go straight from feeding from the parents to figuring it out on their own?

 

also, when do they leave the nest? I have a 2 1/2 week old that falls out constantly, just wondering how long i have to keep putting him back for?

 

thanks Kristi looks just like the dad

Hi Kristi,

I think two and a half weeks is still too early for your chick to stay out of the nest. They need to be at least 4-5 weeks and fully feathered. A lot of mine fledge at 4 weeks. Parents generally feed them once they fledge (but not always...there are some deadbeat dads). It pays to have a low dish of seed, water and some egg and biscuit available for the chick to try eating from. Some parents just don't get that they have to seek out the fledged babies and feed them, so babies and parents often need close monitoring. My babies generally like a dish of moist egg and biscuit with some fine sliced english spinach and grated carrot in it with seed sprinkled on top. Towards the end of chick raising the parents are feeding them mostly seed anyway that has only been in their crop a moment. Most chicks get it that seed is what they need to eat, but others just don't try it for ages unless they see other chicks in the dinner bowl eating too. Hope this helps Cheers Karen

yes- thanks Karen- i'll be picking this baby up for atleast 2 more weeks, I'll set a lower dish tomorrow just in case he is incredibly ahead of schedule , atleast the other 3 stay in the nest.

From about 3 1/2 weeks old I place a 1 inch piece of millet in the nest box so the chicks can start to get the idea of cracking seed. They usually come out about 4 to 5 weeks but stay in the breeding cage until 6 weeks old and are feeding themselves.

update:

the oldest baby is eating small bits of crumbled pellet on his own, and yes he is STILL falling out of the nest- wow he's a quick developer

:beer: