gouldian finch parents not feeding the chicks

[sharath1]

hello friends yesterday my gouldians finches hatched and i had a chicks yesterday and today i had a another one but there crop are empty and they seems to look weak what shall i do i dont have hand feeding experience and i dont have any society finches to foster them, shall i try to hand feed them or let the parents do there job, if i hand feed them should the chick be left with the parents after feeding them everytime or they have have to be kept separately,can they be kept separately is it possible without parents how can they be kept warm pls guide me on this thank you

[debbie276]

For the first few days their crop will only have a very small bump on one side. As they get bigger the crop of food is more obvious. Are you positive they are not feeding?
If you do have to handfeed and they will sit on the chick's to keep them warm I would handfeed them but leave them with the parents. After about 4 days the chick's will beg louder and lots of times that will kick in the parents to feed.
If the parents will not keep them warm you will need to set up a brooder amd take over completely. Handfeeding is very time consuming and not always successful.
There is a very good article on handfeeding on the Finch Information Center, the link can be found left side top of this page. If your breeding birds is a very good idea to always have handfeeding formula on hand. It keeps very well in the freezer.

Good luck, let us know how you do

[ac12]

Deciding to hand feed is a serious decision.
Read the articles on hand feeding, then decide if you can devote the time required to do that.
You are tied to those chicks for the next 6 to 8 weeks. That means no vacations or holidays or extended time away from home. You NEED to feed those chicks on schedule or they will die.

Some birds don't like to be disturbed, and removing the chicks from the nest to feed them and putting the chicks back, may be enough to cause the parents to abandon the nest and the chicks.

BTW, I have never had a hand feed hatchling survive more than 4 days after hatching. They are easier to take care of after about a week, but those first few days are HARD.

[lovezebs]

sharath1

Hand feeding is extremely time consuming (especially with new borns). It is difficult, and very often heartbreaking.

Hopefully your parents will begin to feed.

Good luck.

[Babs _Owner]

sharath1

Here's a link to how much food should be in your hatchlings the first few days. Debbie did a play by play. I've used it and its very helpful in seeing the beginning crop fill sizes.

Look at the picture of the first few days of life in this link. Crop looks empty, but it's NOT.

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=25357

Babies will often look weak the first 48 hours. They have very little muscle control. They twitch and fall/flip over while their bodies form new neuro pathways. They tire after begging for a few moments and go to sleep even if you haven't fed them. They are quiet for the first 3-5 days. Thats all often normal.

It is indeed exhausting to hover hours over a weak, silently-begging newborn and hope you can catch him begging in just the right position, at just the right time to get a 1/2 drop (yes I said 1/2 drop) of formula into his crop without him choking on it.....and before he lays his head back down to rest a bit.

You have to be able and willing to do this without letting him get cold and chilling on you as well, while maintaining the formula temperature is just right.

Good luck to your little ones. Just make sure you aren't pulling them out of the nest when the parents may actually be feeding.

[sharath1]

i just fed them once, then i observed after i fed them the parents a bit careless about them they pitched the egg with the chick inside and ate the infertile eggs , added to that two more eggs have hatched, i have a question do the parents stop sitting on the chicks once when they have hatched? i dont know what to do continue with the feeding or wait for the parents to takecare again

[debbie276]

The adults need to continue sitting on the chick's to keep them warm. When they are about 10 days old the parents will stop sitting on them as much.
Are you offering the parents high protein foods like hard boiled eggs? If they feel the conditions aren't right to raise a clutch they may not care for the chick's.