Panic - Baby abandoned

[jhayharris]

Hi I am June and new to the forum also new to caring for little Finches.

I have Zebra finches and my pair hatched a clutch of 3 eggs.. One chick was hanging from the nest by it's leg last Thu and I popped it back in but two days in a row I got up in the morning and found it laying frozen on the floor of the cage and Mom and Pop don't want a thing to do with it. I found out why on Tuesday when two MUCH larger full feathered babies emerged from the nest.

So I have since began hand feeding little wing and she (I think) doing ok (I think).. trouble is I have no idea how old this little one is and no clue what to do about weaning.

I got up this morning to find one of the bigger chicks gone, no idea why just laying on the floor with Mamma going nuts above it. I'm so worried I'm hurting these little birdies somehow.

I have raging flue right now.. BUT, I am boiling everything that touches baby, I'm wearing latex free gloves to feed. Have baby in my sprouting box with a heat pad under.. just need some help please?

[jhayharris]

Can anyone help me please? I am scared I will lose the other two babies?

[Babs _Owner]

jhayharris

Sometimes parents drop the ball on feeding them once they leave thes nest. What's unfortunate when that happens is the chicks are to afraid of humans to accept a handfeeding.

Make sure you give the parents boiled egg and 1 or 2 millet sprigs a day in addition to their normal food.

The bounty of food offered sometimes helps the parents keep their focus on feeding the offspring. It takes 10 days to 2 weeks for the juveniles to wean once they have come out of the nest.

We have a few Stickies on handfeeding. I made a documentary of handraising gouldians from day1 to weaning.

Here is the first video, which should lead you automatically to the rest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFWNCHDNQXg

Heres videos on how I mix formula and keep the finches warm.

part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tP-oVIibYo

part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpkCuvY7PxE

Hope this helps.

[Fraza]

Oh no I hope they are okay I don’t even know what to say to help