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Babies died

Deisyg21

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Hello, my birds had babies for the first time, this was not planned I was on a long trip.

I am so devastated. Only three out of the four eggs hatched. And two babies died already. On Saturday died one (9 days old) and I don’t even know why. When I took him out he had an empty crop. I though he was ill, and I left the other two with the parents. I have a camera and today Sunday i kept checking all day they were being fed, I had formula in case I needed to feed them (I had feed babies before but they were 4 weeks old; these were babies i bought for me) My conures look like good parents because they kept cleaning them and feeding them. I saw through the camera they were feeding them around 9:30 pm and cleaning them. But at 11:30 pm I checked again and one parrot was dead (12 days old) with an almost empty crop. So now I only have one baby left (15 days old) and I am so scared. At 11:30 PM they were feeding the other bird and I heard the screams; thats when I checked my camera and saw the other one dead. I took the alive one out and feed him formula and put him back with the parents. The parents cleaned him and it seems they still want him. What do you think happened? What should I do? I don't want this bird to die. Should I pull him out? Weird is that I saw the parents feed them through the camera, I did not check on person because I did not want to disturb them. I read that if you disturb them too much they can kill the babies, and they became protective and aggressive.
Another note: I have paper bedding i bought from walmart.
 

Zara

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Was the parents brooding the chicks?
If they get cold, they cannot digest their food properly and this can be fatal.
Other possibilities; or they had some sort of infection, or they weren´t being fed enough.

Paper bedding? I am not sure what that is. Aspen shavings are number one choice when breeding birds. Paper is ok in a pinch, for eg. if you find a bird in need etc.

I check on chicks periodically to be sure they are being fed propperly, and I can see from a distance whether the aprents are brooding.
Key things a chick needs; nutrition and warmth. If they do not get these propperly, they will not survive.
 

sunnysmom

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I'm sorry for your loss.
 

iamwhoiam

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So very sorry for your losses. Did you see any injuries? There could be some congenital issues or possibly infections of some kind. Maybe they are not being fed enough or being kept warm enough.

Keep monitoring the baby and consider pulling the little one and becoming his/her caretaker. Do you have a brooder available or can you set one up?
 

Deisyg21

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Was the parents brooding the chicks?
If they get cold, they cannot digest their food properly and this can be fatal.
Other possibilities; or they had some sort of infection, or they weren´t being fed enough.

Paper bedding? I am not sure what that is. Aspen shavings are number one choice when breeding birds. Paper is ok in a pinch, for eg. if you find a bird in need etc.

I check on chicks periodically to be sure they are being fed propperly, and I can see from a distance whether the aprents are brooding.
Key things a chick needs; nutrition and warmth. If they do not get these propperly, they will not survive.
I think they were not brooding them, but I have a thermometer inside the breeding box and temperature was around 90-95.
 

Deisyg21

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So very sorry for your losses. Did you see any injuries? There could be some congenital issues or possibly infections of some kind. Maybe they are not being fed enough or being kept warm enough.

Keep monitoring the baby and consider pulling the little one and becoming his/her caretaker. Do you have a brooder available or can you set one up?
Hello, i didnt see any injuries but I did notice on the lasT bird that die that he had something black on his area. Maybe he couldn’t poop? And it was stucked?

I didn’t separate the baby but I am feeding him. Can you help me please?


Hello, I have a question. It is being so hard to feed the baby, he gives me a feeding response just at the beginning and the he asks for a break and I stop. He does this twice and after that it is being really hard to feed him. He doesnt do the feeding response and doesnt want to eat. Food is warm, I usually put three syringes in an aluminum cup with water at a temperature of 106-109. And I switched them when I think the one I have on hand is cold. I keep checking temperature and adding hot/cold water if necessary to maintain that temperature. Before I start giving it to him I put a little bit on my hand to check temperature as well. It is warm. I also rub these pads on the side of the beak and nothing. I tried to make him eat at a very slow pace when I received no feeding response (and with no feeding response im scared to aspirate him) so it takes me about 40 minutes to feed him. When i receive the feeding response at the beginning I go at a faster pace but it is also slow since i dont want to aspirate him and look for signs that he needs a break. I weighted him yesterday empty crop and he was 50. Todays empty crop was 53.
I give him formula based on his weight (not cc). Around 57 grams he didn’t want to eat anymore. I ended up with 61 grams of weight. How does that sound? Is that too little food. I have been noticing he empties do fast. By 2 1/2-3 hours. I put him back with parents and have a thermometer in the box, I try too keep the temperature at 90. Food preparation based on Kaytee is one scoop of formula and and 1/3-2 scoops of water. To be honest I put 2 1/2 of electrolytes. I have noticed he eats better a little bit more liquid. At night I put 2 scoops of electrolytes since i dont want him to empty that fast and I checked and it was the same he emptied around 2 1/2 hours. Also, I add probiotics. Maybe I am adding too much? Could this be the reason? Should I been adding that or is not recommended? Hopefully someone can help me.

Im feeding 4-5 times a day. Also when is almost time for the next feeding I have notice parents feeding him. But when I check he has nothing on his crop. What could be the reason for this? Why does it look like they are feeding him beak to beak and thar motion and he still has nothing?
 

iamwhoiam

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Sometimes it can be confusing to parents and babies if you and parents are feeding. I tried co-parenting for a bit with one clutch of red-bellies and finally wound up just pulling the babies and taking over the feedings.
I always weighed the babies but I also kept track of how many ccs of food each bird would eat during each feeding. The only thing I added to formula was organic baby food such as applesauce or peaches.
Have you tried a small spoon instead of the syringe? I always used syringes but some people have more success with spoons.
 

iamwhoiam

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Also, what kind of diet are the parents getting?
Do you think the parents are just starting to feed him when you check in on them and that's why his crop seems empty? Do you pull him as soon as you check the nest box and see them feeding him or do you wait for a bit and then check him?
 

Deisyg21

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Sometimes it can be confusing to parents and babies if you and parents are feeding. I tried co-parenting for a bit with one clutch of red-bellies and finally wound up just pulling the babies and taking over the feedings.
I always weighed the babies but I also kept track of how many ccs of food each bird would eat during each feeding. The only thing I added to formula was organic baby food such as applesauce or peaches.
Have you tried a small spoon instead of the syringe? I always used syringes but some people have more success with spoons.
Yes, thats what i thought that maybe I was confusing the parents. I dont plan on breeding them again but in case it does happen i don't want to confuse them anymore. I think i will pull out he baby. I dont know I just feel bad fot the parents, i feel im taking someone else baby and that they will be sad. And no I haven’t tried with a spoon, I order one but it hasn’t delivered. I will definitely try. For the syringe at firts at get the feeding response, do you go slow or fast with the syringe? I know i have to do it from their left side (My right) pointing towards the middle of the tonge and their right side (my left). Also, i use the weight because sometimes formula is all over. I read it was 10%-12% of their weight but not sure.
 

Deisyg21

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Also, what kind of diet are the parents getting?
Do you think the parents are just starting to feed him when you check in on them and that's why his crop seems empty? Do you pull him as soon as you check the nest box and see them feeding him or do you wait for a bit and then check him?
I purchased zupreem avian breeding formula (they are pellets). I also give them seeds, kaytee fortidiet pro healthy egg cite, mineral grit, and vitamins in their water. I also have a mineral block and a calcium perch in the cage. Fruits: apple.
I saw through the camera they were feeding him and waited about 20 minutes, then I checked him out and he has nothing and handfeed him. I have been handFeeding him assuming he has not been fed by parents. Every 4-5 hours even at night
 

iamwhoiam

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I would eliminate the mineral grit in the parents' diets. Conures don't generally need grit. It's fine if you feed smaller amounts but feed more often. That's what I had to do with one of my red-bellies who would eat very little with his feedings. He, Scully, wound up being fed 6 times a day whereas Mulder ate more and got fed 3 times a day. I did this for about 2-3 days but then I decided to feed Mulder first and Scully threw a fit, jumping up and down in brooder and tapping on the glass. After that he ate just fine during each feeding and only needed to be fed three times a day. I know you don't have that option of your baby watching another baby eat. I do think, though, that if he isn't eating a lot during each feeding then more feedings (just like you are doing) would be the best thing to do.
 
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