Ask Lafeber

Motherless baby budgie

Would my female budgie feed baby budgies from another female

Hi,

Unfortunately it is highly unlikely. She is much more likely to kill it instantly. The only way fostering works in birds is that sometimes a bonded pair will sit on another pair’s eggs, and in that case, feed the chicks when they hatch. It’s unlikely a pair would take in already hatched chicks, and a single female wouldn’t know what to do with it other than kill it. I’m not sure the circumstances, but hopefully instinct will kick in and the pair will feed their chicks. They do not feed them as soon as they hatch – the yolk sac has to absorb so it can be hours before the parents feed for the first time.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda