can i put food in the nest box?

[cdog]

When I took Bella to the vet they said she was a little under weight. I think it is because she spends most of her time in the nest box. Her boyfriend feeds her but I guess she isn't getting enough food. So can I put a dish of food in the nest box with her so she will eat?
Any advice would be great, thanks.

 

[Pedro]

No I wouldn't put food in the nestbox. However you could mix up some formula & give her a feed from a spoon a couple of times a day.

I help out my eclectus hen with rearing food when she has chicks as the male won't share.

 

[IcyWolf]

Pedro, what is wrong with putting food in the box, I always put millet in all of ours, I thought most people did.

 

[MikeyTN]

I have never placed any food within the nest box. Bacterial infection is probably the reason why no food within.

 

[cdog]

Pedro, I did give her a little bit of the leftover formula when she came out of the box, but I cant predict when she will come out so I cant really do that. Bella isn't really tame, when she doesn't have eggs she loves to sit on my shoulder but since she has eggs I cant really do anything with her.
I just put some millet in the box and she is eating it, thanks IcyWolf.
Mikey, would millet cause an infection, its just dry millet.

 

[IcyWolf]

I have never placed any food within the nest box. Bacterial infection is probably the reason why no food within.

I've never put any fresh food in there, could spray millets really hurt anything? they usually pick it clean down to the stem within a couple days.

 

[MikeyTN]

I don't think millet would hurt as long as its not pellets or wet food mainly. Are you providing them with extra food while breeding? You can make some high protein soft food with egg yolk, cottage cheese, and add some oat meal, and some other goodies.

 

[Pedro]

Different strokes for different folks i suppose. I breed my birds in aviaries & don't find it necessary to put any type of food in their nest box. The parent birds leave the box to feed. As soon as i place the fresh food in the cage the hen comes out of the box for a feed, has a drink & goes poop. Then she will settle back on the eggs/chicks. They know exactly how long they can be away from the eggs before they go cold. My GCC'S are fair little sticky beaks as soon as they hear me coming they come out of the box to see what i have.

Cdog this is your hens second clutch & it is only natural she would loose a little condition during the whole process. Once these latest chicks hatch you may have to take the nest box away so she can put on weight naturally. My little hen looks a bit rough after 3 clutches. I take her box off her for 4 or 5 months. Actually i only just put it back in on the weekend.

 

[cdog]

I provide them with pellets, egg food, vitamins and mineral food, fresh fruits and veggies, one hard boiled egg a week, and if they are out at the time I give them some formula. And if I am having pasta they get some noodles too.

I am going to take the box down after this clutch for about 5 months.

 

[Echo]

My hen has 5 babies right now, and she always loses a bit of weight. It's normal as it is a lot of work feeding babies day and night. I don't put anything in the box but I clip millet at the entrance of it. I have to give the pair a LOT of food for themselves and the babies. It always amazes me HOW MUCH food they go through!!!

 

[cdog]

Well the vet said it's to the point where she doesn't want Bella to lose anymore weight. She said Bella could use an extra 5-10 grams.
She hasn't even started feeding the babies, the first should hatch tomorrow.