Hi, I have had budgies for about 6 years now. My first couple had babies successfully and the male was exceptional with the female and three babies. About a year and a half ago the female died. I bought another female for the male and she laid 6 eggs that started hatching 5 weeks ago. She refused to use nesting box or anything else so laid them on the floor of the cage. Jasmine is 1-1/2 years old approx. The first two hatched the same day and two days later one died as the parents neglected it. On the 4th day a third one hatched but died two days later as well. I discarded the other eggs as it broke my heart to see this happen. The parents continue to take care of the one baby but at 3 weeks I noticed something wrong with the baby's legs that I had never seen before. They were splayed. After researching I put it in a jewelry sponge splint for a week. It helped but not completely so I did again for another week. Yesterday I took the splint off. The baby is fully feathered and moves around on the floor. It seems to be normal in every other way. The legs are not splayed but one leg seems very close to normal and the other seems to just hang there. It just doesn't seem to be able to stand. The parents are still feeding and caring for it. I started putting supplement in the water dish hoping it will help when parents feed it. The feed dish is on the floor and I looked today to find the baby sitting in the dish of seed. My question is, will the baby ever get strong on it's legs to stand or walk? I hold it daily and it fledges and sometimes opens and closes it's feet and claws. Should I put it in the splint for another week? Any advice will be appreciated. It will be 5 weeks old tomorrow. I hope someone can help me.
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Splayed baby budgie
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expressmailtome
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This was caused by the baby being raised on the floor of the cage. The baby will probably be like that for the rest of it's life. I would consult a vet though.
Matt
Matt
lotus15
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I'm no expert on budgie breeding, but I think Matt is right-- it's likely the result of being born on a grate rather than the flat pine bottom of a nest box. I would definitely bring your little baby to the vet and see if it's not too late to try to help him use his leg. 
Best of luck and welcome to the Avenue!
Best of luck and welcome to the Avenue!
Anne & Gang
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welcome...I would definitely consult an avian vet..there may be something that he/she can do..but meanwhile you can give that baby a wonderful life by providing low down platform perches and accessible food dishes etc.
Thanks to all for your replies. I will follow your advice and consult an Avian vet and make the proper changes in the cage for my baby budgie. I just held it to check both legs and it appears that one leg is smaller and shorter than the other so it will be interesting to hear what the vet says.
Welcome!!! Hopefully the vet will be able to help. Either way, good luck and keep us posted!
Marlene
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Keep us posted on your vet visit. Good luck!I'm so happy to see my 6 week old splayed baby bird is standing on one foot now and climbing the cage walls. His one leg is still not productive at all but the little guy is bound and determined to get around just like his mom and dad who are always right by his side.
Great!
Make sure he doesn't fall though.
Oh how sweet that he is such a fighter. Good luck to you and your little budgie family 
petiteoiseau
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The lack of proper nest might have contributed to the problem but the cause of splayed legs is usually lack of calcium. As far as I know, there is nothing that can be done except provide him with an environment where he can perch as comfortably as he can. I took in a little male (also from a hobbyist breeder like you) whose legs are so splayed that they actually form a V so he rests on his chest and belly and my AV was the one who explained this to me.
I had a lovebird with splayed legs. Vet called it metabolic bone disease. She was the last in a clutch and lacked calcium. Her bones in the X-Ray looked like noodles.
Thank goodness this little guy is able to get around the cage. I make a point of holding him daily and when I took him out of the cage today he flew out of my hand and made two beautiful circles around the room and landed on the top of the window blinds. I was so proud of him! I have food and water dishes on floor of cage and will get the flat perches. I'm having a hard time finding them though. Also, Six months ago when the mom laid eggs I did everything to get her to go into a nesting box and small nest on floor cage but she refused to sit on the eggs when I moved them so I got rid of eggs. She did the same thing with the second bunch of eggs so I let nature take its course. It's so much fun watching the daily improvement. It 's so amazing how these birds adapt. I feel like a proud mom just watching this baby. 
lotus15
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A number of our vendors carry awesome flat perches: Things for Wings, the Little Perch Company, Oliver's Garden, I Got a Woody, Bird on the Rocks to name a few.
I Got A Woody also carries flat cork perches and pine platforms.A number of our vendors carry awesome flat perches: Things for Wings, the Little Perch Company, Oliver's Garden, I Got a Woody, Bird on the Rocks to name a few.
Also, you might enjoy this video:
