Happy birthday newborn baby budgie!

[HowdyDoDee]

First egg hatched this morning! Little-little weighs just 1-2 grams and resembles a tiny dinosaur. Momma (and Pappa too!) seem to be good parents. Momma tucks baby under her wing to keep baby warm, has inspected her youngster’s tiny tummy and toes with her beak, and has attempted to feed the chirping babe. 12-24 hours until baby has absorbed the yolk sac and we should start seeing a full and emptying crop. It is incredible to witness!!!

Here’s a little video from last night of the egg that hatched this morning, and a photo of baby today, as well as screenshots of a video of momma bird tucking baby under her wing.

Love these littles!!!



Happy day!

Laura

 

[HowdyDoDee]

Baby bird’s first feeding:

 

[DonnaBudgie]

First egg hatched this morning! Little-little weighs just 1-2 grams and resembles a tiny dinosaur. Momma (and Pappa too!) seem to be good parents. Momma tucks baby under her wing to keep baby warm, has inspected her youngster’s tiny tummy and toes with her beak, and has attempted to feed the chirping babe. 12-24 hours until baby has absorbed the yolk sac and we should start seeing a full and emptying crop. It is incredible to witness!!!

Here’s a little video from last night of the egg that hatched this morning, and a photo of baby today, as well as screenshots of a video of momma bird tucking baby under her wing.

Love these littles!!!



Happy day!

Laura
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CONGRATULATIONS! I'll never forget my Rocky's Hatch Day, November 8, 2022! He looked exactly like a mini dinosaur! I had to hand feed him from Day One, and he's now a beautiful, happy healthy fully feathered Budgie and is very bonded to me. They grow so quickly it will make your head spin! I assume and hope the Mama and Daddy birds are doing the feeding but if you need any advice on hand feeding let me know. I'd be happy to help!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

CONGRATULATIONS! I'll never forget my Rocky's Hatch Day, November 8, 2022! He looked exactly like a mini dinosaur! I had to hand feed him from Day One, and he's now a beautiful, happy healthy fully feathered Budgie and is very bonded to me. They grow so quickly it will make your head spin! I assume and hope the Mama and Daddy birds are doing the feeding but if you need any advice on hand feeding let me know. I'd be happy to help!

I wish Rocky's Mama and Daddy had been able to incubate and feed him but I had to do it myself.

 

[HowdyDoDee]

CONGRATULATIONS! I'll never forget my Rocky's Hatch Day, November 8, 2022! He looked exactly like a mini dinosaur! I had to hand feed him from Day One, and he's now a beautiful, happy healthy fully feathered Budgie and is very bonded to me. They grow so quickly it will make your head spin! I assume and hope the Mama and Daddy birds are doing the feeding but if you need any advice on hand feeding let me know. I'd be happy to help!

Thank you!!! I removed the eggs that weren’t viable- one at a time each day- and Twila laid more eggs. Ten eggs total that she’s been keeping warm. One of the mature eggs is dead in the shell, and now that baby is hatched she’s separated that one from the rest. There appears to be at least five more eggs that are viable. One that will likely hatch any day.

I’m afraid I will be hand feeding the youngest, especially if we’ve got two larger baby birds and tiny littles that are hatched weeks later. Been looking at formula options. Harrison’s looks good to me, compared to the few options available. Maybe Higgins.

If I have to hand feed formula, I really don’t want to do so with a syringe. Too scary. Do you think it will be possible to use a bent spoon from day one, if need be? I’d rather be patient and slow with the process than cause baby to aspirate.

Am I correct in understanding that I won’t expect to see a full crop until tomorrow? Baby was born this morning, around 9 am. Really hoping this- and all of these- chicks survive so they can learn to fly, perch on people, go nuts over millet, and love their forever homes!

On an entertainment note- this ingredient list!!! No, I don’t think I’ll be buying that brand from Germany. Reminds me of the Berlitz German coast guard commercial that never ceases to make me laugh.

 

[HowdyDoDee]

I wish Rocky's Mama and Daddy had been able to incubate and feed him but I had to do it myself.

So far Pappa bird hasn’t been inside the nest box, at least not that I’m aware of. Not sure if Twila will let Toby inside but she does happily let him perch outside. I’ve often been feeding her from my hand at the entrance, but she does come out to fly, eat and take care of her business. She’s in and out all day long, but spends the night on her eggs.

I set up a seedling warming mat under the box, so the floor is warm. It is insulated with a small rubber backed rug and a towel draped over the box. The bird room is not so warm- gets down to the upper 50’s sometimes and is never above 70. Have been concerned about this but none of the adults birds have had any issues. Very expensive to keep the room so warm. I hesitate to admit these temperatures ranges, but it is true. Nervous about it now that babies are starting to hatch, but trusting that momma bird is also keeping close watch over her young.

 

[LaManuka]

Oh @HowdyDoDee, congratulations, how wonderful! Such a beautiful baby, welcome to the world little one, and to the other babies yet to hatch too!!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Thank you!!! I removed the eggs that weren’t viable- one at a time each day- and Twila laid more eggs. Ten eggs total that she’s been keeping warm. One of the mature eggs is dead in the shell, and now that baby is hatched she’s separated that one from the rest. There appears to be at least five more eggs that are viable. One that will likely hatch any day.

I’m afraid I will be hand feeding the youngest, especially if we’ve got two larger baby birds and tiny littles that are hatched weeks later. Been looking at formula options. Harrison’s looks good to me, compared to the few options available. Maybe Higgins.

If I have to hand feed formula, I really don’t want to do so with a syringe. Too scary. Do you think it will be possible to use a bent spoon from day one, if need be? I’d rather be patient and slow with the process than cause baby to aspirate.

Am I correct in understanding that I won’t expect to see a full crop until tomorrow? Baby was born this morning, around 9 am. Really hoping this- and all of these- chicks survive so they can learn to fly, perch on people, go nuts over millet, and love their forever homes!

On an entertainment note- this ingredient list!!! No, I don’t think I’ll be buying that brand from Germany. Reminds me of the Berlitz German coast guard commercial that never ceases to make me laugh.

I used both Kaytee Exact and Higgins In Tune mixed 50-50 so Rocky would get the benefits of both formulas. Rocky loved the formula and grew rapidly. I did not use a syringe because I was afraid of choking him. Instead I used a tiny baby spoon. I did not need to bend it. I let Rocky eat as much as he wanted at each feeding. The formula heated to 104 degrees in the microwave for about 10 seconds then mixed it thoroughly and I MADE SURE there were no hot spots. SERVED at 104 to 106. Using a spoon is very messy so make sure you have LOTS of baby wipes to wash all formula off the baby after each feeding. Dried formula is hard to get off their delicate skin. I had to keep Rocky in a temp controlled incubator because his parents couldn't care for him. I bought the incubator on amazon (Janoel 12 model) for about $100. I kept the incubator at 100 degrees for the first two weeks then dropped the temp to 85 over the next two weeks. I kept a small stuffed animal in the incubator with him so he could snuggle. I took Rocky for a well baby bird vet visit at three and a half weeks old. Vet said he was doing great and weighed about 45 grams after feeding. I always weighed him after feeding for consistency. His crop would get very full during a feeding and he would fall right to sleep right after eating. I also made sure his vent was always clean and wiped it daily with a baby wipe.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it was to have a quality incubator. Rocky would not have survived without it. A lightbulb or a heating pad could easily burn the baby! As Rocky got bigger I started to add Harrison's high potency super fine granules to the formula to give it texture. I weaned him onto these great quality granules. Raising Rocky was a very rewarding experience! Good luck! Any questions let me know. Please buy an incubator!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I used both Kaytee Exact and Higgins In Tune mixed 50-50 so Rocky would get the benefits of both formulas. Rocky loved the formula and grew rapidly. I did not use a syringe because I was afraid of choking him. Instead I used a tiny baby spoon. I did not need to bend it. I let Rocky eat as much as he wanted at each feeding. The formula heated to 104 degrees in the microwave for about 10 seconds then mixed it thoroughly and I MADE SURE there were no hot spots. SERVED at 104 to 106. Using a spoon is very messy so make sure you have LOTS of baby wipes to wash all formula off the baby after each feeding. Dried formula is hard to get off their delicate skin. I had to keep Rocky in a temp controlled incubator because his parents couldn't care for him. I bought the incubator on amazon (Janoel 12 model) for about $100. I kept the incubator at 100 degrees for the first two weeks then dropped the temp to 85 over the next two weeks. I kept a small stuffed animal in the incubator with him so he could snuggle. I took Rocky for a well baby bird vet visit at three and a half weeks old. Vet said he was doing great and weighed about 45 grams after feeding. I always weighed him after feeding for consistency. His crop would get very full during a feeding and he would fall right to sleep right after eating. I also made sure his vent was always clean and wiped it daily with a baby wipe.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it was to have a quality incubator. Rocky would not have survived without it. A lightbulb or a heating pad could easily burn the baby! As Rocky got bigger I started to add Harrison's high potency super fine granules to the formula to give it texture. I weaned him onto these great quality granules. Raising Rocky was a very rewarding experience! Good luck! Any questions let me know. Please buy an incubator!

If you are not seeing a full crop soon you may need to supplement with hand feeding. If you use a little spoon bent or not he won't aspirate.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Thank you!!! I removed the eggs that weren’t viable- one at a time each day- and Twila laid more eggs. Ten eggs total that she’s been keeping warm. One of the mature eggs is dead in the shell, and now that baby is hatched she’s separated that one from the rest. There appears to be at least five more eggs that are viable. One that will likely hatch any day.

I’m afraid I will be hand feeding the youngest, especially if we’ve got two larger baby birds and tiny littles that are hatched weeks later. Been looking at formula options. Harrison’s looks good to me, compared to the few options available. Maybe Higgins.

If I have to hand feed formula, I really don’t want to do so with a syringe. Too scary. Do you think it will be possible to use a bent spoon from day one, if need be? I’d rather be patient and slow with the process than cause baby to aspirate.

Am I correct in understanding that I won’t expect to see a full crop until tomorrow? Baby was born this morning, around 9 am. Really hoping this- and all of these- chicks survive so they can learn to fly, perch on people, go nuts over millet, and love their forever homes!

On an entertainment note- this ingredient list!!! No, I don’t think I’ll be buying that brand from Germany. Reminds me of the Berlitz German coast guard commercial that never ceases to make me laugh.

Bakery Products? Like cookies and cupcakes? As they say . . . NEXT! Higgins and Kaytee are both very good and I'm sure Harrison's is too. Rocky thrived on these quality proven formulas. Keep the Babies warm, well fed, and clean and they will be fine!

 

[HowdyDoDee]

Thank you for your advice and encouragement!

Sure am glad that momma bird seems to know what she’s doing! I’m not surprised though, she’s not shy or lacking confidence. I had to remind myself how she handles her chick to psych myself up to pick up the fragile little baby today. She flipped baby by beaking his neck- much like a canine does with her puppies. Picking the little one up by the extra skin on the neck. No, one would not expect a transparent 1 1/2 gram chick to be handled this way!

Not sure it was necessary to get a weight today as baby’s little system is still processing that yolk sac, but that’s what I did. Probably won’t do that going forward on day 1.

To be continued!
Day by day…

Blessings,
Laura

 

[HeatherG]

No, the yolk sac provides food for the first day or days.

I might feed with a tiny syringe or even a coffee stirrer or toothpick.

 

[HowdyDoDee]

Hopefully it won’t be necessary to formula feed any of the newly hatched chicks. Twila is a great mom so far. Very sweet to see her caring for her little transparent dinosaur, and all the transparent dinosaur eggs!

I’ll use a spoon to formula feed babies if needed. Better to be safe than sorry, imo- less likely to do harm.

Waiting on egg #2 to hatch today (maybe) so baby can cuddle with another warm transparent dinosaur rather than just warm eggs under momma’s wing!
Nice to see the little squirmy hatchling settle down overnight. Sure is an active little little! Chirp chirp!!!

Happy day!

Laura