Help! Baby birds!

[Kevbirb]

So this is a really tough situation I’d never thought I’d be in but here I am. So I work at a pet store and there’s a pair of parakeets that have been mating. Much to my annoyance the store does nothing and the female has been laying eggs. Each egg she lays we are told to take and throw them away. I felt so bad tossing them into the trash so I made the (dumb) decision to take them home and incubate them. Ive been turning them and last time I candled them they were definitely developing. So the mother parakeet got sold yesterday because I was planning on buying her and her mate to raise them, so now I am in trouble. How do I go about raising them within the first days?? Aren’t they supposed to be with parents for the first 5 days? Someone please help!

 

[Rozalka]

In this case you have only one solution - handraising since the 1st day. Before they hatch you need to buy the hand feeding formula and some other necessary things for handraising and read a lot about how to do it. For the person who has zero experience in breeding that can be very hard, especially first days 'cause then you have to feed them also at night and generally feeding them when are blind yet is harder.

 

[Owlet]

the hard truth is they are very unlikely to survive to hatch. Parrot eggs aren't like chicken eggs and are much more sensitive. But if the chance they do hatch then you'll just have to raise them as you would normally Not much can be done about it now.

 

[Kevbirb]

In this case you have only one solution - handraising since the 1st day. Before they hatch you need to buy the hand feeding formula and some other necessary things for handraising and read a lot about how to do it. For the person who has zero experience in breeding that can be very hard, especially first days 'cause then you have to feed them also at night and generally feeding them when are blind yet is harder.

@Rozalka and @Owlet I was looking for a more in depth list of any techniques or advice that would aid me in caring for the birds, not a pessimistic and condescending response. I am a certified wildlife rehabber in my state and have raised countless rabbits, opossums, song birds, and a woodpecker. I know that each animal requires different things to thrive, so I just thought I’d look to knowledgeable people for any suggestions but I guess I looked in the wrong place. I won’t bother you further with my zero experience, thanks for your time

 

[itzjbean]

Uh oh, yes that is a big commitment you are taking on now! Just know that with your inexperience, there is a high mortality rate -- even if they hatch you must begin to feed them hourly, keep them warm and a proper humidity to make sure they don't dry out, not to mention make sure they are gaining weight and then begin to wean properly as they start getting feathers.

It will take more financial commitment if you wish to continue to try to save them (you will need to buy equipment and supplies like a brooder made of a 10 gallon aquarium, heating pad and then hadn feeding supplies like formula, syringes, a gram scale, probiotics) not to mention if you get the temperature of the formula wrong or feed the babies incorrectly, they will perish.

There is a high chance of losing the babies even if they do manage to hatch, they are so so fragile that you need to know what you are doing. If you don't, I'm afraid your inexperience will cause death to these birds.

You must decide if you can commit - both financially and mentally -- to save these baby birds to hatch ad feed and wean them, or you can choose to toss them ut now as they are still developing and save yourself the sadness of losing them later. It is just what happens when there is no mother bird around to take on the care necessary.

We can try to help you, but online advice can only get you so far. Where are you located? Perhaps there's a member local to you or a breeder in your area that could take on these eggs and help.

 

[Laurasea]

Kevbirb, I wish I had experience in this and could help. Are there other pairs laying? Can you check at other stores? They might take on the role though I have no idea if that would work.
I commend you in finding value in every life. I hope you succeed.

 

[Rozalka]

Kevbirb, I wish I had experience in this and could help. Are there other pairs laying? Can you check at other stores? They might take on the role though I have no idea if that would work.
I commend you in finding value in every life. I hope you succeed.

Foster parents are possible in only one case - when a pair (can be also other, simillar species, but the same is better) is incubating and their babies will hatch at the same time. In other options the babies will be rejected and in the worst verson can be killed.

@Rozalka and @Owlet I was looking for a more in depth list of any techniques or advice that would aid me in caring for the birds, not a pessimistic and condescending response. I am a certified wildlife rehabber in my state and have raised countless rabbits, opossums, song birds, and a woodpecker. I know that each animal requires different things to thrive, so I just thought I’d look to knowledgeable people for any suggestions but I guess I looked in the wrong place. I won’t bother you further with my zero experience, thanks for your time

When I wrote "zero experience" I meant bird, especially parrot breeding. Also, I didn't write that you have zero experience but generally "person who...". Anyway, sorry if this pained you.
I don't think you are in a wrong place, here are people who handraised parrots. Maybe I can't really help despite I've had handraised Bourke's parakeets 'cause when I started, they were 2 weeks old. This changes the situation.
You also can watch some vids on yt how to do it. When I had a problem, somebody said that an avian vet also can help to explain. The 1st thing what I did before starting hand feeding was reading on Internet about right feeding and caring.

 

[charmedbyekkie]

This link will help http://www.parrotforums.com/breeding-raising-parrots/74363-so-you-bought-unweaned-baby.html

One of our experienced breeders wrote to be a reference for all future people who might need it.

Please don't get your expectations too high for these little ones - I don't want you to get hurt should they not make it. It is very difficult, and I think people are reminding you that to try to preemptively protect you in case the worst should happen.

I recommend you find an avian vet who can take them in to optimise their chances of survival.

I wish you all the best.

 

[Smerft85]

He left guys, got angry and accused our group of being condescending, I didn't see it, but he is a pro on his own accord and we should chalk this up as a loss, sorry friends.