Monday, July 10, 2017

Graduation Day?


 quick post here.  The big chick was 4 weeks and 2 days old on the 4th of July when (s)he flew from the nest box, never to return.  (S)he's now a full time resident of the flight cage, the adults still feed her, but not much, she feeds from the seed cups regularly and we have started making Parakeet Salad to help boost growth.  Parakeet Salad you say? Simple recipe really; small dice three parakeets, add two cups of  ....hey just kidding.  More on Parakeet Salad down the road.

Anyway, what I am getting at is that the little chick is still in the nest box.  We've opened the door to the nest box so that if/when he wants he can just step out on a perch I put there for him.  As it happens this makes it super easy for the adults, mom, dad, and even Uncle Oliver to feed him.  He hangs out there and the adults come to the perch and feed him.  This may be in the process of backfiring, perhaps he'll never see the need to fly so long as the adults keep feeding him.

It is a good thing actually, I have been weighing him since the big chick flew, to see if he has been maintaining or gaining weight.  He actually lost weight recently, went from 37 grams on the 6th, down to 35 grams yesterday.  He's getting bigger now, was 36 grams tonight, I think the Parakeet Salad is helping.

Anyway here are your chick pics for today:

At The Weigh In

doesn't feel very hefty to me


And back in the nest box waiting for someone to feed him

These may be the last pics of him being held, once they fly they don't just automatically sit on your finger. We have heard him in the nest box fanning his little wings practicing up for the real thing.  Perhaps he'll be perched out in the flight cage tomorrow afternoon. 

Little chick will be 4 weeks and 2 days old tomorrow.



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