Hi Poohdog, Hawksport et al. Long time no talk. I am now down to 2 canaries in a small cage, kept indoors most of the time. I lost the old girl to the cold one night. I cried and gave her a proper burial. My little lemon yellow female has produced 6 eggs this year of which I have disposed of 4. 2 remained and 1 hatched out 4 days ago. The male feeds her and she feeds the baby, but for 24 hours I have not seen them do that. The baby is still breathing but looks weak. The other (presumably sterile) egg is still in the nest. I cant get near it. Please help. What should I do if anything? They have water, seed, hardboiled egg and shell, millet, apple and fresh grass seeds etc.
PS I did not really want the responsibilty of babies, and the owner who gave me them said, even today, he thought they were too old. Obviously you are never too old! Jacqui

Thanks Hawksport. Good advice. Mother and baby progressing nicely, dad feeds mum, mum feeds baby now 4 times the size of the old egg which is still in nest. Will they chuck it out? Babes eyes still shut but beak opens. How long before it gets eyes, feathers, a proper bird I can proudly show a pic of?
Jacqui

Hi folks, Mother and baby doing well, now nearly 2 weeks old, slightly feathery, eyes open, cheeps for food, stretching its wings today. How soon before it leaves nest? Will 3 birds be too many in a small cage? How will I know what sex it is? Jacqui

Another cage might be wise alongside...but make sure it's weaned and self feeding and drinking first.

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How do I know it is weaned? Help, panic, it has come out of the nest into the food tray below. Do I leave the parents to get it back up into the nest or try to move it myself? Jacqui

You can pop it back in...depends whether it can fly or not...Weaning takes about 3 weeks after leaving the nest.

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Hi Poohdog, baby got back up to nest on its own and has since been popping in and out. Not much room in the cage to fly, but it flutters about. Have seen it feeding from food tray, but not yet going to water. As it is so little is there a risk it might fall in? Jacqui

Keep water in a shallow dish or dispenser.

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Hi Poohdog, Baby is no longer allowed in nest as mother has laid 3 more eggs which I have removed. Can I keep removing them as I do not want any more babies? They may not be fertile but I dare not risk it. Will it hurt her to keep laying, and will she stop on her own? Worried, Jacqui

Hard boil the eggs and put them back...she will stop sitting in her own good time.If you remove them she will keep laying.Don't worry about the young 'un...it doesn't need a nest now.

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