Baby chick out of nesting box

[Pyxis]

Chick has escaped again. I wasnt able to monitor whether the mum was pushing it out or not. Should I attempt to put it back in? The hen is always in the box so I think there must be more eggs but I can't say for sure. When I looked earlier I could see the chick near the hole. What should I do? Shall I try to put it back?

It's too young to be out yet, so it does need to go back in. They aren't ready to be out until four weeks old.

You may need to do as that article I linked says and separate the mom so the dad can finish raising the baby. If she's started another clutch again already, that's not great. You'll need to get in the nest box to check and see what's going on in there.

 

[Bina163]

It's too young to be out yet, so it does need to go back in. They aren't ready to be out until four weeks old.

You may need to do as that article I linked says and separate the mom so the dad can finish raising the baby. If she's started another clutch again already, that's not great. You'll need to get in the nest box to check and see what's going on in there.

I put it back in. I had a quick peek with a small torch I couldn't see anymore babies so I wonder if she has eggs or is about to lay. Also when it went back in the box it went and sort of faced the corner right at the end if the box like it was sat in the cage. Is this normal? I cant wait for my husband to get back on sunday!

 

[Pyxis]

I put it back in. I had a quick peek with a small torch I couldn't see anymore babies so I wonder if she has eggs or is about to lay. Also when it went back in the box it went and sort of faced the corner right at the end if the box like it was sat in the cage. Is this normal? I cant wait for my husband to get back on sunday!

If it hasn't been handled much and the parents aren't tame so it isn't learning to trust people from them, it was probably just scared of you and hiding, which is totally normal. Since the opening of the nesting box is so low, it might just keep falling out accidentally, it might not be the hen driving it out. If you're not seeing aggression from her, I'd assume the baby keeps falling out accidentally, especially since it was able to fall out at five days old when it was much smaller and less mobile than now.

 

[Bina163]

If it hasn't been handled much and the parents aren't tame so it isn't learning to trust people from them, it was probably just scared of you and hiding, which is totally normal. Since the opening of the nesting box is so low, it might just keep falling out accidentally, it might not be the hen driving it out. If you're not seeing aggression from her, I'd assume the baby keeps falling out accidentally, especially since it was able to fall out at five days old when it was much smaller and less mobile than now.

Yeh I would feed the chick. But I've heard you cant go back from that and to be honest I like seeing the bond they have as parents with it. They waited so long for a chick and its finally here it would feel wrong. But I'll still keep an eye out just in case. We tend not to handle them as they're not tame and we didnt have the parents as babies, but also we just get pleasure from listening to them and watching them really.

 

[ChaddiX]

Throw some millet in the nest box. It'll keep everyone happier and calm. If you have new parents the millet will help... especially if the parents preen the chicks too much to the point they eat them or tear them apart.
if you plan to wean that chick I recommend abundance weaning and have fresh chop food in large, shallow dishes.

 

[Bina163]

When you say wean do you mean feed it myself? Sorry not up with the lingo also the millet that you can usually hang in the cage is that the one you mean for the nest box? Sorry, I'm such a newbie. Thank you for your reply.

 

[Quailobsessed]

When you say wean do you mean feed it myself? Sorry not up with the lingo also the millet that you can usually hang in the cage is that the one you mean for the nest box? Sorry, I'm such a newbie. Thank you for your reply.

Yes, weaning is when the chick eats on it's own and rejects the parent's food. You are also correct on the millet

Try to provide the chick with a variety of foods during weaning. The more variety they get as chicks, the more willing they are to eat new things.

 

[NuggetTheChicken]

I think it is perfectly fine that the chick is coming out of the nest. I have bred budgies, and what I find is that they are curious little guys and sometimes try to fly which results in them falling out. That chick looks to be around 4 weeks old, around weaning age. Leave a large bowl of food on the floor for it. Looks like you have a pretty albino budgie. Switch the nesting box with something deep and that has a few doors, something like this

Make sure it isn't flat inside but concave

 

[Bina163]

I think it is perfectly fine that the chick is coming out of the nest. I have bred budgies, and what I find is that they are curious little guys and sometimes try to fly which results in them falling out. That chick looks to be around 4 weeks old, around weaning age. Leave a large bowl of food on the floor for it. Looks like you have a pretty albino budgie. Switch the nesting box with something deep and that has a few doors, something like this
View attachment 2009651

Make sure it isn't flat inside but concave

I think it's a curious fella too. The second time it came out it wandered all around the bottom of the cage. Only when I tried to pick it up did it run into the back corner and not move. Plus I think the box is getting too small for it. Someone has suggested chick crumbs? Should I put that into a bowl for it when resurfaces again?

 

[Bina163]

I think it's a curious fella too. The second time it came out it wandered all around the bottom of the cage. Only when I tried to pick it up did it run into the back corner and not move. Plus I think the box is getting too small for it. Someone has suggested chick crumbs? Should I put that into a bowl for it when resurfaces again?

And yes I did find its colour strange considering mum and dad are both blue. I figured it might change but its completely white with a hint of brown. Beautiful.