Our 3 week old baby Lovebird, we found barely alive, and then passed today :-(

[LoveMyBirdds]

My husband bough me two Peachface Lovebirds for Christmas. We had found a baby sparrow abandoned last year and I did all kinds of research on this little joy that didn't even have its eyes open yet. I tried to do what the mother bird would have done and she was a definite joy for me to watch grow up. At 6 weeks old she finally set off on her own. I was happy but also sad she was gone. So for Christmas I got these beautiful 7 month old Peachface Lovebirds. They are so loving and tame. To our surprise she laid 6 eggs in March, we had one hatch April 3, 5, 7, 8 & 12th and one was not fertile. Today May 6th we found the smallest one, last one born barely alive at the bottom of their cage. We knew they would eventually start coming out so we padded the bottom with shredded paper and hay. We take the babies out every few days to clean the nesting box and then put them back in. Before closing the lights for the night I saw the baby outside the box so I put him or her back in and closed the light for the night. When we went back in this morning he was at the bottom again and barely alive. We thought if we put back in the nest box mom would check on him but not long after he or she had passed. It breaks our hearts, and cried, angry at ourselves for not doing more, upset with the parents for letting their youngest just die. Is there anything we could have done ? Could the baby have dies because it was cold and hungry ? We decided now every night and middle of night we are going to check they are in their boxes and start feeding them formula before bed. He or she was so full of life and moving around full of adventure - I / we are just so sad today!!

 

[Terry57]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Sometimes the parents will push the weakest out in order to care better for the others. Your pair is also very young to have had babies so I'm glad you're keeping an eye on the other babies. Quite often young birds aren't very good parents.
Again, I'm so sorry for your loss

 

[LoveMyBirdds]

Yes we were very surprised too as they were so young and had to scramble to get a nesting box installed for them. She has been a great mother for only being a year old now and surprised us that she would let him or her stay down there alone and not feed or keep warm over night. Nature has her ways I guess. Thank you for your kind words.

 

[Terry57]

Yes we were very surprised too as they were so young and had to scramble to get a nesting box installed for them. She has been a great mother for only being a year old now and surprised us that she would let him or her stay down there alone and not feed or keep warm over night. Nature has her ways I guess. Thank you for your kind words.

It's also possible that the baby had something wrong with him or her. The parents will sometimes stop caring for ones that may not make it anyway because they sense that.
Nature does have her ways, but it sure doesn't stop it from hurting