# Pull chicks from nest box at 25 days old?



## type.rst (Oct 17, 2010)

Hello guys i have an outdoor aviary with 4 breeding pairs, 3 of which have laid eggs.

I was planning to let the parents raise the chicks as i don't have time to hand feed every couple of hours a day. I understand it is recmmended to pull the chicks from the nestbox when they are 2 weeks old.

I came across this website which states at 25 days old the chicks would only need to be fed 3 times a day which is very suitable to me.
http://www.cockatiel.org/articles/handfeeding.html

What i wanted to know is will i expect to get any problems with doing this rather then pulling them out at the recommended age of 2 weeks? 

Thank you for your time.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

They may resist the syringe...the reason its recommended to pull them when young is because they're easier to get used to the syringe and take to it better. I know some pull babies at 3 weeks because they're a lil older but I've never heard of them being pulled at 25 days.


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## type.rst (Oct 17, 2010)

How many times would the chick need to be fed a day at 3 weeks? There is not much difference between 21 and 25 days. Only reasn i said 25 days was because the site i posted earlier said at 25 days you can feed the chicks 3 times per day. 

I can easily manage to feed 3 times per day anymore then that i would struggle. So maybe it's best to let the parents raise the chicks. Or can i feed just 3 times a day for a chick which is 3 weeks old?

I need some advise guys. Thanks


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I would feed them 3 times a day, 10% of body weight per feeding.


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## type.rst (Oct 17, 2010)

Srtiels, is that 3 times a day for chicks which are 21 days old?


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## audrey (Aug 31, 2011)

I have pulled at 26 days and fed 3 times a day with good results due to being on holiday they were left with mum a bit too long --but they must have 10% of body weight or they will not be getting enough feed if you struggle with a syringe use a eggspoon thats been shaped by putting it in a vice and sweezing the ends together slightly-it will take about a day for them to get used to it -good luck


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## type.rst (Oct 17, 2010)

Is it possible to feed 21 day old chicks 3 times a day or would they need to be fed more often then that?

Thanks.


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## 4birdsNC (Dec 4, 2010)

The batch I just got done hand feeding, I pulled the oldest two when they were 3 weeks old, the other two got pulled when I had to take the nest box down, because mom and Dad were trying to mate again even with the long nights treatment. All 4 of them turned into the sweetest birds.. all their owners love them to death because they are so cuddly. I had no problem getting them to take the pipet, when they are hungry enough they will open up. the biggest problem was that it took forever to wean them all. Rocky weaned at 10 weeks, Peanut weaned at 12 weeks, Hungry weaned at 12 weeks, and Babe weaned at 13 weeks.


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## mnwild32 (Aug 11, 2011)

You don't even need to hand feed them, just handle them every day for about a half hour from birth if possible. Doing it right now with 3 babies and they seem to love it and the parents don't really mind much.


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## Conurekidd (May 16, 2011)

I always had feed at 7 days. 2-5 days before they open there eyes. 
I honestly seen a big enough diffrence between 2 and 1 week. This time though I'm waiting till 2-3 weeks because Blu will most Likly wean late. He's 6 week and not even picking at food. So hopefully I'll be down to one feeding when I'm feeding new guys.


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