Accepted Answer

Okay, I appreciate the clarification and thanks for your patience with my extra questions. My first suspicion, when I thought we were dealing with 10 weeks old chicks was they are not getting enough to eat. That may still be the case but at this age, that's not likely to be the only problem. Your timing was okay when you pulled them from the parents but they should have continued to get some hand feedings for as long as they would take them. Check out this article for future reference. Click here: Abundant Weaning & Fledging At that age, and at the age they are now even, it doesn't need to be a true, "hand feeding". Meaning they can take if from a shallow saucer or a plastic picnic spoon. Doing supplemental feedings that way poses no danger to the babies like it would if a novice tried to do hand feedings using a syringe. As best I can picture, based on your description, it sounds like one bird begging another to feed it, just as they would beg the parents. This is an issue to watch closely because they can cause serious beak injuries to each other if they get too over board with their pumping action/begging. First off, to insure it is not a hunger or begging issue, I'm going to suggest you either get some baby bird formula from a pet store and start mixing some for them as many times a day as they will take some, or at least, fix them some soft warm foods like steamed veggies, cooked brown rice, cooked pastas, well done bean mixes, hard boiled or scrambled eggs, plain cooked oatmeal and so on. They also should have a cuttle bone available at all times. That can be life or death for a female bird. (By the way, that's the way your adult birds should be eating also, in case they are not.) Another issue can be that it's time to get them separated from each other. In spite of the name and those darling little sweet faces, Lovebirds can be quite aggressive to each other, even killing a mate on occasion. If one of the young ones is truly regurgitating, (making feeding motions) as opposed to true vomiting, (bringing it up and slinging it around) then it past time to get them into separate cages. It's not impossible that if you do have each gender represented, a female could be getting hormonal to the point of considering laying. You do not want to risk inbreeding so you need to get them separated asap. It is that time of year so now is the time. It won't stop her from laying if she is intent on doing so but you do need to be sure her eggs are not fertile, should she lay. Back to the formula for a second, if you decide to get some, Kaytee Exact makes one of the best, in my opinion. It will come in powder form and you will only mix a very small amount at one time, with warm water. Don't leave it out longer than a couple hours at most as it will quickly grow bacteria. Also, if they dive into it to the point they get it all over their face, maybe chest and head, you will want to get them wiped clean with a warm wet paper towel right away. If the formula dries on them, it's just like cement and they will end up having to molt it off to be rid of it. If by chance there is true vomiting going on, then you have an ill bird and they need to get in to see a competent Avian vet right away. I hope this helps you out with them but if you need anything further, or if something else comes up, just let me know. I want to help as much as I'm able from long distance. Patricia

Expert:	Patricia
Pos. Feedback:	99.9 %
Accepts:
Answered:	3/28/2008

Parrot C&onsultant

Published author, free lance bird behaviorist, adviser to the parrots at Sarasota Jungle Gardens.