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Post by horselady on Jan 7, 2014 2:41:58 GMT
How do you feed them with a toothpick.? the brooder should be up to heat now, this sounds all so traumatic for you and dad. i am sure he misses his mate to help him and sooner he gets help the better. you sure are doing the very best you can under the circumstances.
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 7, 2014 3:38:39 GMT
You make a paste up with the formula, put a tiny bit on the toothpick and tap the side of their beaks, they suck a good half inch of toothpick down their mouths!
Dad is sitting again, hes also feeding but only the oldest chick, too much, which is really bad too, my brooders not up to heat yet, takes overnight apparently, usually he doesnt feed much during the night and the big chicks not begging much so it should be ok, the 2 I just fed will be good till the morning.
The smallest chick crawls under the huge one to keep warm now so thats turned into a blessing in disguise, Im really hoping he survives, Im getting quite attached to him, hes so funny, he latches on like a puppy!....have to be very careful feeding him, hes very greedy, I give his week old brother the pick first and whatever he doesnt eat the little one gets, I dont want to aspirate him.
Im sure hes missing his mate, there is another pair of gouldians in the room, they are always doing the mating dance, theres no nest in with them as I wasnt planning on breeding, this has been a bit of a shock, the cage eagle boy was in I just never got round to taking the nest out and gouldians are hard to breed so I didnt think they would.
Ill post some video tomorrow
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 7, 2014 13:10:32 GMT
Good news dad sat all night keeping them warm, still not feeding smaller chicks, both are ok this morning, just hungry.
Stupid tank not up to heat so looks like Im out again today for different heater as I think this one is a piece of crap and even if it ever does get up to heat Id be scared it failed during the night!
Ill most likely just pull the younger two chicks, the older one he is feeding, Im sure with only one to care for he will be fine.
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 8, 2014 3:14:36 GMT
So chicks all doing good:)
Got another heater, now I have the opposite problem, its up to 100!
Trying some fine tuning, hopefuly by tomorrow Ill have it stabilised, Ill prob pull the 2 little chicks as hes not feeding them and the older one keeps trodding on them!
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 8, 2014 13:48:22 GMT
Morning update, older chick starting to look out nest a bit, hes still wobbly on his feet but another few days I think he will be on the floor, Ive put towels on the bottom of the cage incase he falls so he doesnt hurt himself, hes getting green feathers on his back now so not as ugly now!
2 smaller chicks still doing fine, I think I have a late embryo death in the last egg, Ill leave it a bit longer incase Im wrong.
My brooder is almost at the right temp, it was still a bit high at 95 this morning, I just re adjusted it so hopefuly by this afternoon I can pull the little chicks from the nest, Itll be much easier to feed them as the older one keeps trodding and laying on them, plus dad I have to physically push out the nest so I can feed them, I worry one day he will have enough and toss them then theyll die, hes not feeding them anyway.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749 
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Post by mistersmom on Jan 8, 2014 20:06:42 GMT
Wow, LD, you really have your work cut out for you with these babies! Maybe I missed it but what are your plans with the babies? I'd like to see an updated picture of the first chick.
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Post by horselady on Jan 8, 2014 20:43:50 GMT
I am sure he will be looking forward to not having so many kids to feed. lol sounds familiar? lol and you are doing the best you can and we are all learning a new subject.
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 8, 2014 21:05:23 GMT
it depends, if theres a male thats an unusual colour Ill keep him otherwise I know a few finch people I can sell him to, again any unusual or pretty females Ill keep 1 as I have an unrelated male gouldian she could stay with. Yes, Im learning tons, becoming less squeemish and getting much better at handling them, I have a canary whick I have no problems clipping nails etc but the finches are so small and wriggly! Heres the chick born on xmas eve, I wont know the sex till in complete feather, as you can see hes getting green back feathers, his eyes are open now and the blue silver on his beak fading a little. Attachment DeletedAttachment Deleted |
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 8, 2014 21:07:51 GMT
The yellow dots in his neck is seed, thats how I know dad is feeding him!
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Post by horselady on Jan 9, 2014 1:33:20 GMT
I think this is all amazing. and they are getting so big so fast. or should i say all grown up.
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 9, 2014 2:39:17 GMT
I know, isnt it amazing how quickly they grow, Im having a crisis, my brooders all set up but I think dads feeding them all now again, I can see what looks like seed in the little ones crops, Ill see what they look like in the morning, then decide, heres a pic of my home made brooder Attachment DeletedAttachment Deleted |
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 9, 2014 13:10:19 GMT
Spoke to the breeder I got my gouldians from last night, she told me that my problem with eagle boy now leaving the nest for longer periods of time is due to the fact that he is on the schedule for the first chick and is starting to slowly wean it, she says that this wont change to accomodate the younger chicks, in the wild they would die, normally all chicks hatch within a day or 2 of each other but as these were first time parents they screwed up, its ok at the moment as the 2 little ones snuggle up to big brother but once he comes out the nest she said for sure in a week then they will have to be removed from the nest, pity as dad is now feeding them sometimes, well Im all ready to go so now just to watch closely for that perfectly timed moment.
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 9, 2014 22:55:35 GMT
OK, so after all that fiddling around with the tank and just getting it ready well I went to the bird store today for food etc and was telling the guy who owns it what was going on as I hadnt seen him or his wife since October(birds are cheap to keep!), hes like oh I have a used brooder for sale! So he brings it out, plugs it in and its working perfectly, a bit dirty but as his wife is desperate for an owl finch which I will set up to breed soon and maybe a gouldian too now she knows I have them he sold it to me for $50, that is a bargain! So its all heated up, just a few humidity adjustments and off I go, tonight the little ones will have a new temporary home and I can stop worrying that dad will abandon them, he has been feeding them today but the breeder assures me it wont last. Heres some pics of my new machine, cleaned up nice with my Norwex cloths! Attachment DeletedAttachment DeletedAttachment Deleted |
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Post by horselady on Jan 10, 2014 1:57:20 GMT
You must feel relieved that the brooders are ready for the babies. and we should intervene and not let the babies starve to death. you are a great bird mom . and what great updates.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Jan 10, 2014 13:43:35 GMT
Isn't it neat how you can be in the right place at the right time for something serendipitous to happen. Glad the little ones will now be fully taken care of by their new mommy!
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 11, 2014 4:03:48 GMT
I know isn't it weird sometimes, I can't believe my luck, this brooders working out great!
No internet all day, just typing this from my new awesome not an iPhone!
Chicks doing OK, pulled them from the nest first thing as middle chick was shivering as dad isn't in the nest much now:(
Only prob is when I feed him he's really filling up with air, I've burped him but can't get it all out, I'm scared I hurt him, he's so delicate I can't use much pressure, his poop is OK and when I go to feed him most of the air is gone, he's just such a greedy pig!
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Jan 12, 2014 19:34:58 GMT
You're burping them? That is so cute! What a chore looking after those babies. I can't wait to see more pictures!
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jan 13, 2014 3:34:31 GMT
I'm trying to picture burping a tiny little chick! hmmm That must be a tricky thing to do!  Sounds like you are doing a great job with these babies. Keep up the great work! 
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 13, 2014 13:45:29 GMT
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 13, 2014 13:46:27 GMT
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Sounds like you are doing a great job with these babies. Keep up the great work! 