# Extra Male in with Breeding Pair



## New2Birdzzz (Aug 28, 2021)

Soooo... Long story short.. My boyfriend and I rescued three budgies that were abandoned at his moms job. We put a coconut in their cage not knowing this would put them "in the mood" as we didn't see signs of them trying to mate before. We now have 4 healthy chicks!! ( born 8/18)  I am VERY new to birds and have few questions.
1) One of my chicks looks blind. How can I be sure? (I really hope that is not the case. :'( )
2) I have two males (Buddy and Squeaks) and a female (Bex) in the cage. How can I be sure which is Bex's mate?
3) How can I be sure everyone is being taken care of? None of the birds trust us enough to handle them but Bex trust me enough to handle the chicks.
4) Does anyone have good tips for basic chick care?
I have never owned a bird IN MY LIFE! Didn't even like birds before rescuing my three. I took them in because they were in bad shape and crammed into a small carrier cage. I also couldn't handle the thought of them getting stuck with another crap owner. They are now thriving and all of their feathers have grown back... Only issue is they still don't trust us. We have been taking it VERY slow and we want to make sure we are doing everything right. Any advice would be great!


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## ChickWas (May 6, 2021)

Take the time to read the stickies, it answers most of your questions. Housing an odd number of budgies is a recipe for disaster, the two males can start fighting aggressively over Bex. So separate the two males into their own cage. Plus, raising a clutch is a whole other can of worms that has a bunch of issues that can arise, so again, read the stickies as it gives a lot of guidance on what to do.

As for them not trusting you, it just takes time. Some warm up quicker than others.


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## New2Birdzzz (Aug 28, 2021)

I did a lot of reading last night after I posted. JUST WHY? didn't know everything under the sun could happen! Luckily nothing bad has happened.  I have tried multiple times to remove the the extra male but haven't been able too. I don't want to stress and keep stressing them out because I cant catch him. Plus I feel like everytime I do that it's sets back whatever progress I've made with them.. If any. :/


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Have all of the chicks weaned totally at this time? That means -- are they all eating on their own without being fed by any of the adults?
If so, then you need to remove the coconut shell "hut" and anything else in the cage that could possibly be used as a nesting site.

When the oldest chick reaches 3 1/2 weeks old, you need to remove the FEMALE from the cage into an individual cage of her own. Put it in a different room.

How large is the cage all the budgies are in at this time? Length, Width, Height?
What are you planning to do with all the chicks when they are fully weaned and fledged? 
Will you be keeping them or giving them away?
What diet are you feeding the budgies at this time?

I need as much explicit information as you can provide in order to give you the best course of action to follow now.

The purpose of this forum is to promote the BEST PRACTICES in the care of budgies for their optimal Health and Well-Being*

*Avian Association of Veterinarians*

*A Healthy Diet for your Budgie*
*Quality Seed Mix*
*CuttleBones, Mineral Blocks and Manu Clay Roses*
*Safe Foods for Budgies*
*The Truth about GRIT*

*Please take the time to read through the Site Guidelines, the FAQs, the Budgie Articles and all of the Stickies located at the top of each section of the forum.
Truly, the very BEST advice anyone can offer you is to take the time to read ALL of the stickies throughout the various Talk Budgie forums as well as the Budgie Articles we have posted.
These are great resources for Talk Budgie members and have a wealth of reliable information which will assist you to learn the best practices in caring for your budgies for their optimal health and well-being.*
*SITE GUIDELINES*
*List of Stickies*
*Posting on the Forums*
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*Guidance for Breeding Advice Threads*
*Cage sizes.*
*Essentials to a Great Cage*
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*Resource Directory*


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## New2Birdzzz (Aug 28, 2021)

Chicks are a little over. Week. They all have homes except the one that looks blind. I will remove the now butter container when they are old enough. They looked really cramped in the coconut and chicks kept falling out. so I cut up a butter container and made it safe for little feet. They have plenty pf room now! 
I have a large flight cage. I don't remember the exact dimensions of the cage but it is large enough for my adults and I have another carrier cage for the one that might be blind. If it turns out the chick isn't blind then it could stay in the cage with the rest of the adults until I find a home... May just keep it though. All of my chicks have homes.
Why do I need to remove Bex after 3 1/2 weeks? And how would I do that without complete trust? I am try things out that I have read on the forum to help with curbing hormones and training.
currently my birds eat seed, veggies and fruit pellets. I have tried giving them a bit of fresh fruit before but they didn't really show interest. They like the pellets a lot more.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*You need to remove her after 3 1/2 weeks to prevent any aggressiveness toward the chicks AND to prevent any additional clutches.
IF she should lay another egg, you need to dispose of it immediately. Eggs are not viable until they are incubated for a few days.
Laying eggs takes a great deal of energy and depletes the hen's health.
It's better to catch her using a soft cloth (when the time comes) and move her to an individual cage of adequate size at 3 1/2 weeks for a period of time.
Any "lost trust" can quickly be regained by spending time with her on a regular and consistent basis.
Sitting near the cage and talking, singing or reading out-loud will help her to know you are there and do not mean her any harm.
Taming and bonding takes a great deal of time and patience. We can discuss that at a future date.

Right now, you need to get a nest box with a concave bottom and move the chicks into that rather than a makeshift butter dish.
The concave bottom with aspen or pine shavings (not dust!) is necessary to help prevent splayed legs.
Since neither male has been aggressive toward the adult female, one another or the chicks, you may leave the two males in the cage with the chicks when the female is removed.

It's good your budgies are eating pellets. Be sure you offer fresh vegetables as well. You are going to need the babies to learn to eat healthy foods when the time comes.

Why do you think the one chick is blind? Do you have an Avian Veterinarian?
Once that chick reaches 6 weeks old, then you should take it to an Avian Veterinarian for a full evaluation.

Avian Vets have special training to determine the cause of symptoms resulting from illness or trauma.
This is important as "regular" vets will often overlook symptoms that are quickly obvious to an Avian Vet.
When you rely on anyone who has not had training in Avian diagnosis and care, you may be delaying effective treatment.
This can prolong suffering that may be avoidable.
The bird will often require a more intense, prolonged treatment with a poorer chance of full recovery than it would have if you seek prompt professional diagnosis and treatment at the first sign of illness.
If there are no Avian Vets near you, please find an Exotic Pet Veterinarian with experience in dealing with small birds.
Having your budgie examined by an Avian Vet allows you to develop a good relationship with the vet in case your bird needs care for an injury or illness in the future.
Additionally, it is always helpful for the vet to have a baseline for your bird to refer to should it need future treatment.*

*Avian Association of Veterinarians*


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