How to Hand-Rear a Budgie

The budgie, also called a parakeet, usually makes a dedicated parent. Both the male and the female undertake the chore of raising the young chicks. However, hand rearing may become necessary if the parents neglect the young chicks for an unknown reason. A breeder may also wish to remove the babies to increase the parent's production of offspring, since budgies will usually breed immediately and lay more eggs after their first ones are removed. Hand rearing takes dedication and interaction to meet the birds' emotional needs since young budgies view their caretakers as their adoptive parents.

Things You'll Need

  • Brooder or incubator
  • Bowl
  • Spoon or 3 cc syringe
  • Thermometer
  • Hand feeding formula
  • Commercial budgie seed food
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the budgie into an incubator or brooder. Maintain the temperature at 93 to 96 degrees Fahrenheit for the bird's first week of life. Lower the temperature to 86 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit during the bird's second week of life. Maintain the temperature at 82 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit during the bird's third week of life. At four weeks the bird can tolerate a temperature of 80 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. At five weeks old, lower the temperature to 78 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower the temperature to 77 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit when the bird reaches six weeks of age. Keep the temperature at 73 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit until the bird is eight weeks old. After eight weeks the budgie can withstand normal room temperatures and will no longer need an incubator or brooder.

    • 2

      Place a bowl of water into the incubator or brooder to maintain the humidity around the young budgie. If the bird does not have adequate humidity inside the brooder or incubator it will suffer dehydration.

    • 3

      Feed the budgie five times per day using a commercial hand feeding formula for budgies. Mix the food according to the directions on the label.

    • 4

      Heat the hand feeding formula to 107 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a thermometer to determine the food temperature prior to feeding the bird.

    • 5

      Bend the sides of a teaspoon up so it forms a "U" shape. The gap between the bent sides should measure approximately 6 mm. You can also feed the budgie with a 3 cc syringe.

    • 6

      Dip the modified spoon into the hand feeding formula or fill the syringe with formula. Feed approximately 2 ml per spoonful. Cup the back of the bird gently and tip the spoon into its beak. If using a syringe, place the lip of the syringe tip into the bird's mouth and slowly disperse the plunger. The bird will make rapid movements as it gulps the food down. Feed the bird until it ceases to eat the food. The budgie will normally consume 5 to 10 cc's of food, depending on its age, per feeding. The budgie's crop will feel firm and round to the touch when it is completely full.

    • 7

      Reduce the chick's feedings to twice per day when the budgie reaches four or five weeks of age. Feed it once in the morning and once at night.

    • 8

      Provide the budgie with a commercial budgie seed mixture when it is four to five weeks old. Dice up fresh fruit or vegetables daily for the bird to fondle with its beak and become used to. The young bird may only mouth the foods but eventually it will begin to eat. Slowly reduce the hand feeding to once per day when the bird begins to eat seeds daily. Once the bird eats the seeds it really only requires the hand feeding formula as a psychological crutch. Eventually the bird will cease begging to be hand fed.

    • 9

      Continue to interact with the young budgie daily even after it has been successfully weaned. The young bird still has a strong emotional attachment with its adoptive human parent and will enjoy spending time with you.