Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 11/4/2007

Question
Hey Chrys, i wrote earlier about my budgies (as below - i copied and pasted)
"I have 3 baby budgies (2 of them are coming out of box and are pretty much independen - eating seed etc:) and the 3rd baby is still in the box and is 6 days younger than the other 2 babies (hope this makes sense) today i noticed the parents mating and got worried since Indi (female) still needs to look after 3rd baby. Should i seperate the male into a deperate cage or take the box out (though i still feel the 3rd baby needs the box) im worried cause i dont wont Indi to lay eggs any time soon as i dont want her body to get stressed etc:"(that was my recent question)

You replied and said that if i didnt want chicks then i should boil the eggs when Indi lays. Well it happens that the next day Indi layed an egg, i got back from school and discovered the egg had been cracked and it looked like the yolk was eaten (also there was slight yellow crusty stuff around 3rd babies beak - btw the 3rd baby is  about 4 weeks) Now yesterday, Indi layed another egg (so now there is still only one) and i noticed that the 3rd baby was tapping at it when ever Indi left the box - now there is a "slight" dent. Sometimes when i look in the box, the 3rd baby is lying on its side in the concave bit (ontop of egg) so today i put 3rd baby in a seperate smaller cage and put in toys etc: so now it is by itself. Is this the right thing to do?? Also every now and then for  about 10 minutes i put 3rd baby back in with the others but it goes straight into the box again. IS this normal?? ANd sometimes Romulus and Ramus (1st and 2nd babies) pick on the 3rd baby. Romulus and Ramus are acting fine apart from that and have grown nicely and are not going in box. But did i do the right thing?? Finially 3rd baby acts weird, its feet sometimes are limp, but it doesnt look in pain, but it does sleep on its side if it can, do you know why??? Btw I apologize about the length of this...
Thanks
Georgia
(ps. i dont wish to boil the eggs!!)

Answer
Hi, Georgia,

The 3d baby may have a medical problem.  At 4 weeks of age, this bird should be on its way to weaning and should be out of the nesting box.  Putting the baby in a cage by itself is OK if the bird is doing OK.  Sounds like this baby is still dependent on the nesting box (and maybe the other birds), so I'm not sure if the bird will do OK in a cage by itself.  I don't think I'd keep putting this bird in with the others for a few minutes then taking the bird out.  This is probably stressful for the bird.  You should consider taking the 3d baby to a certified avian vet to ensure it doesn't have any medical problems.  Birds are made to stand on their feet/legs all their lives...shouldn't be laying down unless it has leg/foot problems.  

I suggested boiling the eggs because you said you didn't want any more eggs!  Mom can take care of 3d baby and new eggs until 3d baby leaves the nesting box completely.  I'm wondering though if the baby will leave the box if it has some type of medical problem.  Really need to seek avian vet assistance with this baby I think if the bird doesn't come around soon.

Chrys