baby bird not eating

[Karran]

I think my cockatiel chick is dying.
he came out of the nest far too early and is half naked. The others were tormenting him so I put him in a cage with a clutchmate. The mother could feed him through the bars.
Today it became noticeable the other baby was bullying him. Brought him indoors and settled with warm lamp.
tried to syringe feed him with a melted weetabix biscuit in warm water but apart from a couple of nibbles he was too weak to eat or want to try.
his crop is empty so I fear the worst

 

[Karran]

Was too late to get special chick feed but will be out asap if he lives.
gave him a little seed and a little weetabix mix in separate pots.
Not sure what else I can do, I feel awful leaving him but awful tormenting him as well.

 

[Tizzy]

Iv just been playing foster mum to some chicks that came out their nest.

Cutting a long story short I ended up taking them home and have spent an age trying to feed them. I have cut up meal worms for them and fed it to them via tweezers, sometimes it would take me a lot of coaxing and gently rubbing the food up and down the beak to encourage them to open for me to pop the worm in. Eventually they do it but you do have to persist, gently.

I was feeding every 1-2 hours, depending on when they woke up again.

It's all about patience and perseverance. You can only try your best, and it's not always easy!

Good luck with baby chick.

 

[Alexart]

If he hasn't been getting enough food then he'll be dehydrated too - firstly I'd get fluids into him rather than food for an hour or 2 - mix some sugar/honey in some warm water and syringe it down him. That should perk him up a bit and give him a little bit of energy, I'd also be doing it every hour through the night just to get him going again, once he's a bit perkier try with a sloppy mix of the weetabix and some honey, if he takes that and he lives through till tomorrow then get your hands on some parrot hand rearing food.
From my experience when the parents or siblings start attacking one particular baby there is usually something wrong with it that they are picking up on, I've hand reared lots of baby birds and the ones which have been like this usually don't survive, but it is always worth trying and giving them a chance as you never know, I've had a few that I never thought would make it and they did! Good luck let us know how the little mite does!

 

[Karran]

Little baby was very weak when I got home from the yard and didn't want to eat the syringe food I had made for him. His crop felt very empty and he kept closing his eyes and wobbling as he was sat on my knee.

You can make out his bald back and he's got a bloody stump where a tail should be.
He looks worse the other side of him.
Went to bed and made this despairing thread thinking he'd be dead by morning and feeling awful.
Morning came and he was still alive! albeit a crumpled heap on the floor. Got some water into him and again he refused the syringe. Rushed down to my local Pets at Home and got some egg food crumbly stuff for him.
I've made it into mush and left it dry and placed it on the floor with some seed and water for him.
I think he's older than I first thought as he was able to feed himself. He's still very weak and wobbly and seems to have a problem bearing weight on one foot but everyday I think is a bonus and hopefull he'll carry on getting a little stronger

I don't understand why he's in this much of a state. His two other clutchmates are fine and I've never had to intervene before like this.

 

[AmyMay]

At this stage I'd be taking him to the vets.

 

[Karran]

TBH I would, but the vets near me are awful for anything unless its dog/cat/rabbit they know nothing and I've had to correct them in the past - advising me to feed unsuitable food to my tortoise and telling me point blank they couldn't look after a previously sick budgie, so I'm a bit unconvinced about taking him there!
I mostly manage to nurse the birds along ok on my own, luckily *touches wooden desk frantically* they are pretty healthy and I've never had any real problems before.
I'm hoping a few more days with warmth and food and no torment from any of the others and he'll carry on making a good recovery, although it'll be a long time before I risk returning him to the aviary and may keep him as a house pet.