Baby budgie growth concern

[budgietwt]

Hello all, one of my baby budgies hatched 7 days ago, but it still looks like a 2 day old chick. The parents are being fed a fruit, veggie, and seed diet daily, and the mother is feeding the chick properly. I’m very confused and worried as to why it still is very small, hasn’t opened it’s eyes yet, and hasn’t grown any fluff or pin feathers yet. If someone knows what’s wrong, please tell me. Thanks

(Edit: It hatched from the 8th and final egg of the clutch. The rest of the eggs were infertile )

[Marianne Marlow]

skysmum Any ideas?

[clt80]

As long as the baby is being fed, you can see when their crop is full, everything should be OK.

The youngest of a clutch I had a couple of years back was bald for weeks!!!! All her siblings had feathers but she just seemed to take a little longer. She did eventually start getting feathers. The important thing is the chick is being fed. I would weigh the chick's every few days to make sure they were putting on weight.

If not being fed then you need to take over with formula. This is tricky though as you have to syringe it and its hard to maintain the correct temperature: can't be too hot or too cold. This is a last resort though, best feeder for the chick is mum hen.

[Hezz]

Personally, I would feed the hen a more protein-rich diet at this stage - add a bit of egg or eggfood to her diet. I am only guessing but perhaps what she is passing on to the chick is not rich enough.

clt80's observation is interesting, though, and perhaps you are worrying for nothing. Hopefully, anyway.