Jan 29, 2017 9:53:51 GMT
avik
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 13
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Post by avik on Apr 15, 2017 7:59:20 GMT
Hello Everybody. Sorry I got a little a busy last week. So could not give an update. However, I am feeling a weird mixture of happiness and concern. None of the other three eggs hatched. I am sure the Simran didnt have enough time to incubate the eggs while taking a good care of the chicks. And what a good care she is taking of the chicks, all alone!!! The chicks are growing normally. So I am happy with that. However, i am a little concerned about the legs of the chicks. Does it look healthy to you all? The first five pics are of the younger one (8 days) and the last three of the older one (10 days). Any comment and advice is really welcome. Thanks.
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Jan 29, 2017 9:53:51 GMT
avik
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 13
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Post by avik on Apr 15, 2017 8:00:43 GMT
Sorry the pictures got reversed - first three older one and last five is of the younger one.
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May 4, 2024 23:53:54 GMT
Deleted
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2017 8:31:25 GMT
Sorry the pictures got reversed - first three older one and last five is of the younger one. Hi avik I only joined the site yesterday so I've only just read your thread, both chicks look healthy and you have no concerns with the youngest chick, now in my opinion the oldest chick could have splayed legs which needs correcting asap as the bones in the legs calcify at around 2 weeks old, the easiest way of correcting splayed legs is to draw the legs together with a piece of pipe cleaner, alternatively you can make 2 holes in a small piece of sponge and feed the legs through the holes bringing the legs together, something like this parrot: - Sorry if you are already doing this, but in the nesting box it's advised to have sawdust on the floor so the chicks have something to grip onto which helps to stop the legs splaying, also a good idea is to have a few dummy eggs in the box so that the chicks can prop themselves up on top of the eggs taking weight off their legs, if you haven't got dummy eggs a few marbles or even small pebbles will suffice. Hope this helps
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Post by Hezz on Apr 15, 2017 9:24:43 GMT
Thank you @impeckably; we had advised that nesting material of some sort be added to the nest box regardless of whether the hen had kicked them out previously, for just this very reason. I truly hope, because it has been caught in time, that these little guys can be helped to a fully healthy and functioning life. avik, the thread below will give you a step by step method of righting your chicks legs ... any sponge can be used, really, as long as it is clean. budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/620/splayed-legs-make-sponge-method
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May 4, 2024 23:53:54 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2017 9:35:39 GMT
avik, after reading the full thread I have a few tips, sorry to be abrupt but you really need to stop breeding your birds until you have everything you need, the lack of a concave in the nesting box is why your chick has developed splayed legs, the concave is there to reduce the hens weight on the eggs when she is incubating, the concave also keeps the eggs in one place, the hen precisely turns the eggs every 20- 30 minutes, the concave keeps the eggs in the exact position the hen places them which means the very last thing you need is eggs rolling around the nesting box. I'm sorry you lost the male bird, this will put a lot of pressure on the female and for that reason I suggest you don't breed the female again for at least 6 months so that she can recover and rebuild her reserves, hopefully this will give you chance to source a suitable nesting box.
If you have other budgies raising chicks you have the option to foster the 2 chicks to another nest, this would take pressure off the single female, I have successfully fostered chicks to other nests in the past and the new parents do accept them, it just makes it more difficult to keep your records accurate. Incidentally I have a friend in India who uses a small shallow bowl as a nest for her birds, the bowl has got like a natural concave in the bottom which seems to work pretty well.
I realise this post sounds critical of you for which I apologise, I have helped other people in India many times, I know there is very limited veterinary care for small animals in India and even less medication, which is why you have to take every precaution and care when breeding, we will help you and there is a valuable source of information on here, but until you have the basic equipment (and a good first aid kit) I would ask you to refrain from breeding your birds.
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May 4, 2024 23:53:54 GMT
Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2017 9:46:56 GMT
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Jan 29, 2017 9:53:51 GMT
avik
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 13
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Post by avik on Apr 15, 2017 10:16:34 GMT
First of all..thank you Hezz and impeckably. And I know I made a mistake, u allowed my curiosity and eagerness to cloud my judgement. That won't happen again. Yes it is true we have a lack of options here in India. In fact I tried to find people who are keeping this beauties successfully. But no luck till now. In that case, if you can help me contact your friend in India that would be really helpful, if your friend allow that. However, I will stop breeding right now.i have an idea of a breeding box. If I can't find one, I will make one. That and the first aid kit you mentioned..plus some more knowledge. Then maybe I will try once again. However, at this point of time, my only focus is to get the mother and the couple of chicks happy and healthy. Thanks again.
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May 4, 2024 23:53:54 GMT
Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2017 10:31:13 GMT
First of all..thank you Hezz and impeckably. And I know I made a mistake, u allowed my curiosity and eagerness to cloud my judgement. That won't happen again. Yes it is true we have a lack of options here in India. In fact I tried to find people who are keeping this beauties successfully. But no luck till now. In that case, if you can help me contact your friend in India that would be really helpful, if your friend allow that. However, I will stop breeding right now.i have an idea of a breeding box. If I can't find one, I will make one. That and the first aid kit you mentioned..plus some more knowledge. Then maybe I will try once again. However, at this point of time, my only focus is to get the mother and the couple of chicks happy and healthy. Thanks again. Everyone makes little mistakes avik, happily the splayed legs can be fixed and there shouldn't be any permanent damage, but keep an eye on the youngest chick as he/ she may need help aswell Unfortunately I cannot put you in touch with Juhi my friend in India, she lived at home with her parents but was studying aswell, she is now something like an Ambassador for India, she has done really well but sadly I haven't heard from for a while, if she has time to contact me I will invite her to join this forum then I can introduce you. Incidentally, if you struggle to find a budgie nesting box private message me your address and I'll send one over to you, it may take a while from here in the UK but anything to help, in the mean time I'll search online to see if I can find anything for you, maybe Amazon deliver to India?
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May 4, 2024 23:53:54 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2017 11:19:17 GMT
I have found a manufacturer/ supplier of nesting boxes in India, here is the link to the website: - www.indiamart.com/marian-nest/ hopefully they may be able to help you, they do appear to sell budgie nesting boxes and they do sell online, but please check that they include the concave before you buy. Hope it helps you
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Post by Hezz on Apr 16, 2017 1:02:59 GMT
avik, while you may have made some mistakes, unwittingly, the best thing is that you are willing to learn from those that have more experience - not everyone is prepared to do this, so good on you for taking advice on board. Perhaps @impeckably will have some tips for feeding your hen, to give her and her chicks the best possible chance to thrive.
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May 4, 2024 23:53:54 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2017 8:57:09 GMT
avik , Perhaps @impeckably will have some tips for feeding your hen, to give her and her chicks the best possible chance to thrive. No pressure then Hezz
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May 4, 2024 23:53:54 GMT
Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2017 9:45:47 GMT
Right, this could end up being a long post for which I apologise, my views/ suggestions maybe slightly controversial so I very much welcome any input from other members. In my time as a breeder I have never encountered this problem, I always had a back up plan, not all female budgies make good mothers so I always had the option of fostering out any chicks that weren't being cared for properly, once they weened I would return them to the father to learn how to be budgies.
There are so many variables in this case because we don't know the history of the hen, I presume this is the hens first clutch, I don't know the hens condition or diet before the breeding, these sort of things will affect how capable she is of raising the chicks on her own, hens especially should be in top physical condition before breeding, so if for example she is lacking in calcium that will be passed onto the chicks (which can also cause splayed legs)
I can only suggest at this point that Avik ensures that the hen receives plenty of food, whether that be seed only or preferably vegetables and seed, there has to be constant clean fresh water obviously, the hens reserves of calcium will already be low so cuttlefish is invaluable as are hardboiled eggs mashed up with the shells, place some sprays of millet in the nesting box so that although she will have to leave the box to spread her wings etc at least she doesn't need to leave too often for a snack.
Sadly in my opinion I don't think attempting to handfeed the chicks is an option, yes we all want the chicks and hen to survive but with all due respect to Avik it could do more harm than good, the chick formula has to be a certain temperature and even though the chicks are only a few days apart in age the temperature and consistancy of the formula would have to be adjusted for each chick, personally I have never handfed a chick and hope to never have to, in my opinion handfeeding should only be taken on by experienced individuals or by somebody under guidance from an expert.
As long as the hen is in reasonable condition, has a good source of nourishment and nutrients, then hopefully she should be able to raise the chicks successfully, if anything is lacking then I'm afraid nature will take it's course, I know that is controversial but I would like to finish this post by repeating something Corie Gallagher told me, "if you keep livestock, you have to expect dead stock" With respect to Avik, this must serve as a warning to any members or visitors to the site past or present, please don't jump into breeding your birds, research is paramount.
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Post by Hezz on Apr 16, 2017 11:33:10 GMT
No pressure at all; not all members have multiple breeders, which would be the optimum, so foster parents aren't always an option, especially when it is pets who are breeding.
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