Shaftails' second clutch....fledgling

[cindy]

My 4 Shaftail chicks are doing great. They started fledging on the December 10th and all four were out by the 12th. The parents have about 4 or 5 eggs in the nest already (surprise!). the babies are eating on their own and drinking but are still begging to the point it gets a bit intense!

The parents are ignoring them some but the father still gives a few feeding but for the most part he is done.

Can I move them at this age to a cage of their own? I do not want to wear the mom down since she has eggs. They follow the father around and just screech at him....he ignores them, eats and they eat on their own but still beg. I can put the baby cage (30x18) next to the parents cage.

(we need earplugs now! we had company last night, that was interesting...the shaftails and zebra chicks started begging at the same time!!!! )

[lovemyfinch]

If they are eating and drinking on their own, you can seperate them now Cindy. They will be fine, and your house will be quieter.

[dfcauley]

I don't know..... I have always heard not to move them until they stop begging. If you do I would watch them carefully.

[L in Ontario]

I agree with Janine - once you see the chicks eating AND drinking on their own, they are fine to be moved out. The begging stops instantly. They're just trying to free-load off the parents - silly fids!

[cindy]

I've been watching them, if the parents don't feed them they do as the parents do and eat seed and egg food mix. All 4 chicks were around the water bowl. I know a few drink but I haven't ssen them all do it.

The mom just knocked an egg out, looks infertile and cracked open. The chicks are constantly in their faces, even after eating for a while at the bowl. Poor dad can't even eat a seed or two without them following him and pecking at him, it is a constant racket.

I may move them and watch them very carefully to make sure they are eating and drinking.

[dfcauley]

I think it is very different in a cage and in an aviary.

In my situation the parents always have a way to escape the begging. In a cage it is hard for them to hide.

[cindy]

I NEED AN AVIARY!!!!!

[cindy]

Mom and dad just fed the chicks again. I have a spare cage set for them, I'm going to add a nest box so they can roost in it at night.

We need jumbo, industrial strength earplugs!!!!!

One thing I noticed is the babies tugging on the parents wing feathers and tail feathers if the parents don't respond to the begging. Gosh they are like little kids "mommy please, but mommy, mommy, mommy!"

[ac12]

I had zebras and gouldians doing just that.
They can eat and drink on their own, but they KEPT begging and freeloading. Once I saw that ALL of them are eating and drinking on their own, sufficient to not NEED to be fed, I separated them. For the gouldians, this was to prevent the to societies from imprinting on the gouldians. For the zebras, it was to get them to eat on their own, rather than keep freeloading.

[L in Ontario]

I'm sure you know this already, but when you are ready to move the youngsters out - do it in the morning or by early afternoon at the latest. That will give them a bit of time to get used to their new surroundings and find the food/water before it gets too late/dark. They should be comfortable before lights out.

[cindy]

Thanks Liz, I am giving them one last night with mom and dad. It is going to be chilly here and even though I heat the house if it gets to 68 inside, I worry. I know they will be ok but you know how it is..... I'm still unsure what to do.

The noise is rather loud, instead of moving them into their own cage I may put the whole family in another room for a few days until we know they are completely weaned.

They do eat, drink and bathe on their own.

[cindy]

I am moving them shortly to a new cage of their own. I found an egg (looked infertile) on the floor of the cage. There was a broken egg with a part of an embryo on the floor of the cage under the nest box.

The chicks will be fine.

[cindy]

And there is peace in the finchy kingdom!!! The baby shaftails are in their own cage and pigging out on seeds, herbs and eggfood mix/miracle meal/fruit pate.

They are just happy little squirts! Mom and Dad are happy to, building a nest in their own castle!

[akidsgal]

Wow I bet! They are sure happy for the peace and quiet I am sure as well. Wonder why they are so quick to try it again if the babies want them to feed them into adults??? Silly fids!

[cindy]

Carol,

You would think after all that racket and kids chasing them all over they would want a little R&R!!!!!!