# Weaning & Weight



## Eileen (Mar 11, 2011)

I had to go out of town unexpectantly for 4 days and my daughter took care of my birds. When I came back, I noticed it appeared as though my baby had weaned. I didn't notice mom feeding him and he was eating. Usually each morning mom would feed, but now he was eating from his food dish first thing in the morning. So, I separated him from his mom to see how he would do. I have been monitoring him each day and weighing him to see if he maintains his weight on his own. His starting weight was 82 grams and he weighed 82 grams for the first three days. On the fourth day, he weighed 81 grams. How much weight loss should I be concerned with? He is 7 1/2 weeks old. He seems fine and hasn't begged for food.


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## Eileen (Mar 11, 2011)

Well today he weighed 78 grams. Yesterday he was 81. I read somewhere that a loss of 10-15% during weaning was normal. Anyway, I also read that putting them in with another bird (not their parent) preferably a female helps. So I put him in with my 5 month old pearl hen. I think it is working. He parked himself at one of their food bowls.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Haha looks like he's getting the hang of it. He'll put that weight right back on it looks like!


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## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

does he fly yet, cause if he hasnt they loose weight to do the first flight and then build muscle and then start gaining again.


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## Eileen (Mar 11, 2011)

Yes, he flies quite well. I clipped a couple of feathers on each wing a couple of days ago and he has already adjusted to it. 

He ate a lot since I put him in the cage with Tess. I'll weigh him again tomorrow.


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## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

ok, so hes past the flying stage unlike my 7 week old brat who still shows no interest in flying. does he like millet it might put some weight on him to provide that 3 times a week, more if they are small sprigs, my babes shred threw it like in 30 seconds, but im glad ive witnessed him eating out of the seed dish and not the cage floor. What type of diet is he on?


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## Eileen (Mar 11, 2011)

I give him pellets and a seed mix, as well as millet and avi-cakes. He loves the avi-cakes. I'v tried bread, veggies and pasta, but he doesn't seem interested. He is eating a bit this morning and I think he drank some water. I don't think his mother will feed him any more, so if his weight continues to drop, I suppose I may have to hand feed him formula to get his weight back up. He dropped 2 more grams over night, but so did my 5 month old. So, I am thinking that is normal, because they havn't eaten all night.


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## Eileen (Mar 11, 2011)

I think he is improving. He is 79 grams now.


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