Bought a pair of proven Lovebirds & need a little help

I purchased a pair of proven lovebirds from CL the other day and I didn't know until I got there but there were 3 eggs in the nesting box (still are in there)... The girl I bought them from didn't have time to take care of them anymore. I look at this as a good thing, and I cannot wait til they hatch, I just have a few questions.

1) What is the best thing the Parent birds would want for their babies once they grow up, to be separated or live with me at my home?

2) What mix should I be feeding these birds as they prepare for feeding their babies?

3) Once the eggs are hatched will I need to add anything else to the cage for the parents to feed their chicks? I am a little concerned about their nesting box as it is only about 6"x4" I think. I am concerned that they wont have the room to feed them once they hatch in such a small box but I am afraid of moving the eggs from where they are now

4) I understand that at 2-3 weeks after hatch dates, they should be pulled and put into a brooder for 4-6 weeks and be handfed then weened onto millet and soft pellets, what mix should I use for these birds when I am hand feeding and is everything I put in this question sound correct as far as raising?

Any suggestions/comments will help

Hey, JoeJoe.

I don't have any breeding experience, so I can't speak with authority on this, but there are several on this site who do. And from what I have heard, hand-feeding and weaning babies is a VERY risky proposition for someone without experience in those areas. The very real threats of asphyxiation, scalding of throat/crop, or hardening of food in the crop are just a few of the potential pitfalls you may encounter.

I realize this situation was apparently sprung upon you unexpectedly, but I urgently advise you to seek out someone local and experienced with hand-rearing for guidance. People attempting this for the first time have lost entire clutches.

Anyhow, at the very least this should "bump" your query so that those more experienced in this matter than I might chime in. Good luck!

BUMP...

Eggs still have not hatched and would appreciate a breeders perspective on these questions

Okay, I personally would let the parents raise these babies (if they hatch, the move of homes may have disturbed them, so be prepared for failure if this doesn't work out) and handle the babies every day to get them used to humans if you want friendly babies. It's just as effective as handfeeding for making tame babies.

I'd offer them lots of fresh foods like veggies and pellets as well for their regular diet, but when the eggs hatch, lots of soft foods are helpful, like boiled egg, brown rice, cooked veggies, etc. They may not accept these foods though if they aren't accustomed to it. But try try and try!

If the eggs DONT hatch in approx 18-28 days, remove the nestbox and let them rest and get them in good health and onto a good diet before trying again, should you choose to try again. In the time between, do a LOT of research, ask lots of questions, and try to have homes lined up for possible babies.

If you want a tame bird, you can keep a baby for yourself if you wanted, or find a home, up to you...

But, as for keeping the whole family or finding homes, that's your decision. The only issue you may find is possible inbreeding if you house them all together (so if you keep all of them, may be best to keep genders separate. Though you'd have to DNA test all of them. Also, they are very likely to fight if housed together once mature. I have two sibling lovebirds who stopped getting along around 6 months old when they hit puberty).

You have a beautiful pair of lovies and I'm glad you are asking questions here! Lots of people will be able to answer all kinds of questions, though breeding questions are harder to answer for people because not everyone has experience.

I don't myself, but I've researched breeding anyways for the sake of knowing more. Plus, I have a chronic egg layer so I need to know some of this stuff lol

I agree with the above poster that hand feeding is not. The best option. Handling the babies daily produces better results in my experience anyway, though I have worked mainly with budgies and cockatiels in the past, never lovies. Feed sprouts and fresh veggies, some fruit but not too much. You can offer pellets while they are feeding, but keep in mind live food is always better than processed food. Feed egg food or chopped up boiled or scrambled eggs, no salt

When you bought the birds did you intend to breed them? If you plan to keep breeding you will need to remove the babies once they are weaned because the parents may kill them over the nest box. If you do not intend to keep breeding them, you could keep the babies if you want, but be sure that is what you really want before choosing to add to the flock. Keep in mind that lovies breed easily meaning they can be hard to sell, and easy to inbreed leading to all sorts of genetic issues.

The next box is the right size, but if you choose to breed them again, move the box to the outside so it hangs from the outside of the cage, making it easier to clean and keep an eye on and handle the babies. Having it in the cage increases your chances of being bitten - a lot!

I know you didn't plan to have babies this soon, but if you plan to breed them please do a LOT of research, not just on how to do it right, but on the ethical implications of breeding parrots. I am not giving you the "adopt don't shop" speech, in fact I myself breed birds, but there is a lot more to being a good, ethical breeder than just keeping babies alive

Best of luck!