# Fledgling babies



## Szafije (Jun 8, 2011)

Hi 
4 out of my babies started coming out of the nest, looking around in the cage, chewing on the bottom bars or apple wood perches. Also one of them found the whole grain bread pieces and nibbled on them...is that safe?
The oldest is 1 month old, second is 30 days old, third is 28 days old etc.

Thanks


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## Szafije (Jun 8, 2011)

Sorry I have another question. I have read all sorts of things about hand fed babies (when they can start to eat veggies, when they can be moved to a separated cage etc) but how about parent fed babies?
I know they will stay with the parents for few more weeks, but when can I start offering them soft food in the parent cage? When can I just leave them hang around in the cage?
Thank you for the help!


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

I am in the same boat this time round. I usually pulled at 3 weeks. This time, mom and dad are handling the fledging. I actually posted another thread asking a few questions about it. 

It is fine to let them explore. This is how they learn. My little guy hasn't come out of the nest box yet on his own. Can't wait for that!  Others with more experience can comment on this leg of the game but I would imagine (and this is my plan) that they will do well with sprinkling seed and leaving millet, veggies, etc. out on the bottom of the cage for them to experiment with.


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## Szafije (Jun 8, 2011)

Thank you  Yes I heard they will rather play with the food for now, my third, Noodle just put her head in the seed bowl where her Dad was eating, but I do not think she actually picked and ate one.
They usually come out in the morning then after a while I put them back and they take rounds sitting in the entrance whole day


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## Szafije (Jun 8, 2011)

I have just found whole seeds in poop again in the cage so I think they did pick seeds and did not remove the hull (too young for that). Maybe I will remove the seed bowl with the adult seeds which is close to the bottom of the cage


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

They are roughly five weeks old.. maybe 6? You have to remember they are going through a change in diet. There is a change in poo when that happens. Parent fed or hand fed. I would leave it and still let them explore. But that's just my opinion.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Do you have other foods in there that the parents can eat? Remember they're still feeding the babies. You can try giving the babies some yogurt (plain, as whole seeds can also be a sign of the bacteria in their guts being out of control) and see if that helps. They're going to start trying food now that they're out and seeing the parents do it, so you want the food there. Dad is usually the one to show them this.


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## Szafije (Jun 8, 2011)

I have other seed bowls in the cage that the babies cannot reach, and they have fresh food too that I change regularly. They just tried some veggies (i mean the babies) 
The oldest one is just 4 weeks old so that is why I thought the seeds are too early?


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

When I pulled for hand feeding, I would start sprinkling seed at 4 weeks.. as well as giving a spray of millet for them to explore. This little one will be 4 weeks on Monday and with mom and dad feeding him.. trying to figure out the change in method. But yes, it is alright for them to try and figure out what food is there. I would sprinkle the seed, give a sprig of millet and put down some veggies on the bottom of the cage for them to explore. Of course, there was more changing of the liner. But it is a step in them progressing.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

In the wild, babies start experimenting with food right after they leave the nest. So this is a VERY appropriate time to provide foods that are easy to eat. 

Babies are better at foraging-style eating than they are at eating from a bowl or plate. So hang up some millet spray (they learn to eat this very quickly) and some leafy greens, and/or spread out some food on a flat surface for them to pick up.


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## Szafije (Jun 8, 2011)

Okay thank you, this is very exciting 
As I wrote in another thread by DyArianna I found seedy poops again...it is Noodle...she is the third baby and she was the one who sank her head in the parents' seed bowl this morning, I hope that she only ate seeds without knowing how to hull them...as the day went on she had less and less seeds in her poop...they also tried some crushed pellets, carrots, corn and cooked brown rice...and in the evening all three of them flew a bit


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

It does not matter if the seeds are hulled or with hulls on. The digestive system should be able to digest them without passing them whole.

many times the stress of weaning can cause an imbalance in the intestinal tract flora. A vet can do a gram stain to see if anything is showing up.

In regards to the digestive tract cockatiels like chickens have a gizzard (ventriculus) which is a strong muscular organ that effectively grinds the food before it enters the intestines. If whole seed is passed then there could be a slight problem prior to or there in the GI tract.


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## Szafije (Jun 8, 2011)

Thank you Srtiels, it is strange cuz seedy poops happened twice already since the babies were born, both time they went away in 12 hours and the vet said it happens when the parents feed the babies in a hurry or in the wrong order...she said if they are gaining weight, look healthy and aware and playful I have nothing to worry about hmmm...if it happens again I will not let it just pass I am gonna fight for that gram stain 
I did give Noodle some plain and organic yogurt tonight we will see if that helps...
If a baby has a weak or disturbed metabolism what else can help in their diet?
Thank you


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