Sun Conure Egg Hatched - Please Help

[jaybirddog]

Hello,

My Fiancee's sun conures had two eggs a few weeks back and just yesterday we noticed that (at least) one of them hatched. We can hear the hatchling chiriping quite a bit. We cannot get close enough to move the mother to find out what is going on underneath her. This is the very first hatchling for this mother parrot but she is 6 years old and very mature. My issue is that I do not know if she is feeding the hatchling. Also, I had to put a bowl in the cage for her to lay her eggs in as she was too scared to use the birdhouse we installed a few months ago. I just have some general questions. What kind of bedding should I provide? Should I even be changing the bedding at this point? How quickly should I intervene and try to hand feed? Should I even intervene? Any warning signs I should be looking for? How can I tell if the mother is smothering the hatchling? Anybody with good experience on this that could provide some simple advice would be great. I have other resources but figured I would try here as well. Thanks very much for your time!

- Jaybird

Edit: I hope I posted this in the right spot. If not, lead me the way. Thank you!

Edit 2: Update! We did see the crop full so we think she is feeding them. Still need advice for bedding, etc. The other egg is still unhatched.

[jaybirddog]

Bump for help please!

[marie83]

My opinion would be leave her with it, let nature decide what will happen as by the sounds of it you don't know enough yet to make a good go of taking over. Sounds like the parents are doing ok anyway. May be an idea not to allow them to breed again though.

Sorry if my reply sounds harsh, I just don't really understand why do it about alot of things to do with breeding.

[jaybirddog]

Your idea is not that well, because they don't ask me permission before they breed. I also cannot take the eggs away as the female will compensate for the missing eggs. I would really like some basic advice to assist them in making the babies more comfortable. As far as us not knowing enough about breeding... you have to start somewhere right? So if anyone else has some constructive advice, I would really appreciate it.

[marie83]

Actually, there are things you can do to discourage breeding. Yes everyone has to start somewhere but its generally a good idea to research first and preferably let someone who has the experience guide you before jumping in the deep end.
Dummy eggs can be purchased in the event the birds are determined they want to breed and lay anyway. This would help resolve the continous laying cycle.

If the parent birds were not doing a good enough job then the chicks would already be dead or close to it. Leave them with it. In the meantime I suggest you contact someone with experience who would be willing to help should the parents stop looking after them.

[jaybirddog]

I am trying to find someone with some experience by posting here. It is a "parrot" forum after all. We do have experience breeding other breeds of parrots in an incubator box. It just so happens this bird didn't like her birdhouse. The unique situation we have is that she is extremely protective of her baby and her baby is in an unorthodox bedding/housing. I am trying to find someone who has bred parrots (preferably conures like ours) and has any good advice for us given the current circumstances.

[Crazypetlady]

I don't have experience with conures but I used to breed budgies and lovebirds for a few years long ago. First time parents will sometimes kill their babies but unless you're prepared to feed that baby formula every 2 hours around the clock, then you're best bet is to provide the parents with plenty of water and food and then just leave them alone.

I would check on the baby every 24-48 hours just to make sure they aren't mutilating it. But I'd only do this of you can do it without stressing out the parents. If you find evidence that the baby is being hurt, then take it to someone who has experience hand raising birds.

My first breeding pair killed 2 babies and was plucking the feathers off the third. When I checked on it after 2 weeks, I found it bloodied. They were feeding it, apparently, but they were also pulling at his first feathers. I took it out of the nest and fed him myself following the advice of a local breeder.

It's akin to having a newborn in the house. When that chick is hungry at 4am, NObody gets to sleep. I kept him in my room.

[Crazypetlady]

Also boil an egg and mash it up then put it in the cage with the parents. This will give them the extra protein they need to raise that baby.

[jaybirddog]

@Crazypetlady

Thank you SO much for your advice! For now, the mother does not appear to be harming the chick. The crop has food in it and there aren't any feathers yet, just fuzz (which is totally cute). The mother was cleaning the head of the baby and appeared to be very gentle with her. She will keep checking up on them every day. Any words of advice for housing or bedding? They are now in a very deep bowl lined with a towel. The parents are hand fed, so they are not completely freaked out by my fiancee checking on them. They are more or less telling her to buzz off . The boiled and mashed egg is a great suggestion as a supplement to their regular diet. Should that work with all parrot breeds?

Thanks a million from my fiancee, our new chickee and me!

[marie83]

All I meant by finding someone with experience is its best done face to face with a local breeder who can show you. Text is easy misinterpret, good example right here as you seem to have taken offence to what I said. Or at least thats how I have taken your response to it