Does anyone have any pics of underweight budgies? Or can you tell me signs to look for. I think my hen has lost some weight since her clutch and I'm sure it's a bit normal. Her front use to be nice and full where her wings sat nice on her sides, but her wings don't seem to be meeting her sides right now. I don't know if its from spreading them to cover her chicks or if she has just lost that much weight. She also used to have a solid belly and now it looks like there's a line down the front (almost like a vest)? Also can you tell me the best thing I can give her to fatten her up (just remeber I live in USA, PA and don't have access to a lot of the native stuff you have in Australia). Her mate is feeding her, but not as much as I think he should. She sits there waiting and waiting and he seems to be more interested in preening himself or shredding paper?

Edited September 22, 200816 yr by KAZ

You can usually feel their chest area when they are thin the bone that runs down the middle is more prominent.

Mashed boiled egg, oats- soaked, and if she is on the nest and not being fed enough put a sprig of millet in the nest or attach it to the outside of the nest (can you get the millet over there?) that way she can eat without having to leave the nest.

They will lose a bit of weight- usually the 'puppy fat' they carry in the aviary- when they have a clutch but too much can cause big problems, and if not caught soon enough she will starve herself.

underweight budgie is something you need to feel rather than see.

You will feel a sharp breast bone with not much "meat" covering the ribbs. A nice layer of "meat" over the ribs is desirable and if the breast bone cant be felt at all then the budgie is over weight.

 

An under weight budgie will also feel light in your hand. and the line you describe is seen in very underweight birds.

 

If she is on chicks, give her millet in the box at all times so she and the chicks have food. You could also give some hulled oats in the box too.

 

Make sure the male has lots of soft food every day as it is easier to eat and he can feed mum and the chicks a lot quicker.

If she is under weight increase her protein :hap:

Thank you so much Liv. She must very underweight then... will she not feed herslef at all? She is out of the nest box alot anymore (although there is one chick in the nest- 10 days old) but if I approach the cage she flies right into the nest box so I have been unable to get a picture or get a hold of her. But I will assume she is underweight based on the description given and increase HER available food. Thank you again.