pulling baby conures from the nest

[cdog]

I know MikeyTN gave me a lot of great advice but if someone else could give some more input it would be great. I just want to make sure I can get all the advice I can before the babies are ready.

 

[Pedro]

Hello there cdog, I breed GCC'S, usually they are very good parents & can successfully rear a clutch of 6 easily. The male bird also helps feed the Mum & chicks. But just keep an eye on the chicks to make sure they have food in their crops. You never know when things could go pare shaped. Sometimes all eggs are not fertile, my hen lays 6 eggs & i only get 3 or 4 chicks.

I leave my chicks in the nest longer, I will take them closer to 3 sometimes 4 weeks. They are put on 3 feeds a day. At that age they don't require any heat box & are usually very easy to feed from a syringe or feeding spoon. However my chicks are very used to me handling them in the nest. I have nest inspections every day.

Hand rearing formula for the most part is usually of good quality these day's. I have used Kaytee Exact for many years until it got way to expensive here. I have even raised baby parrots on my own home made formula's with great success.

Instructions For Hand-Feeding Baby Birds

You might find this link a good read.

 

[cdog]

Thanks for the link. But you don't think a two week gap between the first and last baby will be a problem, even with the size difference?

 

[Pedro]

No not really because the hen will usually start to incubate the eggs after she has laid the 2nd or 3rd egg so most of the eggs if fertile will hatch a day apart. Usually even if all eggs are fertile they should all hatch in the first week. The first eggs laid being the first to hatch, then the last should hatch by the end of the same week. What don't hatch in that first week would be infertile. Did you get that.?

I would candle the eggs just to see how many are in fact fertile. You may find some to be clear.

 

[MikeyTN]

Hatching time can vary! I've had baby tiels hatched as early as 14days after it was laid, it shocked me...and i've had some hatching as late as 28days. But my usually hatching is still every other day like how the eggs was laid. But sometimes they hatch together. So it depends on when they started incubation process and the humidity in your home.

 

[IcyWolf]

Just wanted to add, if you can get the female to come out of the nest box, you can take a cut paper plate and slide it between the box and the cage, this will close off the box so she can't come back in while you are taking the babies out. I was using the kaytee but I am going back to the zupreem this go around. I didn't like that the kaytee separates very quickly, I found myself having to constantly stir it to keep it mixed and I never had that problem with the zupreem.

 

[cdog]

She started incubating after the first one was laid. The first one hatched 22 days after it was laid. She did not lay every other day, she laid every three days.

 

[cdog]

I'm just worried because she only had three eggs and three babies last time. This is only their second clutch.

 

[cdog]

Thanks IcyWolf.

 

[MikeyTN]

I had a pair that would lay a clutch then lay a few more a week later and they end up being fertile...strange things they do...lol....

Like Pedro says and i told you last night, they may be able to handle it but handfeed the older ones if you want to ensure the survival of the younger ones. That way you wouldn't have to worry!

 

[cdog]

Thanks you guys, I guess I'm just freaking out over nothing. You have been very helpful, sorry if I sound annoying buy now I just want to make sure the babies will be alright.

 

[MikeyTN]

They're your grand babies of course your worried, but you are over worrying yourself. Go hold the babies and relax...

 

[cdog]

The second baby hatched last night!!

 

[MikeyTN]

Are they feeding them so far? Pics? We want pics!!!

 

[cdog]

Yes they are feeding them, they are great parents. I will try to get pics but the mom gets back in the box too fast, I will try!

 

[cdog]

Oh MikeyTN, how is your eclectus, like how loud,personality? Because I was thinking about getting one sometime.

 

[MikeyTN]

They're so quiet, JoJo talks and make funny noises. Gracie mumbles and whistles. They have their moments, but overall very well behaved!!!! We've had them for almost a year now. It would be one year next month on my partner's birthday. I got them for my partner, we've been talking about getting Ekkies for years and we were afraid to at first because of their diet. But in our condition now, it's no issue to do and we were wondering why we didn't go for it years ago.

 

[cdog]

Cool. What's wrong with their diet?

 

[cdog]

Well they are definitley feeding their babies, the week old one is huge!

 

[MikeyTN]

Cool. What's wrong with their diet?

Nothing is wrong with their diet. They just require a more specific diet then most other parrots. Bad diet can cause health issue.