My 3 baby birds which were born 3.8.08, 5.8.08 and the 6.8.08 so all are between 4 and 5 weeks old, are now all coming and going from the breeding box and the hen has today laid her first egg for a second round. When is an appropriate time to remove the chicks to a youngster's cage?

And although I have used the word fledging in the topic title, I'm only assuming that means when they are ready to be moved from parents? Am I right?

I normally remove the chicks when they are about 6 weeks old unless they are being a nuisance, then they get moved earlier

Be very, very careful! Once the hen starts laying again it's a good indicator that she is ready to move on ... I have lost 3 chicks this year just at this crucial time 'cause either Mum or Dad decided they didn't want anything more to do with their chicks.

 

A good tip from Gary Armstrong: at week 3 remove the hen to a holding cage and let the Dad raise the chicks until week 5. (4 weeks in the nest, 1 week in the bottom of the breeding cabinet) By this age they are ready to go into the Nursery and can feed on their own. Then reintroduce the hen for the next round.

Have to agree with Renee. Its a dangerous time for chicks if they are returning to the nestbox and Mum is laying again. She can kill them. If they are eating seed then they must be romoved.

I take the chicks out as soon as I see that they are cracking their own seed and eating the soft food, which is usually at 4 weeks of age since I put seed in the nest boxes and they learn how to eat before they come out of the box. I have had too many catastrophies with parents killing their own babies to take the chance of leaving them in there. They will survive a little reduction in nutrition whilst they learn to feed themselves in the baby cage, but they have slim chances of surviving an attack from a parent, and if they do, they will be mutilated for life. Take them out as soon as you see them feeding themselves. Also, often the older babies in the baby cage will feed the younger chicks anyway.

Edited September 12, 200816 yr by DrNat

Thanks so much for your responses,

 

I will keep a very close eye on the young ones, and will probably take them out really soon, just want to make sure that they are eating on their own. I have been given some advice from a breeder I was speaking to tonight who puts in a small wooden box in the bottom of the breeding cage so the young chicks have somewhere to hide whilst still being left in the breeding cage to learn to eat and finish developing a little. What soft food do you give the babies? At the moment I am only supplying seed, silver beet and corn. Also can someone let me know if I was right in my assumption that fledging is when the young are ready to be taken from the breeding cage?

Soft food is fruit and vegetables like carrots, silverbeet/spinach, beans, peas, beetroot, apple, corn, celery, strawberries, sweet potato etc etc etc blended in a food processor with some egg and biscuit. The more variety given the better. Also give fresh native flowers like grevillea, bottlebrush (callistemon), tea tree, gum tree, eucalyptus leaves etc.

Soft food is fruit and vegetables like carrots, silverbeet/spinach, beans, peas, beetroot, apple, corn, celery, strawberries, sweet potato etc etc etc blended in a food processor with some egg and biscuit. The more variety given the better. Also give fresh native flowers like grevillea, bottlebrush (callistemon), tea tree, gum tree, eucalyptus leaves etc.

 

 

Thanks so much for letting me know I think I will have to invest in a blender. :rip:

with the vegies like sweet pototoe, beans, peas are these cooked or raw and what about the beetroot - Canned? At the moment the corn and silverbeet I give them is just washed and given raw. I also have no native trees, shrubs in my garden, does anyone have any idea where I may be able to obtain some native flowers/leaves? I am in the South East Region of Melbourne.

raw potatoes are toxic to budgies

 

can foods should not be given they are too high in salt if you do use them you can soak them in some water for about 10 minutes to get some of the salt out that is what my mom did for my dad when he needed a low salt diet.

Your question that got lost: The term fledge refers to when the chicks leave the nest box.

 

It's a great idea to have a box or alike on the floor of the cage for the bubs... but if you notice they are getting picked on by Mum or Dad, I'd be removing them. As others have said, you can remove Dad and chicks as he will finish raising them... then he can be returned to his partner for another round if you wish.

 

I feed my budgies frozen veggies. I live on my own and don't use enough fresh ones to make it worth while for me or the birds. I put them in a dish and cover with very hot water. After awhile, I pour out the water and either serve as is, or blend up. It's also beneficial to hard boil and egg, and blend this up also (shell and all) and add it to your veggie mix.

 

As to native branches/leaves and flowers, do you have any friends or relatives who may have these tress in their garden? You can get them from parks etc... but you have to be very careful as it they are near road, fumes from cars etc can make your birds sick, if the area has been sprayed for weeds, this can also be trouble. Where ever you end up getting them from, be sure to give them a good clean with a hose or warm water before giving them to your birds.

Have just reread this and think that maybe it is time for me to pull my babies from the parents, I know that they are eating there greens and seeds and drinking there water, Is it normal though for the father to try mating with the chicks?

My only concern is that the parents are still sort of feeding the babies, Is this just the babies being lazy?

Yeah daddy budgies can be letch's (sp?) If they are eating but them in a kindy cage and just keep an eye on them, they should be fine

Yeah I was setting up the kindy cage but just thought that I would get away with it till the weekend but parents are at it like rabbits and when mum is in the box dad hits on the babies. No violence at all from either parents but I think its kind of disconcerting for the babies! Oh PS MB there is a breeder in Mulgrave who has an add on the Trading Post, I went yesterday and ppicked up another pair for $30 total!!!!! He also had a few spangels in the cage that he was getting rid of! PM if you want his details, The cock bird that I got is from the Flannagan line, nice bird just no shoulder the hen is from a line from another top breeder here in Melbourne, its worth a look he has done well in shows both this year and last! He had a stunning Violet Yellow face spangel in his avairy (not for sale) But it will be interesting to see what he culls next year! He sells problem birds to the pet stores and he keeps his quality stock for private sale!!

Thanks for asking this as I am going through this as well.

 

Pippi - you went and looked at birds and did not take me, I am hurt!

I'd love to go have a look but can't afford to for a few weeks so I'll have to see what he has left by then

Thanks for asking this as I am going through this as well.

 

 

Ditto - I am always concerned when babies are getting close to fledging and I have a cabinet with babies getting close now. I havent done this enough times yet to feel comfortable with cabinet fledging babies.

OH AV I took the ones that I wanted or shouyld I say the ones that I could sneek into the house without it being to obvious, You know what the OH is like!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Babies have also now been moved to nursery and will be watched closely today, I am back to work tomorrow so today it was, I just hope they are okay!!!!

Read this topic http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....c=22296&hl= it may help

I have also been told to put seed all over the floor of the cage so they don't have to go looking for food would this be a good idea or not? I am scared of them eating seed with poop on it.

I put a dish of seed that is easily accessable to the babies on the floor of any cage I have babies in. Even when I first put them into the aviary, in case they have problems perching on the feeder.

 

Thanks Kaz

Edited September 30, 200816 yr by Sunnie

Yes Once they are eating it that way I put it in a shallow dish on the floor for them and then take that away so they only have the regular dish

I have also been told to put seed all over the floor of the cage so they don't have to go looking for food would this be a good idea or not? I am scared of them eating seed with poop on it.

I always put seed on the floor of the cage...its the first place babies look for food. ....then move it into shallow dishes.

 

ALSO my method is...at babies aged two weeks in the nestbox goes millet sprays daily...they start to eat it then. At age three weeks...I put a cupful of seed in the nestbox as bedding about every second or third day ...they eat it. When they are ready to fledge they already know what seed is and how to eat it.

Edited September 30, 200816 yr by KAZ

Wow that's interesting info too. I put millet in, but probably later than that. I will start trying them earlier. My current clutch though, I have to be careful I dont get my hand ripped off by mum LOL

Seed as bedding is a great idea, thanks Kaz will try that next time around.