My mummy bird has 6 babys the oldest 2 are 2 weeks and the youngest is a few days old. She seems a bit frazzled and I'm worried there are too many babys for her to feed at once. There is plenty of fresh food, seed, silverbeet carrot from the vegi garden. She was chasing her partener today for food which I have never seen before. The babys seem okay. Littlest one seems to have a seedy crop not too milky looking. I have hand raised IRN before but this is my first time with Budgies. Should I take out the 2 oldest and handraise them to give her a bit of a break? Or will they be alright? I'm a bit worried...

Hi there!

i have a few more questions is this the hens first clutch? do you have any more budgies with babies you can consider fostering too? I am not the most experienced but if it is her first clutch it could be a bit confusing for her but if you do not have any other budgies you could foster them too i would sugest just leaving them with her and hope that she copes. 2 weeks is just too young to hand rear i think it is very difficult and very sad when they die in your care. Sorry i wasnt very helpful

Keep providing pleantly of food and water and leave the bubs with her. They're better off there than even the best of care humans can provide. If they're provided enough they should be fine considering she's gotten them to this age so far.

I would also put millet sprays in the nest box. this helps the hen feed the chicks without having to go out foraging for food

Can you also give the hen some soft food that easier for her to process to the chicks.....maybe some budgie starter, or soft rolled oats softened in water...some porridge type food etc.

The really young won't handle full seed, they need crop milk.

But saying that, best thing to do is not to panic, silver beet and soak some hulled oats for 24hr's

Change the water after 12hr's. Give this to the birds with everything else.

 

Only check the birds 2 maybe 3 times a day any more than that will disturb them to much and make it harder for them to get into a routine. Birds like routine after a while you will find them waiting for there new soaked oats and silver beet.This also stimulates them to feed.

If your inconsistent they find it hard to settle and adjust.

 

Good luck

Thankyou... They seem to be alright. Mini (the littlest baby) was fed well today and I am not so stressed.

good luck with it all... hope it turns out well..