When do the parents begin to fee?

[Adamdobb]

Hi

Im only new to this forum, and very new to the Finch World.

In my aviary i have many varieties of Gouldians but my favourite pair is my Australian Yellow Cock to my Split for Australian Yellow Hen.

They went to nest very well. Great
They laid 5 eggs. Great
Four hatched late yesterday and this morning. Great
1 egg to go. Fingers crossed. It looks full using my candle light. Great
But the 4 chicks sacks dont look like they are getting fed. Parents are in the nest 24/7.
Is there a time delay in which this all begins?

Regards
Adam

[Jayburd]

sometimes yes, as the yolk from the egg (now situated in the abdomens of the chicks) will take a few dasy to be absorbed as food. Then the parents will start feeding
welcome to our world and the forum

[Jayburd]

and well done by the way! can't wait to see some pics

[Adamdobb]

The Australian Yellow Cock is sitting tight in the nest, wont let me too close to take a pic or even hold the babies yet.

Cant wait to see if they feed their young. Fingers crossed

Regards
Adam

[Jayburd]

good luck! I had a male once who would let me take down the nestbox, open the lid and literally lift him off the eggs to see how they were going.

[Adamdobb]

Trusty Google offered this response

No Baby Noise
You will not hear any baby noise for several days, and the parents won't begin feeding until the morning of the second day. The hatchlings survive the first 24 hours by acquiring nourishment from the yoke sac. Once you suspect eggs have hatched you should gradually increase the amount of hard-boiled or dry/moistened egg food that you supply to the parents each morning. Two feedings a day will be most beneficial to the fast growing chicks. As the chicks grow, so does the amount of soft food. Newly hatched Gouldian chicks are bare skinned and of a light flesh color. Their eyes open on the seventh day and the primary feathers break through the skin on the eleventh to twelfth day.

Sharing Responsibility
The parents will take turns providing warmth to the chicks until around the 10th day after hatching when the feathers begin to grow. After that, they will spend more and more time off the nest. The babies should begin to poke their heads from the nest at about the 20 - 21 day and exit the nest shortly thereafter. Once the chicks are all out of the nest, they very rarely go back to their nest to roost. Instead they will huddle together on a branch or perch. Gouldians do not sleep inside their nest box, except during the incubating and early rearing period. If your Gouldian babies are being reared by Society fosters, you may observe them returning to the nest box at night for a day or two, but then they should remain outside on the perch at night, while the Societies return to sleep. Do not remove the babies from the parents’ care until you are quite sure that they are completely independent and eating on their own. Usually this occurs when they are 7 to 8 weeks old depending on the quality of their diet.

[Jayburd]

sounds about right, but remember all dates and times for various happenings (hatching, fledging periods) can vary depending on weather, etc.

[Diane]

Congratulations on the chicks, look forward to seeing the pics once they have fledged.

[Matt]

Try not to disturb them too much for the next few days, this is when most nest desertions and chick tossing occurs. When you do get a chance to have a good look at them, you can tell the Australian Yellows from the splits by the beak nodules. Splits will be blue, yellows will be white.

[Adamdobb]

Thanks Matt

When you say beak nodules, what are you referring to. The general colour of the beak, or the white spots on the mouth?

Can't say I have looked that hard yet

Regards