4 week old lovebird refusing formula help!

[MarciaLove]

ok so I have hand-fed lovebirds before, the first clutch I had I totally hand-fed and I didn't have this problem though. The second clutch i hand-fed some but also let the parents mainly care for them. I was forced to put these in a brooder and hand-feed them myself because the daddy lovebird was plucking them and wasn't feeding them! I read that was because he wanted to breed again so i put babies in a brooder and separated him and the mom so they wouldn't breed again yet. The babies are on 4 feedings a day every 6 hours but I cant get the oldest baby to eat till his/her crop is full this is the third time it has happened his crop gets almost halfway full and he just refuses to eat i tried for 45 miniutes today to no avail. I NEED HELP!!

 

[MonicaMc]

If the father is plucking the chicks, can the mother finish raising them?


What about feeding the oldest chick less food more often rather than more food less often? That is, if you can't get him to fill up on formula, make sure that his crop is still emptying normally and gaining weight. Once he refuses, stop trying to feed him and feed the rest of the chicks. About half the time you are about to feed them, check on the oldest again (i.e. if feeding every 4 hrs, check on oldest in 2 hrs, if every 6, check at 3 hrs, and so forth) and see if he's interested in eating any more?

 

[LoveMyParrots]

How long has you been hand feeding them? When the bird gets older, it is harder to hand raise them. I have had the some problem before, Kiwi and Tweety my cockatiels were kicked out of their nest by their parent. I started hand feeding them at 4 week as well. Luckily for me, they was eating it straight away. As long as the crop is half full, I won't be too worried. Does the others eat the formula?

Here is a picture of Kiwi and Tweety, they got plucked by their parent. this photo was taken when they were at 4 week old

 

[MarciaLove]

If the father is plucking the chicks, can the mother finish raising them?


What about feeding the oldest chick less food more often rather than more food less often? That is, if you can't get him to fill up on formula, make sure that his crop is still emptying normally and gaining weight. Once he refuses, stop trying to feed him and feed the rest of the chicks. About half the time you are about to feed them, check on the oldest again (i.e. if feeding every 4 hrs, check on oldest in 2 hrs, if every 6, check at 3 hrs, and so forth) and see if he's interested in eating any more?

Since they werent getting fed either i didnt think she would care for them now either, thanks ill try that feeding more often for that one its just going to be hard as i work and do school.

 

[MarciaLove]

How long has you been hand feeding them? When the bird gets older, it is harder to hand raise them. I have had the some problem before, Kiwi and Tweety my cockatiels were kicked out of their nest by their parent. I started hand feeding them at 4 week as well. Luckily for me, they was eating it straight away. As long as the crop is half full, I won't be too worried. Does the others eat the formula?

Here is a picture of Kiwi and Tweety, the got plucked by their parent.

i started having to handfeed them all by myself today and i was giving one feeding a day while the parents took care of them the rest of the time a few days ago and he never took it very well the others have no problem eating it they love it! and when i handfed the first time by myself i did have trouble but not until the babies were around 5 weeks and they usually would eat all they needed after a while. and poor guys mine were plucked on their backs and the neck but not their heads oddly enough.

 

[LoveMyParrots]

I agree with MonicaMc, feed him more often then the others. And when feeding the babies, feed him last, so that he sees the others are eating it, and he might try eat all of it. It might help. Since birds are very good at learning from others, even if its a baby.

Good luck with your baby lovebirds

 

[MarciaLove]

thank you guys so so so much!

 

[crimson]

sounds to me that he is at the early stages of wanting to eat more than formula.
being a breeder of lovebirds, some of my birds do this around that age.

at 3.5 weeks I am offering millet & crushed pellets,and water but still on 4 feedings per day. I only feed them what they want. I understand you 'think' he should have more, but trying to encourage him to eat more, will have the opposite effect. If he was hungry for more he would take it naturally. Just make sure to offer crushed pellets or seeds, once he has had enough.

They know when it's time to start the change....he's growing up!

 

[MarciaLove]

sounds to me that he is at the early stages of wanting to eat more than formula.
being a breeder of lovebirds, some of my birds do this around that age.

at 3.5 weeks I am offering millet & crushed pellets,and water but still on 4 feedings per day. I only feed them what they want. I understand you 'think' he should have more, but trying to encourage him to eat more, will have the opposite effect. If he was hungry for more he would take it naturally. Just make sure to offer crushed pellets or seeds, once he has had enough.

They know when it's time to start the change....he's growing up!

i do have millet in the brooder and ill offer some other seeds too now thanks!