Oct 5, 2019 19:01:45 GMT
jjmlroux
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 17
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Post by jjmlroux on Feb 29, 2020 5:29:57 GMT
Hi All, I desperately need help. The below image show 3 budgies +- 1 month old. They injured by their mom and not sure how serious this is. They very lively and eat well although 2 males is feeding them - not sure who’s the dad and clearly they also don’t know. I googled and it say this might be that the female wants to lay eggs again. She is full of blood around the mouth for the past 48hrs. I now have removed her from the cage and hope the 2 males will continue to feed them.High vet bills is unfortunately not an option and i do not have any knowledge of hand rearing. I hope that their might be someone wich can give me some advise please? Regards Jaco
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Post by blue48 on Feb 29, 2020 7:51:57 GMT
I'm glad you have removed the hen from the cage and I hope the males will continue to feed the chicks. I'm no expert but I know my budgie was feeding by himself at 6 weeks so hopefully it won't be too long to go.
Someone with more knowledge will be along soon with advice I'm sure.
Is the blood round the hen's mouth from where she has attacked the chicks or do you believe it's something else?
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Post by Hezz on Feb 29, 2020 10:54:15 GMT
If the chicks are around 4 weeks old and have the two males helping them to feed, they will be fine. Scatter some seed over the floor of the cage - put fresh paper down each day - or put seed into a shallow dish so that the chicks can get into it and forage for themselves. The males should help them learn how to forage for themselves, but keep an eye on them to be sure that they are all getting feed. also break off bobbles of millet spray and put these on the floor as well, and hang small pieces of millet spray to the sides of the cage. Are these chicks perching yet??
Just looking at the photo properly ... are these chicks still in the nest? In that case I'm really not surprised that Mum has attacked them. They should have left the nest and be starting to learn to be independent.
Don't give the hen another nest box; give her time to replenish her body from the traumas of laying and providing for a brood.
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Oct 5, 2019 19:01:45 GMT
jjmlroux
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 17
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Post by jjmlroux on Feb 29, 2020 16:42:47 GMT
I'm glad you have removed the hen from the cage and I hope the males will continue to feed the chicks. I'm no expert but I know my budgie was feeding by himself at 6 weeks so hopefully it won't be too long to go. Someone with more knowledge will be along soon with advice I'm sure. Is the blood round the hen's mouth from where she has attacked the chicks or do you believe it's something else? The blood is definitely from the attack☹️
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Oct 5, 2019 19:01:45 GMT
jjmlroux
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 17
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Post by jjmlroux on Feb 29, 2020 16:52:22 GMT
Today is a very sad day for me😢 After I removed the female one of the other females made an attack on all 3 chicks. Done serious damages. I removed chicks immediately but they looking very bad. 1 died and 2 remain. They now screaming for food but strugling to start eating the special handrearing food i got today from our petstore. Im getting some advise also from them. Well now I wait to see if they will pull through the nite. A very bad day for me and realy hope that they will make a full recovery by a miracle.
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Post by skysmum on Feb 29, 2020 21:05:31 GMT
Ohhh this is so sad, such beautiful chicks too . The hazard of colony breeding im afraid but you don't need to hear that right now. You would be better off putting them in a cage with one of the males who was feeding them. fingers crossed they pull through.
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Post by Hezz on Mar 1, 2020 0:21:54 GMT
Agree with skysmum. I never imagined that there was another hen in with the chicks otherwise I would have advised that the chicks only have one or two of the cocks in the cage with them. Hens are renown for doing this, and this is the reason it is advised that breeding pairs be put in a cage of their own. Fingers crossed that the two remaining chicks pull through.
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Oct 5, 2019 19:01:45 GMT
jjmlroux
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 17
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Post by jjmlroux on Mar 1, 2020 7:00:59 GMT
Both babies survived the night and also looking ok under circumstances. Chirping, moving alot and the 1 trying to clean itself. The 1 started eating eagerly (photo below). Other one (who tries cleaning itself) not eating yet. Because the 1 eating at-least I think it might be better not to put 1 of the dads with them - moving from big cage to tiny cage might not be good and another attack will be devastating for me and the babies. Hope the other start eating today. I now have read that apple cider vinegar is good for sick birds. Full of minerals amongst other benefits. Will first do proper research and also have read bicarbonate soda in evenings helps prevent sourcrop. Never hand reared baby budgies before but think I’m doing good so far. Any advise will be much appreciated 🙏
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Post by blue48 on Mar 1, 2020 8:16:25 GMT
I have no experience to give advice, but I am glad the chicks survived the night and I wish you all the best in rearing them. Please keep us informed.
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Post by Hezz on Mar 1, 2020 9:38:44 GMT
At four weeks old, they are not really babies. They should be cracking seed for themselves with only a couple of top up feeds from you if needed. If the cocks have been feeding them, let them continue to do so. Parent feeding is much better than anything you can do.
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Feb 7, 2020 20:28:59 GMT
maryann
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 59
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Post by maryann on Mar 2, 2020 0:02:09 GMT
Any updates on the babies? I hope things are better. 👍🏻🤞
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Oct 5, 2019 19:01:45 GMT
jjmlroux
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 17
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Post by jjmlroux on Mar 2, 2020 17:39:48 GMT
Would like to have given earlier feedback but Monday again after sad weekend and things is very busy at work. The 2 chicks gone to work with my wife. I almost can see an improvement in their appearance but not sure. The 1 eats extremely well and also slowly start eating seeds. The other we still need to slightly force open the mouth and poor small bit into the mouth. Both is very strong and lively and the one even managed too climb out of nestbox when it was sleeping time.
I am worried about the one not eating by itself, but he still looking strong. I mix 3 drops apple cider vinegar in their food each morning, and a knife point of bicarbonate of soda before night. Vinegar apparently good for sick birds and soda maintain PH levels in crop to prevent sour crop.
Weirdest thing I saw was the 1 that eats well trying to feed the one not eating😳 Breaks my heart to see them so badly injured and still showing affection.
Will sure send update again.
Regards Jaco
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Post by clt80 on Mar 2, 2020 19:35:50 GMT
I was just reading your post and about to type what you said about the chick who is eating by themselves feeding the younger one. I've only had one (unplanned) clutch of 4 chicks, but they boys use to feed the youngest who was a girl and very far behind them in development. It was like a natural instinct. Hopefully the little one will watch and start copying the other in terms of learning of how crack seed.
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Post by Hezz on Mar 3, 2020 0:50:12 GMT
Yes, an older sibling feeding a younger one is not uncommon, especially when the hen is not around. I am sure this will help keep the little one healthy.
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Oct 5, 2019 19:01:45 GMT
jjmlroux
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 17
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Post by jjmlroux on Mar 6, 2020 16:01:21 GMT
Hi all just an quick update. 2 of the 3 chicks sadly passed away. The injuries seems to have been just to bad.
On the positive side the 3rd chick pulled through the week and is now at the stage of eating seeds by it’s own throughout the day. However in mornings and evenings I feed her just to make sure she gets that extra protein and fluid as i have not yet seen her drinking water. Her feathers have grown alot but still bold on the head with dry blood. She’s very active. I do suspect her leg was broken in the attack. Her injured I is also better and seems they eye itself was not injured.
Hope and trust I will have another positive update to post here again.
Regards Jaco
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