In shock, need help please.

[clt80]

To summarize Agatha laid some eggs the other month, I brought her and Ralph in but they were that upset at being out the aviary Agatha didn't incubate the eggs. Eventually I put them both back outside when the eggs got so cold nothing was going to happen.

Few weeks later she laid 3 eggs in a seed tray and has been sitting on them. I chose not to bring her in again after the distress of last time and let her sit on them in the aviary. I didn't think they'd hatch, she'd be on them, then she'd be outside playing. If they did the plan was to then bring them inside. It has gone over the average amount of time that you'd expect them to hatch but I left the eggs with her as I didn't want to remove them and upset her just yet.

Today, there was a sqwark from said seed tray, two eggs and a baby budgie were in there; an egg had hatched. So I've brought Agatha and Ralph inside, gently placed baby and the two eggs in a nest box (with shavings) with them, put them in the back bedroom where it's warm, light, and quiet. I've put spinach, carrot, dry egg food, seed and water in there and placed a towel around three sides of the cage.

I never intended to breed, but knew if it happened I'd do my best.

Please, I need advice on what to do. Hubby says let nature take its course, but I have read that if the mother abandons the chicks I should step in and feed them.

I'm still in shock. I will be researching as much as possible today but as always would appreciate as much advice from people on here as possible.

Many thanks.

[Marianne Marlow]

Oh dear!

skysmum Hezz starlingqueen.

Help!

[starlingqueen]

I really think you should see what happens. If she is feeding them and keeping them warm then leave well alone. I wouldn't have moved them personally but now you have see how things go.

[clt80]

Thanks.

I moved them because agatha flew off the seed tray and one of my other budgies came over to see what the sqwark was. I was worried one of the other budgies would attack or hurt the baby whilst agatha wasn't with it.

I had a look before and she isn't sitting on it. I've put a portable radiator next to them in hope it will keep baby warm.

I've called pet shops and no where near me has hand rearing formula, I've seen you can make a paste with dry egg food and warm water, and providing the paste is warm the baby will eat it from a syringe, only as a last resort if agatha doesn't feed it.

I'm still all shook up.

[starlingqueen]

Do you have the father in with her?

[clt80]

Yes, but he isn't keeping baby warm or feeding.

[clt80]

I don't know whether to put baby and eggs back in the original seed tray that agatha incubated on. Whether to keep them in a nest box. Whether to keep them in the quiet bedroom. Whether to put them back in aviary in the cage with the nest box but in the bit I go in so other budgies can't get on the cage.

I've done a hell of a lot of reading and researching this morning and I've been ringing around trying to gather information. I'm just all at 6's and 7's. I'm worried the baby will die from cold or lack of food.

I have got a syringe but when do I know when the time is to take over and hand feed? How long do I wait to give agatha a chance to care for her baby?

[starlingqueen]

There is a possibility that you may lose the chick I'm afraid. The mother may not return to it. Not your fault as you say t may have been killed by the other birds if you had left it. I've never had chicks myself so I don't know about had rearing them I'm just going on the knowledge I have gathered over the years.

[starlingqueen]

I wouldn't move them now, it will just upset her more. Has she been in the nest box at all?

[clt80]

I don't know as I kept the bedroom door closed. When I'm in there they are both out and watching me. When I leave I don't know if she goes in or not, I'm guessing not.

[starlingqueen]

I wonder if she knows the baby is in there?

[clt80]

I think so, she watched me put the eggs and the baby in there.

[starlingqueen]

I would try and put her in the box. She may not know what you were putting in the box.

[starlingqueen]

Can you look at the chick and see if it has any food in it's crop? The crop is a bulge just below the neck, if there is food in it it will look yellowy and be bulging out.

[clt80]

I have put the cage back in the aviary, inside but in the part I go in. The eggs and baby I've put back in the seed tray and when I looked later on agatha was sat on them. I will check before bedtime on the baby and if it's crop is full, if not I will attempt to hand feed. Eek.