My Bourkes

[Rozalka]

today the older one is 35 g but the younger one is 37 g (yesterday was 40 g)

 

[buurd]

I wish I knew anything bout raising birds so I could help but I cannot. Are they supposed to eat human porridge, etc...?

Where did you learn about raising birds, Roz? Is this the first batch of chicks you have ever raised?
It seems like with a thing as tricky as this, you really do need bird vet to help you. You said one lives 100 miles away? That's like only an hour or two away on a freeway, if you are near them, and have a car. It might be worth it for the amount of help they would give you , in just one visit. Or you could try and consult with them over the phone, see if any will do a skype call, even. You can basically call anywhere for a vet if you can pay the currency for a visit, I would guess. There are plenty of online vets you might look for , too. Anything is better than watching these poor babies die, right?

You might also want to reach out to experienced bird owners in your area, and they might be a wealth of info and maybe even could come over and help you with the birds? I'm just throwing out suggestions.

Also I am curious, did you want to raise chicks? I don't want mine to even lay eggs, because my female could potentially be at risk. If she laid any, I'd have to remove them and put dummy eggs with her, so they don't develop into chicks.
So, was this clutch of chicks just a mistake or are you raising the babies to sell them?

I think I'm going to stop giving thumbs up to posts about raising birds or that have anything to do with that type (medical) of care, from now on, because I don't want to convey to anyone the idea that I know anything at all about birds laying eggs or about raising chicks. I don't. That's best left to the experienced members of the board. It doesn't mean that I don't wish the very best for the posters or their birds, because I do. I just can't be in agreement with anything that I don't understand, and that's the message the thumbs up might convey.

Also can you cross-post on this board? Maybe, Roz, you can also post your questions in the General Questions area, so more members seasoned members can give you more input? Wishing you and those wonderful fuzzballs the very best!

EDIT: http://www.parrotforums.com/breeding-raising-parrots/ I didn't realize this was a area in the forum.

 

[Talven]

A little bit of weight fluctuation from day to day is normal so long as its not a steady loss day after day. They are still learning to eat so some days they will do better than others.

If they are still losing weight the best solution is a thinner version of egg and biscuit given via syringe. It's very messy but squeeze some into their beak and let them chew at it. Just not too much or they could aspirate it. They'll spit out more than they swallow but they will swallow some.

The other choice is a crop needle and force feeding which is super difficult for the inexperienced and really needs to be done by someone trained

 

[Rozalka]

From the beginning: They are the first chicks handraised but not any parrots which I've bred. About handraising I learnt mainly on another forum where I easly found some infos how to do this. I don't know if in English it's named as "porridge" (google translator) but I was asking what can I feed 'em there. At the moment they are about 7 weks old and it's definietely age to be independent. I see how they both eat, I only controll the weight. The nearbest avian vet is definitly less than 100 miles away but to us it's still too far. Now my parents started saying we have to save money and other things make I can't visit the avian vet. Anyway I don't want to feed them via syrringe 'cause they are 7 weeks old and eat.

Also I am curious, did you want to raise chicks? I don't want mine to even lay eggs, because my female could potentially be at risk. If she laid any, I'd have to remove them and put dummy eggs with her, so they don't develop into chicks.
So, was this clutch of chicks just a mistake or are you raising the babies to sell them?

I don't really understand how babies can be "by mistake" - if I didn't want to breed them, I wouldn't give the nest box at all. I do this each year after the 2nd clutch.

 

[Talven]

By mistake is when the birds have eggs without you giving the nest box but finding alternatives or thinking that they were both the same sex and being mistaken.

The baby "porridge" is most likely the first solids a baby gets which is usually made from ground rice that you add water to. Should be fine for baby birds in a pinch but certainly not ideal.

At seven weeks I'm pretty sure the birds don't want to be syringe fed either but if they are losing too much weight its that or watch them slowly die from starvation. It's more of a force feed situation than be a parent replacement. A last resort option.

 

[buurd]

Ok; thanks again, Rozalka and Talvern. I know nothing about raising chicks or whatever, so I'll bow out

I do not let my Bourke's have a nest in their cage, and they just play with the boxes out of their cage, as opposed to sitting in them. But I had thought I read that that isnt a foolproof thing, so thanks Talvern.

 

[Rozalka]

The baby "porridge" is most likely the first solids a baby gets which is usually made from ground rice that you add water to. Should be fine for baby birds in a pinch but certainly not ideal.

I know the porridge isn't ideal but when the babies were abandoned and I was waiting for the feeding formula, it was much better than starving (like I had written before: it was an idea from another forum)


Now they seem to be ok, the weight is stable - the younger one is 39 g, the older one today is 35 g (she/he had 36 g few last days). The correct weight for Bourkes is 40-50g, so the older one is still too slim but if the weight is stable, everything should be ok (I think). I don't know why this babie has feathers which look like wet (but aren't). I hope this isn't something more serious than just look of the feathers (this is from the beginning). The photo is from the previous week

 

[Ellie777Australia]

I'm glad to hear that their weight is stable Rozalka. How stressful for you!
I know nothing about 'babies' so can't help with the 'wet-look' of this ones feathers. Is it from preening?

 

[Talven]

Those weight ranges are perfect for a fledgling. A little underweight at this point is normal as it makes it easier for them to learn to fly so I would expect the eldest to have lost some weight. It's been about 10 years since I hand raised from such an early age so you'll have to excuse any mistakes or things forgotten. Such as the weight loss as a fledgling is getting ready for first flights.

Not real sure about the wet look but I have some theories. Can you put up current pictures of all of the babies so there is a comparison?

So theories as to the wet look. Each more unlikely than the last.

The bird is over grooming and damaging the feathers

When the parents were in charge birds missed out on food so eldest one was exposed to it the longest. Lack of nutrition caused improper feather growth. Younger birds got better nutrition as you stepped in to feed them.

Potentially a genetic defect causing improper feather growth which is why parents abandoned clutch.

A disease that causes improper feather growth such as French Moult.

The further down the list you get the more unlikely I think the theory but without hands on with the bird I can only make wild guesses.

 

[buurd]

The baby "porridge" is most likely the first solids a baby gets which is usually made from ground rice that you add water to. Should be fine for baby birds in a pinch but certainly not ideal.

I know the porridge isn't ideal but when the babies were abandoned and I was waiting for the feeding formula, it was much better than starving (like I had written before: it was an idea from another forum)


Now they seem to be ok, the weight is stable - the younger one is 39 g, the older one today is 35 g (she/he had 36 g few last days). The correct weight for Bourkes is 40-50g, so the older one is still too slim but if the weight is stable, everything should be ok (I think). I don't know why this babie has feathers which look like wet (but aren't). I hope this isn't something more serious than just look of the feathers (this is from the beginning). The photo is from the previous week

Glad to hear they are putting on weight.

The wet feathers are from a week ago? How do they look now? Better or worse? Or..?

Also what are they walking on? IS that a towel or sand?

 

[Rozalka]

Thank you for your replies

This is the latest photo which I have, my dad has photos from yesterday (I think), I'll uploud them later or will take another current photo. I think they look better but I'll post photos later (as above).

Also what are they walking on? IS that a towel or sand?

Both - under the sand is a kitchen towel

 

[Rozalka]

I've just taken photos of them and weighted. The weight still is stable, the elder one is on my hand

Wysłane z mojego Redmi 5 przy użyciu Tapatalka

 

[Ellie777Australia]

They are lovely Rozalka.

 

[Talven]

Well looking at the pictures I'm still no closer to coming up with any idea as to the wet look. The theories I had are all no good except maybe the first one which was a lack of nutrition due to the parents neglect. More likely it's just the way that bird will look due to pattern and colour of the feathers.

Aside from that they are looking happy and healthy. You've done well for someone not being prepared to hand raise and having to take over from the parents.

 

[Rozalka]

I also think this can be the most reasanable reason. I searched for the last photo of them before the parents naglecting and the first after


2nd July:

6th July - noticing the parents neglect


First few days after this no photos but the 7th July was taken the vid:

It was the next day after starting handraising, so I can say on this vid (no photo) is their look when were neglected.

 

[Ellie777Australia]

How are the babies Rozalka?

 

[Rozalka]

They're doing well, now are 2 months old

 

[Ellie777Australia]

Good to hear, well done.

 

[Tami2]

Oh my goodness, they are so precious! :heart:

 

[birdingdepot]

These babies are so cute! How hard to raise it