# Baby constant crying



## trenttn (Feb 12, 2018)

I have two babies at the moment both around the same age (fledging age), currently still on 3 feeds a day as they're slow to take interest in seed. No issues health wise with the babies, steady weight if theyre not gaining (at fledging age). 
One baby constantly cries like it wants food even hours after it's been fed, and will not stop for hours and hours. It's not being underfed as it either gains weight or is steady, not being overfed either as I follow the 'less is more' idea of srtiel. It is the hungry cry as its the same they do when you're about to feed and they realise, as it tries to eat from anything that comes into contact with its mouth (does the head bob they do when swallowing). It's also hard not to reinforce as it does it all the time, so when I have to feed them it's almost like a reward for screaming. I'd say not illness related as it's poo is normal, shes non-lethargic, etc.
It's super frustrating as they have to stay in my room with me, and I cannot bare being in the same room as this one tiny little bird who screams constantly, especially since I am a university student. 
Any advice appreciated!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Do these babies have parents taking care of them, or have they been pulled for handfeeding? If they've been pulled for handfeeding, then it's possible that this chick is looking for reassurance that there's someone there to take care of it. Crying and begging for food is the only way this chick has to ask for adult attention.

So try to reassure this chick, and don't worry about rewarding them for making noise. They are babies and they will outgrow this phase. If they're fledging age they are ready to start experimenting with feeding themselves. So you can hold this chick in one hand and offer it a piece of millet spray with the other hand. If the chick is actually hungry it can start learning to satisfy its own hunger, and if it isn't actually hungry it will have something to do that is more interesting than crying, with you right there watching over it like the parents would do. 

If you want to, you can also do this with the chick that doesn't cry all the time, just to treat them equally and give each one the same opportunities.


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## trenttn (Feb 12, 2018)

Just me taking care of them, i co-parented until 3 weeks as their parents only eat a certain type of seed (millet and sunflower, will not touch ANYTHING else) and didn't want the babies to be malnourished. Thanks for your advice i will give it a shot!


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