My breeding pair of budgies has clutch of three babies. The oldest is 2 weeks old today, the next 2 hatched 2 days apart. I'm worried about the youngest one, he is half the size the older 2 were at that age, hasn't grown much over the past few days, and is always being pushed around and trodden on by the older 2. But he always has a full crop. I'm wondering if I should pull him from the nest and handraise him, or leave him in the nest and let nature take it's course, whatever way it should go.

 

If I need to handraise him, do I just use the mix the sell at the pet shop? How often should I feed him?

 

Thanks

You could try and remove the older two for a 'cuddle time' and give him a chance at the parents full attention for food. Are his feathers growing in like the others?

 

The pet shop feeding formulas are okay, read the info on the back for the right consistency and feeding amounts for the age of the chick.

No let the hen feed it.It has more of a chance of liveing,if the hen feeds it.

Unless you know how to hand feed,

I would suggest parent raising as everyone else did above it is better for the chicks. If you want them to be used to humans then handling them 2-3x a day for 10 mins each time is going to create a well rounded bird and a healthy one.

Unfortunately some chicks fail to thrive, despite being well fed by the parents. It is getting plenty of nutrition by the sounds of it. More often than not the chicks that fail to reach normal milestones die. I'd be inclined to let nature take it's course. Hand feeding won't make any difference. I have 2 in a nest at the moment with the same problem.

 

 

Feathers.

The chick passed away overnight I'm glad I didn't take him from the nest, I would have felt so guilty.

 

I just got some pics of the parents and the other 2 chicks, I'll post them in a bit

The chick passed away overnight I'm glad I didn't take him from the nest, I would have felt so guilty.

 

 

One of mine died overnight too. Now the hen can concentrate all her energy on the healthy chicks that are left.

 

I look forward to the pictures

 

 

Feathers.