Sun Conure parents not feeding chicks?

[Hamzah_khan]

Hello, i have a breeding pair of Sun Conures, and we have them as pets, once a male and ones a female, and obviously she started breeding, so we put a box for her and lots of food vitamins and everything. Shes laid eggs twice now, and we let her do what she needs to do. She sits on the eggs, the egg shells look healthy, the babies hatch and look healthy as well, however they never survive past 24-30 hours. I beleive it is because they arent feeding them. Is there anything we can do, or should we remove the babies after they hatch? We have had experience of hand feeding 3-4 week old chicks, but not new born. I know it takes alot of work, and my mother would be willing to do this however is there anything else we can do? thanks

[Hamzah_khan]

I read about co-parenting as well. Could i feed the babies myself and then put them back into the nest box for my parrots to keep warm? im nervous that kiwi would kill it though

[marie83]

Sorry this doesnt answer your question but I wanted to ask you something or a few things tbh.

have you considered not breeding them at all? Just there are enough unwanted parrots out there or ones that are in homes that barely or dont even meet their most basic needs.

Do you have can excellent understanding of genetics? Most people who think they can breed birds dont and as a result because we are taking away natural selection us humans are breeding birds that are becoming more inbred, weaker, more sickly birds. Same as what we are doing to dogs really and theres a lot of research out there on the situation with dogs if you want to know more.

have you considered the fact that the babies aren't hatching in good health and therefore shouldnt survive? If the parents are genuinely not feeding them they usually have their reasons for not doing so.

what would you do if you couldnt find homes for all the babies if you managed to get them to survive?

[Wolf]

I agree that we may be doing more harm than good by breeding more parrots when there are so many without homes and / or being abused. Be that as it may be, it is not our job to pass judgement on you or anyone due to our personal viewpoints.

First of all, if your birds were not raised by their parents then there is a good chance that they don't know how to raise their young or even that they have to. I would get in touch with your vet and find out what you will have to do to hand raise them properly either as a co parenting or totally hand raising them and I would do it pronto as you have very little time if you are to save them, although from the time stamps on these posts I assume that you have already lost these ones.

[Pajarita]

I believe the OP resides in Asia and they have a completely different way of looking at animals over there...

First of all, the parents might be too young. Just because a bird is sexually mature and capable of breeding, it doesn't necessarily follow that they should (just think of a 12 year old girl and a 13 year old boy having a baby and having to raise it on their own... chances are, that baby is not going to be raised properly if it even makes it!).

Secondly, speaking from a breeder's point of view (I breed canaries), you don't breed a bird that has proven to be a bad parent for two simple reasons: one is that you are risking baby birds' lives (you've already lost a clutch and are now losing a second one and, in my personal opinion, that's not acceptable) - and the second is that birds learn the basic parenting skills from their own parents while in the nest so a bird that's the offspring of a bad parent will be a bad parent.

Third, it's easy to figure out if the parents are feeding them or not, all you have to do is check their crops periodically, if they are always empty, then they are not feeding them.

As to the reason why they are not feeding them, there are many... One could be that there isn't enough food for the parents and the babies (you can't just give them the same food and quantity they had before because, if they think there isn't enough to go around, adult birds would always chose to feed themselves instead of the babies so they can breed again later). Another reason could be that there is something wrong with the babies and the parents are letting them die (and, as terrible as this sounds to us, it is, actually, the kinder thing to do). A third reason could be that they are not in a spot where they feel safe (is their cage high up, steady -not hanging and swinging every which way- in a quiet spot, and against a wall?)

As to hand-raising them, I don't know if you have access to a good hand-raising formula or whether you have the ingredients to put one together but, if your mother can feed baby birds every hour and two or three times during the night, she should try.... I would.

[marie83]

I agree that we may be doing more harm than good by breeding more parrots when there are so many without homes and / or being abused. Be that as it may be, it is not our job to pass judgement on you or anyone due to our personal viewpoints.
.

I believe the OP resides in Asia and they have a completely different way of looking at animals over there...
.

Maybe so, hence the questions to get the OP thinking rather than saying you should/shouldn't do this that and the other. Unless veiwpoints are challenged then nothing will ever change, I do know of a few Asians who are completely compassionate towards animals, though granted they have lived in the UK for some years now. Look at how far our countries have come but that hasn't come about on its own, its come about because a few people have stood up, offered an alternative way of thinking and got people asking themselves questions. - Just look at all the threads on wingclipping and how many have changed their minds on that particular issue over time.....

[Hamzah_khan]

LOL, not meaning to be rude but, I love how Pajarita or whatever thinks she knows everything, i dont live in Asia actually, i live in Canada and have lived here my whole life. No need to jump to conclusions just cause my name is asian lol.

And no actually i love animals, i have many pets, i have had many parakeets and cockatiels who have lived to a ripe old age. Im not a stupid baby who doesnt know what hes doing. I bought these baby birds wanting to be bale to allow others to get the same love that these amazing birds have given me. i am trying so hard to try and allow these babies to survive, i have checked on them, there is SO much food in their cage (and soft food at that), and i know 100% that my conures are NOT related, unhealthy or anything.
The babies that are born look really healthy, they loom plump and ok, they chirp but my conures dont seem tho notice. Kiwi (the female) stays with the baby all the time, keeps it under her wing to try and keep it warm, and the male guards the cage. The cage is sturdy, and it in a seperate room in the corner. Its kept warm and everything, ive talked to ALOT of breeders and they all say something different. I am very much thinking of preventing them from breeding from now on, but i know im not gonna be able to stop it forever and she will eventually lay eggs again. I just want to know what to do if babies do hatch, and if i should take them out. I was jsut wodnering if there is anything i can do to my parrots to teach them to feed the babies or something???

[Hamzah_khan]

By the way Pajarita, this is a parrot forum, not a place for you to go around and be rude to everyone you can get to. Ive seen you post on other peoples posts too, and its nothing but disrespect you show. I feel bad for your parrots....

[Hamzah_khan]

Maybe so, hence the questions to get the OP thinking rather than saying you should/shouldn't do this that and the other. Unless veiwpoints are challenged then nothing will ever change, I do know of a few Asians who are completely compassionate towards animals, though granted they have lived in the UK for some years now. Look at how far our countries have come but that hasn't come about on its own, its come about because a few people have stood up, offered an alternative way of thinking and got people asking themselves questions. - Just look at all the threads on wingclipping and how many have changed their minds on that particular issue over time.....

Why are you stereotyping that all asian are rude to animals unless the are grown up in the UK? I was born in Canada first of all, but i know so many asians, ive even been to asia (japan & others) where people love there animals probably more then you do...

[Hamzah_khan]

See, i took out my male and female for a little while and the male went to the female and started "doing his thing again"...how do i stop them? i cant watch over them 24/7 wince theyre in their cage sometimes too