My Bourkes

[buurd]

Little pink fuzzballs <3<3

 

[Rozalka]

Yesterday the 5th babie hatched but unfortunetely died There's going to be also the 6th one but if 5th died, I'm sure the 6th will die too - The same situation I had a year ago - 7 babies hatched but two the youngest died

btw 7 eggs are more than Bourkes lay based on Internet/books - there's max 6 eggs (somewhere I saw up to 5 eggs)

 

[Rozalka]

2 eggs didn't hatch - we still have 4 Bourke chicks
I'm not sure if the link works - there are few vids of my Bourkes
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhpinPqB-bpdU8zto2oPMioyZWTArwLnj

 

[Rozalka]

Update: this is the first time when we have a problem with Bourke chicks
Now Bourkies are about 2 weeks old and Fela stoped feeding them Yesterday I don't know what's going on
On Tuesday during nest box cleaning, I gave under them paper towel. I thought maybe this could be a reason but later cleaning I saw Fela in the nest box. I took the paper towel but she still was outside the nest box. In the evning we hand-fed them and gave the nest box back their parents. We thought this is maybe because Bourkies from previous clutch were still with them - we took them to another cage.
Today morning Fela started going into the nest box. I checked if they were full but not Later when Fela was looking into them (but not inside) I looked what she was doing - Bourke chick went to her and wanted to eat but she only was looking at them and gently touch them. Another time when Bourke chick went to her, Fela escaped We hand-fed them again and gave back the nest box. Fela gets into it, later we're going to see if she feeds them or not.
Ps. During hand-feeding them, Fela was grinding, from what I know this means, she feels good? We had their babies and she was feeling good?


We have only 3 cages at the moment and none is empty. In one is a conure so this would be too dangerous for Bourkies from the previous clutch, in another cage are two budgies and one Bourke (Rozalka). There we removed these Bourkies. Our budgies are calm, more unkind is Rozalka - she loves chasing other Bourkes Once time she seemed to wanna make a peace with Jaś when she was outside her cage but not he. I thought maybe she will not chasing again but still does it Poor Bourkies

 

[Talven]

Sounds like Fela may have given up on the babies. Happens sometimes for no apparent reason. Looks like you'll probably have to finish raising them by hand. Hope she starts feeding them again but from my experience with cockatiels chances are slim. Best of luck with them.

 

[Rozalka]

Thank you for your answer. I had never hand raised any bird before and we have the biggest problem with the yongest Bourkie (13-14 days old) because is hungry and doesn't want to open the beak

 

[Talven]

You may lose the youngest if that's the case. You may be able to get it to open its beak by touching both sides of the beak at the same time. Sometimes it doesn't provoke the feed response and you'll have to look at alternative methods such as a crop needle. Check with your local vets and bird breeders to see if you can find someone with hand feeding experience who can guide you. Youtube videos and someone like me telling you how is not enough.

Breeding birds comes with big risks as well as the rewards. Personally I always go in expecting that it will end in total failure so I'm pleasantly surprised when it doesn't. So many things can go wrong it's a huge undertaking. When I first allowed birds to breed I thought it would be easy. I was very quickly shown the error of my thinking. Hopefully it will all go well for you but be prepared for the worst case scenario.

 

[Rozalka]

Yesterday I fed (but in small amount) the youngest one. Avian vets fall away cause the nearbest one is about 100 km away. Yes, I am prepared for the worst scenerio, we thought the youngest one would die yesterday but is still alive. I don't know what's going on but one of chicks yesterday evning started blood pooping We don't know yet exactly which one.


Also, yesterday we took the nest box cause we didn't see any chance of coming back their parents - we were feeding chicks and at the same time their parents were mating Later I moved babies from previos clutch again to their parents' cage for their safety before Rozalka (she wanted to pluck them )

 

[Rozalka]

Update: during the next feeding there were no blood poops inside. We couldn't feed the yongest one again. I think it will die

 

[Rozalka]

Update: the yongest Bourkie died I'm not suprised... and there were two red poops. We'll see later if this problem still will be but I think these were the younest's

 

[Talven]

Breeding is a rough undertaking. Sorry to hear of the loss of the baby but possibly something went wrong in the egg and the parents realised this. It could be why they abandoned them?

 

[Rozalka]

I was thinking the same. This bourkie seemed to be too small as 2 weeks old. Maybe the parents thought if with the one is something wrong, others too? And rejected all babies... Or I don't know what they were thinking. Other babies are ok for now and I don't see Red poops.

Wysłane z mojego Redmi 5 przy użyciu Tapatalka

 

[Talven]

Hopefully the others will thrive under your care now. Hard to work out why birds do what they do sometimes when they have eggs or babies.

 

[Rozalka]

Thank you for your support. Here is a photo of Bourkies which I fed - at this time I was feeding the 3rd one. They were full but still wanted to eat[emoji23] (ps. at this box they were for a moment)

Wysłane z mojego Redmi 5 przy użyciu Tapatalka

 

[Talven]

They are looking very bright eyed and healthy. Looks like the hand feeding is going pretty well. I also used similar containers with hand reared birds. It so much easier weighing them and keeping them safe when being moved.

 

[Rozalka]

It's good, the hand feeding formula arrived yesterday, ealier we were feeding them porridge (?, not sure how it is named in English) for human babies 'cause we didn't have the right food. I hope evrything will be ok with them

 

[LaManuka]

Best of luck with your babies Rozalka, may they grow up strong and healthy for you!

 

[Rozalka]

Now Bourke chicks are 3 weeks old:

The oldest one (22 days old)

Medium (21 days old):

And the youngest survivor (20 days old)

Here is a short vid how the "medium" one left the box after feeding
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUA0u6dP_vA"]Wyjdę z pudełka / I'll leave the box - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Laurasea]

Beautiful babies! Grow strong and healthy little ones!
Sorry for your lost one.

 

[Rozalka]

I hope I feed them ok?