why babies die?

[shortncrazy2]

Ok, so I am fostering a pair if lovebirds with babies. They had 5 babies at first, but baby 5 passed away at 3 days old and today baby 4 passed away at 8 days old.
Baby 5 looked like it wasn't being fed (thought maybe the bigger babies kept getting in the way)
Baby 4's crop was full of like an air.

Baby 1,2,3 are learning how to move around the nest now. I don't know if they stepped on baby 4, got cold because the others were not there to cuddle, how the air got in it's crop, if the parents quit feeding it. I have so many questions going through my head- might never know the answer.

anyways, baby 3 will be 2 weeks tomorrow- I was going to hold off till baby 4 was 2 weeks, but now I feel like getting the babies out of the nest to make sure that they are being fed properly. After two babies dieing in a short time.
Plus I have noticed that the mother bird has been getting very moody lately, don't know if that has anything to do with it.

I don't know if any of this is a real question...but if you have any comment or suggestions... feel free to offer them.

[Monica]

Without a necropsy it's hard to say why they died... from cold, from being starved (cause the older ones are stronger), from being squished, birth defects, etc. First time parents also tend to make lousy parents... until they can learn how to get things right, which requires experience.

[shortncrazy2]

thanks for your reply. I was pretty upset earlier when I found out about number 4...

[Cindy215]

Originally Posted by Monica

Without a necropsy it's hard to say why they died... from cold, from being starved (cause the older ones are stronger), from being squished, birth defects, etc. First time parents also tend to make lousy parents... until they can learn how to get things right, which requires experience.

Ditto Monica. AND the parents also need to have the right food. Soft foods. Nearby. And need to be in breeding condition from the previous year before ever mating.

[shortncrazy2]

Well, the lady I am fostering for just bought the female a few months back and now she was wondering if she was breed to much and is just wore out for all of it. Since she has been very moody lately.
So tonight we pulled the other babies. I have the brooder warming for them now....

[LilacCrownedAmazonLover]

hey its birbreeder1990

from tailfeathers

[birdsnreps]

there are so many reasons that babies can die :( first time parents are usually not all that great. what everyeone else said could be correct, and another thing you might wanna think about is whether or not you were checking their nestbox, and how the parents were reacting. if you were checking on them a little too much, the parents could have gotten very irritated and they may have kicked or stepped on the babies and injured them badly enough that they died. some parent birds, even if you only check once a day can stil become very upset. baby birds have very soft bodies, soft skin, soft bones, everything is very soft, and very delicate, it doesnt take much to injure or kill a tiny hatchling :(

[2horse]

Everyone is right. Maybe the parents are just too inexperienced. If you have already taken the babies, please take away the nest box to stop another clutch. I don't think it is breeding season in the northern hemisphere right now. Next year after some good food over the winter the parents will be in condition to breed and successfully raise babies.