The books all say I should start to check babies progress from around 1 week old mark. How do I do this I imagine I will have to look at them closely. Lola is extremely protective and I dont want to scare her off or make her more mad at me. Everyone appears to be alive lots of chirpy cheeps coming from bubs. Should I just leave them to it and hope for best. i have seen little yellow blobs where I imagine the crop is on the one I could see properly if she feeding one she feeding all I would hope.

I do want to handle them down the track a bit when they have feathers so that I can have them tame. Lola and chip used to sit on our fingers, now they just look at us like we up to something makes me sad

I remember been told at about 30 days to start handling lots or am I remembering incorrectly.

Hi Kerrie, 1 to 2 weeks old they should be handled daily, from what I have come to understand. I would try to take Bubbles up on her offer to visit her aviary as she has chicks in the nest and can show you all the things you need to check. I know you are back at work, but maybe the weekend?

 

You need to check for things like food stuck in their upper beak amongst other things and she can show you how to clear it.

 

Feathers.

The books all say I should start to check babies progress from around 1 week old mark. How do I do this I imagine I will have to look at them closely. Lola is extremely protective and I dont want to scare her off or make her more mad at me. Everyone appears to be alive lots of chirpy cheeps coming from bubs. Should I just leave them to it and hope for best. i have seen little yellow blobs where I imagine the crop is on the one I could see properly if she feeding one she feeding all I would hope.

I do want to handle them down the track a bit when they have feathers so that I can have them tame. Lola and chip used to sit on our fingers, now they just look at us like we up to something makes me sad

I remember been told at about 30 days to start handling lots or am I remembering incorrectly.

 

I have been writing a topic to post called "care of Babies in the Nest" and about to complete it tonight and post. Bear with me and you may find something of use to you in that article.

In the meantime and in short, handle your babies daily from birth, to get them used to you, to get Mum budgie used to the handling, and to do all the checking you need to be doing to make sure babies are and stay healthy. I will post my new topic within the hour.

Cheers Karen

Handling them from the start and once a day becomes a routine that mum will settle into and (if anything like mine) will try to stop you from doing by sitting tight or attacking you. Just be gentle and use a pen to move her

 

I mentioned handling when they where just coming from the box, but I meant to do this a LOT more than before to tame them. I find this is the real learning time to either fear or like humans. Having handled my daily from at least week one when they have fluff starting to show, helps at this time.

 

The book I think is meaning to start weighing them to check they are gaining.