Jul 10, 2022 22:34:34 GMT
vstar
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 3
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Post by vstar on Jul 10, 2022 22:44:43 GMT
Hi. I need some advice. We have had 2 budgies for two years now and this year they stared to breed. We put up a nesting box and got 4 eggs but only one hatched and is doing well. Chick is now 4 weeks old but hasn’t left the nest yet. I heard some squawking this morning and when checking the chick found a small amount of blood on it’s head, nothing too serious but I think it was mum. We had to think quick so we separated mum into another section of the aviary but we are unsure what to do next. We have a large outdoor aviary. Mum is currently in the inside area and dad and chick are in the outdoor flight. Dad is feeding baby fine and I’m expecting the baby to fledge anytime now as it has all its wing feathers. Obviously we will remove the nest box as soon as the baby has fledged. Could anyone advise me if we will ever be able to put them all together again? I’m thinking it may be safer to wait until the baby is independently eating? Any advice would be welcomed. Thank you.
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Post by Hezz on Jul 11, 2022 5:41:07 GMT
The male parent will show the chick how to crack seed and dehusk it, so leave these two together and keep the hen separate. The hens will often attack any chicks in the nest if they are wanting to breed again, it is not uncommon at all. Once the chick comes out of the nest, it most likely won’t want to be put back in, so a small box on the floor of the cage, with a door way cut out of it will give the chick somewhere to retreat to when it wants to go to sleep. Once it is perching, you can remove the box. Give the hen time to come out of breeding condition before including her back in with the father and chick, but watch her carefully for any signs of violence.
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Jul 10, 2022 22:34:34 GMT
vstar
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 3
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Post by vstar on Jul 11, 2022 6:34:03 GMT
That’s great advice. Thank you. How much time do you think she will need? Today she seems distressed that she is not with her bonded partner 😔
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Post by Hezz on Jul 12, 2022 0:47:38 GMT
That’s actually not a bad thing - one of the major factors used to break a hen from chronic egg laying is to put her into a position of being mildly stressed so she goes into survival mode rather than breeding mode. I would give her at least a week, you may even notice her cere starting to change colour, but a week should give her time for her breeding hormones to scale back.
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Jul 10, 2022 22:34:34 GMT
vstar
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 3
|
Post by vstar on Jul 14, 2022 9:54:54 GMT
Thank you sooooo much. I really appreciate your help. We have a new issue today though. Mum is still separate and baby fledged today. We removed the box as baby is flying around and perching will but it looks like dad is trying to mount it. He keeps putting his foot up on the baby! Is this normal behaviour? Mum is just next door so they can still hear each other. Advice very much appreciated.
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Post by Hezz on Jul 15, 2022 0:55:59 GMT
It is not unknown but not a good thing either, if you are convinced this is what is happening. Is the chick fully weaned? It should be by now, and if so it does not need the father in with it. If you have another cage, I would take him out but not put him in with the hen just yet. I would wait those few more days to give her a chance to come out of breeding condition. If you do decide to remove the male, for the chick place a large flat dish on the floor of the cage with its seed in it, and this is the time to start introducing fresh veg to its diet.
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