Greetings. My name is Miecal & I'm from Australia.

 

We have a small avairy with 2 male budgies & 1 female budgie. Unfortunately the female is now dead.

 

Prior to her death, our female budgie laid 4 eggs & they hatched. She had been rearing them in the nest box for the past 14 days, feeding them each day, sitting on them at night to keep them warm. The male (father) had been helping her, regurgitating food in her, protecting, etc. I have not opened or bothered the chicks in their bird box. They are about 1/2 the normal size and are beginning to get their feathers.

 

We change the water & feed daily providing ample food. The avairy is clean. It is winter in Australia, overnight temps can be around 8 C. This morning I came out and the mother was on the ground just sitting there. She let me pick her up (unusual) . She was dirty on her face from feeding, stool on her feet & feathers. I took her inside the house & cleaned her gently with warm water & cotton wool, made a seperate box with seed & water for her to rest in.One hour later she was dead.

 

What happened??

 

Did she die from exhaustion ??

 

What will happen to the chicks?

 

Will the male bird care for them? She died in the morning & since he has been going in and out of the nest box but does not spend the night with them. I don't know if he has been feeding them but they are generally quiet. I got worried this morning and went out and bought some biscuit/egg powder / syringes / feathers from the pet store thinking the quietness might be the chicks weakening and dying.

 

I went into the avairy to take the nest box out and both males were pretty agitated about that. I checked the chicks. They are alive & seem well enough for what thought might be one day without food. Three are about same size, one is prob 1/2 their size. I tried to feed two of them the mix thru a syringe but they showed no interest in eating. I'm not sure if I was doing it right. I didn't try to force the tip of the syringe into their beak. Should I or would they just open their mouths and go for it if they were really hungry?

 

Their stomachs seemed to have food in them, about half full.

 

Anyhow I decided that maybe daddy is feeding them after all and put the nest box back into the avairy. Daddy flew down and went in almost straightway and they started crying. About 3 minutes later, quiet again.

 

Do you think the male is feeding them? It's hard to tell cause the mother was so devoted, all dirty and sleeping in there and all whereas the male is more out than in, still looking nice and clean, not eating like he's eating for 5 whereas mum was virtually living in the seed box. Ha!

 

If he's not feeding them at all then they've been 24 hrs without food but they didn't go for the mix when I tried to give it to them.

 

Anyhow I would appreciate any useful advice / tips/ etc to try to keep these little ones going.

 

 

Thank you.

Hello and welcome.

 

I am sorry for your loss

 

Your babies are at an age which will be fine for their dad to take over the rest of their rearing.

Sometimes in colony breeding there will be more than one male that feeds the chicks. Are both males feeding??

 

Now would be a good day to start checking the babies every morning and night to make sure everything is well. Dont be afraid to pick them up and look them over. Check for poopy feet and feathers. Check for food stuck inside the beak. Check for splayed legs. Keep an eye on their crops (the visible sack that contains their food before it gets processed by their stomach) - make sure the babies have a full crop at least 3-4 times a day.

 

Keep us posted and you are in the right place to get all the help you need

Edited August 18, 200816 yr by **Liv**
added more

I'd be very cautious...

do you perhaps have any photo's of the chicks so we can tell you if they're eating?

If they aren't it may be best to learn to hand rear them ( I can help you with that if needed) Or to foster them to the nest of any members who have birds breeding near by you.

Where abouts in Aus are you?

You have had some good advice.

 

Why did you buy feathers ?

My pet store sells feathers, they are generally for canaries/finches to use for nesting so I would imagine they would be clean. They are probably not a good idea though as the chicks will poop them up quickly and they could get stuck to them. A better bet would be some wood shavings

Oh thank you all so much for replying...i am so encouraged to hear from you all.

 

 

Hi Liv...i will do as you advised and keep a regular eye on the chicks. I didn't want to bother them because I was afraid the male would reject them if I touched them or interfered in any way. No...the other male doesnt go into the nest box. Actually it seems the male father shoos him away when he gets near. but that was the case in the beginning when mum was around too...

 

When you say make sure the chicks have a full crop....what if they don't?? Is my origional method of feeding them the mix @ 37degrees (thereabouts) correct? Will they willingly open their mouths to feed if they are hungry or do I have to gently shove it in?

 

 

 

 

Hi Libby...i can try to take some pics. Is it going to turn off the male father if I'm taking them in and out all the time? We live in Sydney in North Rocks.

 

 

 

Hi Kaz...well i bought them because I wanted to try to keep them warm as now the mother is notthere and the father is showing no interest in keeping them warm at night inthe nest box. But when i handled them this morning they were nice & warm, prob from huddling together as they do. They're nest box is high in a small walk in avairy, covered 3 sides, small square mesh on the front. Last night I put a painters drop sheet over the front of the avairy to try to keep out any cold/wind/etc.

 

 

 

 

Hi melbournebudgies...yes in hindsight, wood shavings is a good suggestion. I was going to bring them into the house if the father has rejected them and justthought the feathers would help to keep them warm. Poop would prob get on the feathers but $6 got me the enough to fill a cushion so i just thought i could throw the dirty feathers out and put fresh ones in for the next 2 weeks till they can start to feed themselves / fly / etc.

 

 

Again to all....thank you! I've never done this rearing before...I was hoping the mum would be there for the duration of the chicks early days. She herself was only about a year or so old. I have a very concerned 8 yr old grand daughter coming over after school today...buying the budgies origionally was a duel project for us in caring for them. I'd be sad if the little ones don't make it.

Hi and welcome. I'm sorry you have this delema. You have received some excellent advice thus far. I haven't had to hand feed bubs before, so I can't give advice there, but libby is an expert in this. Perhaps give her a PM and she'll take you though it. Might be handy to learn now. Better now than when you're stuck with hungry chirping bubs. Good luck with it all. In my experience, the fathers do take good care of the bubs, but might be an idea to remove the other cock (male) bird. In some cases, other cocks can try and hurt other bubs. By removing this one, you would be allowing the father to focus all of his attention of his chicks and hopefully raise them until they can feed and fend for themselves. Good luck and sorry for your loss. Please keep us updated!

If you need any help at all with hand rearing, just pm me, but first aim is to find out whether the father has been feeding them or not

Hi and welcome. I'm sorry you have this delema. You have received some excellent advice thus far. I haven't had to hand feed bubs before, so I can't give advice there, but libby is an expert in this. Perhaps give her a PM and she'll take you though it. Might be handy to learn now. Better now than when you're stuck with hungry chirping bubs. Good luck with it all. In my experience, the fathers do take good care of the bubs, but might be an idea to remove the other cock (male) bird. In some cases, other cocks can try and hurt other bubs. By removing this one, you would be allowing the father to focus all of his attention of his chicks and hopefully raise them until they can feed and fend for themselves. Good luck and sorry for your loss. Please keep us updated!

Thank you for this advice. As it happened I went out there and all the dad was doing is chasing around the other male. so i went in and caught the other male and put him in a smaller avairy we have here by himself. I put fresh seed in the avairy with the dad & chicks and now dad's concentrating on eating.

If you need any help at all with hand rearing, just pm me, but first aim is to find out whether the father has been feeding them or not

Thank you Libby for your help....so it's okay for me to handle the chicks and dad won't reject them?

No worries... It's great he's alone now. The cock shouldn't reject them, but maybe if you handle them where he can see them, he'll be even better about it... especially if he sees you put them back. Also, with the veggies you're serving, hard boil an egg and then put it in the mixmaster/ mash it all up (shell and all) and add this. It's awsome nutrition for him and the bubs.

No worries... It's great he's alone now. The cock shouldn't reject them, but maybe if you handle them where he can see them, he'll be even better about it... especially if he sees you put them back. Also, with the veggies you're serving, hard boil an egg and then put it in the mixmaster/ mash it all up (shell and all) and add this. It's awsome nutrition for him and the bubs.

 

Thank you maesie...I just went out there again and he is in there with them...they are chirping and he's staying in there....so it seems he may be assuming mummy duties...it is so encouraging...i am not claiming victory yet...but it is promising...i would like to see it all happen naturally for my grand daughter sake as well as for mummys sacrifice to at least result in healthy chicks....thank you

Hey sorry to hear what has happened ....

 

ALWAYS GREAT to handle chicks, the more you do it the less fuss they make .... Good to hear that you moved the other male out of the avairy! - If you look at their crop

 

 

 

You can see the lump under their chin - this is what is called the crop, it need to have food in it ...

 

Check your babies and see if dad is feeding them ... Also you said that you tried feeding them with a sygringe? do you mean Crop Needle of just a normal syringe to their beak??

Hey sorry to hear what has happened ....

 

ALWAYS GREAT to handle chicks, the more you do it the less fuss they make .... Good to hear that you moved the other male out of the avairy! - If you look at their crop

 

 

 

You can see the lump under their chin - this is what is called the crop, it need to have food in it ...

 

Check your babies and see if dad is feeding them ... Also you said that you tried feeding them with a sygringe? do you mean Crop Needle of just a normal syringe to their beak??

 

Hello neat....i just went out again and the male was flying around ...as soon as he saw me he went into the nest box....i ran inside and got a torch and gently put the edge of the light to the hole so i could see what was going on...the chicks were chirping and he was like kissing them, head bobbing which i guess is feeding them. I just hope he keeps it up. It is so exciting and somewhat emotional for me....i want them to make it if possible.

 

no i just went and bought a syringe from the chemist cause the pet shop didn't have a crop needle...

The father should be fine feeing them. Yes, teh head bobbing is part of the process of him regurgitating food for them to eat.

 

Keep an extra special eye on the little one. That is the one that is going to suffer the most if any suffer.

I'd be very cautious...

do you perhaps have any photo's of the chicks so we can tell you if they're eating?

If they aren't it may be best to learn to hand rear them ( I can help you with that if needed) Or to foster them to the nest of any members who have birds breeding near by you.

Where abouts in Aus are you?

 

Hi Libby....here's two pics of the same chick....it was kinda hard to hold it gently with it wiggling around and take a decent picture with the dad swooping. Two others are about the same size and there's one thats about a third smaller than the rest....prob the last born. I hope the picture helps. If not I can try again when someone comes home to take the picture while i hold a chick. Thanks!

 

 

Looking at those pics, i would say there is no need to foster them.

The chick looks well fed

I agree, they are looking good

Looks a cutie!

Looking at those pics, i would say there is no need to foster them.

Thanks for the encouraging words Dave....the dad is now in and out of the nest box a lot. The chicks chirp up when he goes in and then quieten so I think he's taken up the role of feeding them. Getting the other male out made such a difference. It seems dad was spending more time defending the nest. The other male is is a smaller avairy nest to the main one....a little miffed no doubt.

The chick looks well fed

Thanks Kaz...that's encouraging...they do seem healthy and lovely and warm to touch.

I agree, they are looking good

thanks Lily...it's seems unanimous that they stand a good chance even thou poor mum didn't make it. they need to survive for her....so all her efforts pay off in the offspring..

Dad is doing a great job and So are you !!!

Get in there and play with the babies :hap: Hold them. Check their feet for poo and most importantly change the nesting materials as the build up of poo in there can cause some nasties :hap:

 

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL if they like the ones that you posted WELL DONE MATE !!

The dad may not sit in the nest at night, so put some wood shaving in there if you have them. If not some rolled oats if you have them in your pantry cupboards. Also put about a cupful of budgie seed in the nest, The chicks will pick at it and the Dad will too while he's in there and it will help him to feed them. Give Dad the easiest soft food you have ...even if its wholegrain bread soaked in water :hap:

I believe there are a number of top breeders who take the hens away from the chicks at 14 days and leave the rest of the parenting to the fathers - As horrible as it is, your hen passed at a good time for her babies to have a great chance of survival :hap:

I agree with the others... looking good! It sounds like things are going well now, I'm so pleased. Usually with chicks in the nest I check them twice a day... morning and night. I suggest you do the same, and (maybe) add another check midday??? You don't want to check them too much, but also need to keep an eye on them. I'm pleased he is now able to pay 100% attention to his chicks with the other male out of the way... Awsome news!!! :hap:

Dad is doing a great job and So are you !!!

Get in there and play with the babies Hold them. Check their feet for poo and most importantly change the nesting materials as the build up of poo in there can cause some nasties

 

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL if they like the ones that you posted WELL DONE MATE !!

 

Thanks so much Neat.....this morning we took the nest box out....and put the 4 chicks on some paper towels under a light and cleaned all the poo off their feet....there wasa bit caked on them....my wife and daughter played nurses while I cleaned the nest box....yeah quite a layer of poo in there!! Put some rolled oats in there for now... small cap with seed in it....will get some wood shavings....the chicks seem so healthy....the smallest one is well....small....but seems alright....did it all in about 10 minutes....took the box back out to theavairy....and daddy is straight back in there feeding them as their chirping away. Oh joy!! Nature is amazing!!