Godzilla and #2 are getting pretty old... Godzilla sometimes perches on the entrance of the nestbox and stays there gnawing at the perch, but never really COMES OUT. So I wonder, should I put it at the bottom of the cage by myself or that's a baaaaaaaad idea?

Its fully feathered.....so maybe

Well, the parents WILL keep feeding it, right? That's the bit I'm worried about....well, that's the bit my mother is. She keeps saying that if I force him out of the nest the parents will attack it or not feed it. I think that's a bit farfetched (Well not the attacking part, that can happen I know)...

 

But if I put it down there and they never go feed it, what do I do? (There'll be water and food and Godzilla TRIES eating seeds sometimes when I give them to him but still.)

Edited July 8, 200718 yr by Michelle

You should start with putting millet spray in nestbox. Gets babies used to finding and eating seed. When they are OUT they search ground level for seed and beg from parents as well. If you have a flat tray of seed easy to access, it makes it easier for the babies. Also drinker at low level for them.

Some parents dont feed babies once fledged, but if it has been a dilligent Dad then he should. At age 4-5 weeks babies should be looking for and trying seed.

Re attacks........I havent had any. But I do know that chicks that stay too long in the nest stand just as much chance of attack as any chicks out in the breeder cage. Also too small a breeder cage with a pile of babies and parents can be stress conditions and precipitate an attack by parents.

I agree with Kaz, I find that if the baby is fully feathered, after a short struggle they feed themselves without much trouble, I have had to remove chicks from parents for lots of reasons, even before it was the desirable time & so far haven’t lost one. Have the feeders & plenty of seed on the floor, they will start to nibble at stuff on the ground first, but soon find the seed bowl, where the food is better. I find that Dad’s often don’t seem to feed them that much once they leave the nest. As with everything, just watch their progress & if either parent attacks them, don’t be hesitant at removing them to a safer cage, set up like I suggest, it’s better to have them in a safe cage by themselves once they have been attacked, than to leave them in danger.

Today I tried to put Godzilla out of the nest ._. It didn't go well.

 

I put it at the bottom of the cage, only to find it go right back up to the nest. Well, he did make a few pit stops. it climbed to the top of the nest first to beg Pat for food. When he realized that didn't quite work, he sulked there for a couple minutes before dropping down the nest hole.

 

I did try to put it back down there with the food, but nope... What a sneaky little fellow. And worst thing is that it DOES try to get out of the nest. It hangs out at the opening of the nest all the time, climbed on it, trying to push itself out of it. When I put food near the entrance it streeeeeeeeeeeetches and tries to grab it. It won't even COME OUT to get the food! What a lazy little bum. <_<

They do that for a little while, until they build up the confidence to come out.

Well Godzilla does come out to feed now. Or at least TRY to. But he always returns in the nest... (especially when mommy goes to feed the others.) They still feed him here and then when he's outside but he knows that he can score more in the nest.

 

Guess he's not totally secure yet.