Ok to pull babies yet?

[beachbird]

I have three pairs of breeding budgies. Two pair have babies which have come out of the nestbox over this past weekend or this morning.

They all seem to be eating seed and vegies ok. I'm just wondering if it's alright to take them out, and put them into a cage of their own yet, or should I wait a week or so? There are more babies to fledge in the next coupl eof days, and I don't want to stress the parents by leaving too many for them. Two pair are first time parents, the other pair have had a previous clutch of healthy babies.

[billspets]

hello beachbird
me personally i leave the young for at least 2 weeks from leaving the nest to make sure they can fend for themselfs
regards
bill

[beachbird]

Ok Bill. I was just wondering, as one of the cocks got really agro with a cock baby last time, and I don't want that to happen again.
I know what you mean though. Once they're pulled, there is no going back. So, I'll just watch and make sure that he behaves this time.

I guess the cock may have been just trying to teach the chick to be independent. I may have paniced, as it was my first time with budgies.

Thanks for your quick reply. I appreciate it.

[josiedownunda]

Hi Beachbird,
Bill is certainly doing the right thing leaving the babies with the parents. Just because the chciks are out of the nest does not mean they can fend for themselves. The parents will continue to feed them for a further few weeks while they learn to eat. Until you see them no longer begging for food they should stay with the parents.
Jo-Anne

[billspets]

josiedownunda said:

Hi Beachbird,
Bill is certainly doing the right thing leaving the babies with the parents. Just because the chciks are out of the nest does not mean they can fend for themselves. The parents will continue to feed them for a further few weeks while they learn to eat. Until you see them no longer begging for food they should stay with the parents.
Jo-Anne

the only reason i say 2 weeks is because i have seen babies beg after being out the nest for 2 months that is why i say 2 weeks but i also have been known to leave babies up to 4 weeks but no longer as it takes it toll on the perants and i have seen perants get narky with babies
regards
bill

[beachbird]

Thanks everyonee. Yes, I'll be sticking to what you've said. I'm really pleased too, as I have some whiteheaded babies as well as yellowheaded, out of two pairs. One pair is a yellowheaded teal cock with a skyblue whiteheaded cinnamon hen. The other has a whiteheaded blue cock with a yellowheaded blue/mauve hen. That was their choice of mates.

I will see how their going after the two weeks, and if it seems that the parents are having troubles, or getting narky, them I'll pull them out then.

I'm thinking of keeping one whiteheaded baby from either pair to breed. Hopefully, I'll work out their sexes right.

With babies, is it fairly reliable for the male's cere to be pinky/purple, and the hens to be bluish with white around the nostrils?

Thanks in advance for any replies.