Aussie Finch Forum

Found one of my painted chicks out of the nest today looks too young by about 5 days. Don't know whether he was leaning out to cool off or what. Do I try and put him back? Parents are feeding him on the ground so that's no problem but it will be pretty cool at night by himself till the others are out and he's not really fullly feathered yet.
This must be the trigger for Dad to start another nest as he's beenbusy collecting bits all day which was when he started with the first lot of babies.

Im not an expert but I would be putting him back in (whether he stays in is another thing ) ...

We've never had our painteds raise the young without needing to put them back in the nest more than once. They seem to like jumping out too early. Parents keep raising them without any issues when we do.

Thanks both of you, have just put him back. Hope he stays, at least for the night. This nest is very different from the others this male has built...perhaps a special 'hot weather edition'? The opening is at least 10cm diameter so will be easy to fall out of.

If I have any young birds pop out of the nest that I feel are to young, I leave them out for the day, then just before dusk if they don't go back into the nest I'll pop them back in and they tend to stay there for the night. Poping out again the next day.
All the best.

This one is nowhere near flying, so far still in but if he's out again tomorrow will do that Snap point. Parents calmer now too they were both hovering around him on the ground and don't think were feeding the others.

In my book that's a sure sign that the parents aren't happy that the little one is out, if his out again tomorrow try popping him back in straight away and see if he stays in. If not pop him back in at dusk again, hopefully he gets the hint that its better in the nest than the floor at this stage of his life.

He was out of the nest again this morning and dead on the ground. Dad is now in full gathering mode ready for the next nest and mum spending most of the time watching all the little twigs and bits and pieces for the base layer before the next stage of nest starts, haven't actually seen her feed the remaining 2 chicks today so just hope they 're being fed enough. Last time the chicks came out on the same day and were on the ground being fed in between gathering, but they were much more obvious then. Do I sit back and wait and see? Been about 40o here today, would have thought it was a bit too hot to be flying up and down all day.

Thats a shame Redwing ...Hope they look after the others till they are eating on their own.

That's a shame to read, sounds like the parents have given up on that nest perhaps that's why the chick left the nest early.
All the best for the surviving chicks hope the parents keep feeding them for you.