2 hatched 2 eggs + confusion

[rach8191]

Hi guys,

So after my pair of painted failed with their first set of eggs, we've had semi-sucess with their second lot. I actually didn't think they were going to do it, and planned on taking the nest out until later in the year. But alas we have two baby birds, and 2 eggs in the nest. I managed to get a look today when both of them were off the nest briefly. The two babies are laying there next to eachother, breathing, and are tiny (obviously). I'm not sure exactly how old they are, as I wasn't keeping track as I was sure they'd be dud eggs again. Dad tells me he saw the first baby about 4 days ago he thinks.

Basically, I just want to know what to do now. I gave them some mealworms the other day that I think they ate.
-What foods do they need?
-How can I tell if something is wrong?
-When will the babies start moving around (in the nest and out of the nest)?
-What do I do with the other eggs still in the nest?

I bet you all love hearing from me. I disappear and reappear with heaps of questions haha

[natamambo]

Painteds will rear young on just good seed and fresh greens, live food is not essential. Leave the eggs there, if they are duds the parents will evacuate or eat them eventually. "Something wrong" at that age usually means dead, so if you can see them breathing, fear not. You should hear them calling for food around Day 7, and they'll leave the nest somewhere around day 18 from memory. Chances are they'll eject themselves too soon, if you find them on the floor and they're clearly not ready to fledge put them back in the nest again - not sure why but mine always seem to.

[vettepilot_6]

Young Painteds usually hang around ground level when they are out of the nest around 18 days.....so make sure you have brush on floor in a corner so they can huddle up together and feel safe as well.....rest is as natamambo says ...... oh and try not to check on them you will have better success

[djb78]

Not much I can add except that dud eggs make good hot water bottles for young so best to leave them, if parents are eating mealworms I would still keep giving it to them.

[rach8191]

Hey guys, thanks for all your advice,
I left the two eggs in, and unfortunately one of the babies died last week and was soon ejected from the next. The other hatchling is doing great though. Getting feathers and everything. His nest is pretty high up, and if he were to fall I think it'd hurt him quite a bit. They are gobbling up the mealworms though.

[rach8191]

Hey guys,

Just an update, I was coming on here to ask what to do in the situation of my pair building a new nest, but I just looked outside and I realised the baby is dead. He was alive thismorning and I was pretty concerned that they had started putting nesting material over in another corner of the cage but didn't think it was too serious.
Just trying to figure out what has caused them to abandon the chick. I havent been anything different, the only thing I changed was adding some nesting material stuck to a wire basket to the bottom of the cage just incase the chick landed on the ground and couldnt get back up (so he'd have somewhere warm to hide out)

Bit disappointed but I knew not to get my hopes up too much as this is their first hatchling.

[djb78]

Did you know if the youngsters crop was full ,most hens will renest while the cock looks after the fledglings.

[SamDavis]

It's not uncommon for many young pairs to take a few goes to get it right. Eggs, then chicks, so hopefully fledglings next time. Once painteds get going they can breed like flies. And as I've said before "Don't count your finches until they've fledged for at least three weeks".

[rach8191]

It's not uncommon for many young pairs to take a few goes to get it right. Eggs, then chicks, so hopefully fledglings next time. Once painteds get going they can breed like flies. And as I've said before "Don't count your finches until they've fledged for at least three weeks".

Yes I definitely wont now, I've taken out all of the nesting material and they are still attempting to build with what little materials they have (putting stones in their food dish aswell as any scrap nesting materials)

Ill return the nesting materials in a few weeks so they can give it another shot, I had the basket they built in last time about 80cm from the floor, should I put it lower down next time?

[Redwing]

If they were happy with the nest basket's position last time you could put it back in the same place. Mine tend to make their own nests about 1.5m - 2m off the ground, or use provided baskets about 2m off the ground. Also if they are really keen at the moment is there any reason why you want to wait a couple of weeks before letting them try again?