# Is 7 weeks too young to wean?



## Jennin24 (Aug 21, 2011)

I have a baby that just turned 7 weeks old. I have him down to 2 hand feedings a day at 7am and 7pm. Up until yesterday he has been crying for food pretty much every time he sees me. After I hand feed him in the morning I put him out on the perch that we have and there is always millet available for him and he happily eats that. He will be out for awhile and then go back into his cage where there is water and food available and we will bring him out to perch and play a few times during the day. He just started to really eat the millet about a week ago but he's been picking a little at it for about 2 weeks now. Well, yesterday morning he refused to eat all of his formula, he only ate about 3/4 of it. He always eats all of his formula and cries for more. Then last night at his feeding he only ate a mouthful and refused to eat any more. He would fly off to his perch and eat the millet. This morning he wouldn't eat any of it, again flying to his perch to eat the millet. Now he does eat his millet and food all day, but I was just concerned that it is a bit early for him to be taken off of formula all together. 3 days ago I thought he would never get weaned and now all of a sudden he's a completely different bird that has stopped the constant crying and is getting all independent. This morning was the first time I came down and he didn't start crying for me as soon as I entered the room. He was just happily perched in his cage watching me and he gave me a few little chirps to say hello. Is 7 weeks too early for a baby to be completely off of formula? He does not seem sick in any way. He is pretty active and social and his behavior hasn't changed other than not wanting the formula.


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

I would start cutting him down to 1 feeding and then I find they just start refusing it altogether,but continue to offer it for a few days. I put seed, pellets and fresh foods on the foor and up high in the cage. I also weigh my babies with a kitchen scale every morning. It is important to keep a eye on there weight. Good luck !


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

Every baby is different as I am finding out. My first chick was weaned at 7 weeks. My second chick was weaned at 6 weeks. Both weaned on their own with gradually refusing feedings more as they found food more interesting. Now I have my 3rd and 4th chicks who will be 5 weeks old this weekend. My 3rd chick takes only a half feeding 3 times a day but also eats and drinks well in the cage. I will continue to keep offering him feedings 3 times a day as he is quite young yet, just in case. My fourth chick is only 2 days younger than #3 and shows no signs of letting up on her 3 feeds per day. She does pick at food/seeds/millet, but still enjoys her formula. She may be one I have to put on a diet later on in life though! Who knows!! lol I have heard some chicks continue hand feeding until they are as old as 3 to 4 months sometimes. Each is different. I agree with the weighing though. This is very important, as well as knowing they will lose a few grams when they start flying and becoming more independent. My two have quite the difference in weight, so I keep on top of it. One is 106 grams and the other is 86 grams. With my chicks, I did find that once they found use of their wings, it more or less coincided with them starting to wean. The chick who is currently refusing half his feeds is now taking short flights. The other, she is just content to sit and flap her wings.


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## Jennin24 (Aug 21, 2011)

I really appreciate the advice. My baby has been flying extremely well for almost 2 weeks now. He flys better than my older cockatiel, lol. What I mean by that is he seems to have very good control over where he lands. It seems very easy for him to land on an outstretched hand, our shoulder, head, his perch or whatever and he slows down and seems to land purposefully. Our older bird who's not quite a year old yet seems to not have as good of control and just lands very ungracefully on whatever is near like the back of the couch or the window blinds. I will continue to monitor him and still offer him his formula for a few more days and see what happens. Thank you!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Most babies take longer than that to wean but there are certainly some individuals who can do it that young.

Are you still using a syringe to feed him? My babies reject the syringe when they get to be about 6 weeks old but will happily eat formula from a spoon after a little bit of training (basically shoving the spoon against their beak until they get some in their mouth and discover that it's food). If your baby will eat from a spoon, there's extra security in continuing to offer it to him this way for a while.


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## Jennin24 (Aug 21, 2011)

Yes, I do still feed with a syringe. I will definitely try to use a spoon and see if he will take any that way. Thank you!


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

I've had babies wean at 7 weeks old, and some that didn't wean until they were 12 weeks old. Like mentioned above feed him at night for a few days and keep an eye on his weight too.


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## Conurekidd (May 16, 2011)

My newest clutch is weaning. Eating like champs. And there going on 7 weeks. When this part happens I feed for an extra week. Blu however did now wean till 11 weeks lol.


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