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Mother Not Feeding Chick

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Today one of my budgies eggs hatched, The mum is not feeding it as the crop is empty and it has a very thin neck.

She is a first time mum. The baby has been crying for food for a while but allthe mum does is sit on it to keep it warm.

Any suggestions

It can take up to 12 hours sometimes even more before a new born chick is fed... my advice would be leave her alone as much as possible, only check every 4 hours or so(just a little peek through the door), if it's not been fed then give it a small feed and put it back under the mum. Just make sure you've not disturbed the mum so much that she won't feed it.

  • Author

okay, Its night time now so in the morning ill see how it is. What do i feed it if i do need to

thanks

  • Author

well this morning i checked on it and it was doing good then when i came back from school it was lying in the middle of the aviary dead

Would the mum or dad have possibly thrown it out?

well this morning i checked on it and it was doing good then when i came back from school it was lying in the middle of the aviary dead

Would the mum or dad have possibly thrown it out?

 

 

Yes possibly brittany. I had the same problem a while ago. The parents seem to have a sixth sense about the viability of their chicks ;)

Any bird in your aviary could have thrown it out of the nest Brittany. It happens in colony breeding. I dont thoroughly believe hens know best about the babies and not feed or throw out ones with issues...as I have seen hens throw out eggs with live chicks in and not feed chicks that when transferred to another nest...turned out perfectly fine. Like people...there are some really stupid hens and some really smart ones.

The real fact here is the hen was a first time mother and didnt know what to do. Next time this kind of thing happens ...if YOU give the chick its first two or three feeds and leave it in the nest...when it is stronger it will call louder to be fed and the mother may work it out. Failing that to put it in a nest with other similar aged chicks would be a good move if you have that option.

How old are these parents ?

Edited by KAZ

I am sorry to hear of your first loss,

  • Author

Thanks,

The parents are over a year old, A year and a half.

I have moved them into a breeding cage. She is still sitting on the other four eggs.

Will they eventually learn how to look after chicks or will they never be good breeders.

Thanks,

The parents are over a year old, A year and a half.

I have moved them into a breeding cage. She is still sitting on the other four eggs.

Will they eventually learn how to look after chicks or will they never be good breeders.

To some new parents its a surprise to have their first chicks and they dont understand what to do, and often by the second or third chick they figure it out. For the future you need to be able to step up to the plate and feed the babies that arent being fed until its strong enough to be fed by the parent OR have another pair ready to foster babies as well.

  • Author

okay thanks,

What is the formula called to feed the babies.

Edited by birdluv
took away the extra f

okay thanks,

What is the formula called to feed the babies.

 

EDIT~ took away the extra f

hand rearing formula :P

Edited by birdluv

oh lol,

Where can i get it from

Thanks

Bird supply stores or some petshops :P

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