Help! Mated budgie pair not eating!

[babybagel]

Hi, I have mated pair of budgies (first time parents) who so far have 4 healthy newborn babies. But just recently the male has almost completely stopped eating and seems to be looking for something, although I'm utterly baffled to what it is. Since the male is not eating, he won't feed the female, and so she is hungry too. However the babies look like they have full crops and are growing well, but they constantly are screaming loudly for food. They have the seed mix that they like, vegetables and fresh water. They were fine for two-ish weeks and now they're not. I don't know what I can do! We've called the vets and they either can't treat birds right now (because of some bird flu that is going around) or don't even reply to our calls. I'll try to call some other vets though, and see if they're willing to do a check up on the male budgie (since he is the only one who isn't behaving normally and also I can't disturb the mother). Can someone give any advice? Thank you

 

[sunnysmom]

@Ripshod ? @Zara ?

 

[Zara]

Is there a food that you have fed that you have stopped recently?
I´m not sure why he would stop eating and search for something else otherwise.

You can try putting an extra food bowl right by the nest opening for the hen to eat without going too far from her nest.

How old are the chicks? If they are just days old, they won´t last long without food.
Go and buy a hand rearing formula, and then check the chicks periodically, you want to see if they are being fed or not, so changes in crop size will indicate that. If the crops are empty when you check on them (not including super early in the morning, you gotta give the parents a chance to wake up and do a feed) then make up some formula, and feed all the youngsters.
If you have experience hand feeding, use a syringe, if not, use a feeder spoon, or a small teaspoon. Wipe any spilled formula off with a lightly damp rag/cloth (it´s important not to get the chick wet).
If you hen is friendly she might be ok hanging around while you feed, and even eat some herself.
There is always the risk the hen will abandon the chicks if you step in and start feeding (especially being first time parents), but ultimately, if you are stepping in to feed them, it is because they are not being fed so you don´t have a choice. After feeds, step far back, check from a far to be sure she goes back to brooding the chicks. If she doesn´t return to the nest, you will have to pull the chicks and put them in a brooder and hand rear completely on your own.

 

[babybagel]

I often switch them between seed mixes, and the current one that I'm feeding them, the father had no problems with it till now. The hen has food available to her next to her nest but she hardly touches it, all she will do is get a drink of water and then go back to her box. The chick are from a week old to 1 day old (that's the one that just hatched yesterday). Right now they're doing well, I think all have full crops? The mother is fine with me so I can try to hand feed them if worst comes to worst!

I think the main thing is to figure out how to get the male to eat, so that he can feed his mate and so that she can keep feeding her babies.

 

[Zara]

I wonder if he would eat a different mix, one of the others he knows?
It is concerning that he isn´t eating, not so much for the hen and the chicks, that is fixable, but for himself. If you can weigh him, do it and monitor his weight.

 

[Zara]

I think all have full crops?

They don´t have to be bulging, but as long as they´re not flat. The crops need to have a nice bump of food in there most of the day, overnight the crop will empty completely.

Keep a close eye on the youngest, as he will be much smaller and find it harder to get food from a parent.

 

[Lady Jane]

Sometimes budgie will eat eggs, scrambled or hard boiled. Just a thought.

 

[babybagel]

The father is a smallish budgie (that's why I named him Tiny) so he will probably be a little underweight, but he was a healthy eater till now. I just thought of something- before all of my budgies were living together, then once the eggs were laid I moved the other birds out- could this be why he's not eating anymore, because he's stressed about being separated from his friends?

I could definitely try other seed mixes that I've given to them before. The father is eating corn, spinach and parsley, but that isn't exactly sufficient so-

The mum is feeding her youngest babies as well

 

[Lady Jane]

Also try cooked, mashed sweet potatoes. The have lots of Vit. A

 

[babybagel]

I will, thank you