The later born chicks

[Biggles]

Hi,
We have a brood of 3 again that were born on day 1, 3 and 5. They're all doing well. But there was also one born on day 11 and day 15. Neither of them survived a day.
Are the later born babies just doomed? The day 11 one was being fed (enough in its crop), but I think both were probably squashed by the bigger ones. Is there anything that can be done to help?

And just because I can, a picture of chick #1 aged about 1 minute old. We were lucky enough to be able to watch him coming out of his shell.

[Marianne Marlow]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the big red area on the chick?

[tweetiepiesmom]

Sorry I can't help with your question and sorry about the lost chicks. I hope you'll pot pictures of the chicks as they grow, they're so cute!

[ariella]

Aug 28, 2022 23:12:06 GMT Marianne Marlow said:

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the big red area on the chick?

That looks like it is the yolk sac to me. I have no experience in baby birds but tortoises are sometimes hatched with a yolk sac. Some of them will get so far with their hatching and then sit there until they have absorbed the yolk sac. In tortoises, as they are non-reliant on parents, we would sit them on a milk bottle lid with the yolk sac kept clean so they’re not dragging it along with them. It makes them stay still while they absorb it. I have no idea if this is common in baby budgies and it may not be a yolk sac at all but that’s my best guess. 

[Biggles]

Aug 28, 2022 23:12:06 GMT Marianne Marlow said:

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the big red area on the chick?

I think it was the yolk sack. It was absorbed fairly quickly into the chick.

[Biggles]

Here's a photo (not very good because they don't stay still)


There are two black and white budgies and one which is more of a beige, which is a surprise as neither of the parents are beige! Not sure how that worked out!

[tweetiepiesmom]

Very sweet! I don't know about genetics but I wonder if the beige one might turn yellow?

[Biggles]

A yellow would be nice.
Dad has a yellow head and blue body and mum is mostly white though, so I suspect not. All previous babies have been pretty much image of mum with one the image of dad, and one just grey.

[ariella]

Looking forward to seeing their colours develop.