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• Method 1 of 2: Provide the best environment
• Method 2 of 2: Help the chicks to develop

If you have a new baby parakeet, you can help them develop happy and healthy by being watchful and providing the right environment. Let the parents take care of the chick for the first few weeks, but help them where necessary and keep an eye on everything. Once the chick begins to leave the nest, you can begin the weaning process. Once the chick is ready, you can remove it from the nest.

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Method 1 of 2: Provide the best environment

1. Let the parents take care of the newborns. If you have a baby parakeet that you bred at home with a pair of parakeets, it is important to let the parents do most of the grooming work. Part of providing the best environment for the chick is helping the parents so that the chick thrives. The parents are the real experts, so you have to let them do their job. However, always keep an eye on the chick's development.
   • Try to handle a chick as little as possible, especially in the first few weeks.
   • The chick is very fragile, with a long neck that cannot support its head properly yet. Be very careful and move very slowly when you hold it.
2. Provide a dry, dark and warm nest box. The chicks are born blind and naked, so they are very susceptible to environmental factors such as light, heat, cold and moisture. They should stay in the nest box for the first few weeks of life so they can develop in a sheltered area. Make sure the nest box is out of direct light. There must be good air circulation, but the box must be warm and insulated against drafts, cold and moisture.
   • A wooden box with a lot of nesting material, such as regular oat flakes or wood chips made from safe wood, is a good nest box. The parents will build the nest, but a safe, enclosed space, such as a wooden box, can help them feel safe.
   • Usually a cardboard box is considered too weak, wood is preferred.
   • There should be enough room for the birds to move around in the box, but it should be small enough to feel sheltered and safe.
   • Place the box in the cage, but try not to interfere with it too much. Let the parents organize the nest. Attaching the nest box to the outside of the cage is the best option as it leaves more room in the cage.
3. Keep the nest box clean. The chicks 'parents will try to keep the chicks clean, but you can help by making sure the chicks' legs and beaks are not contaminated by soiled bedding or anything else. Once the babies start to feather, you should clean the nest box regularly. Keep an eye out for soiled bedding. Scoop soiled areas out of the box and place fresh bedding in it.
   • Also scrape the wood on the bottom, if necessary.
   • Try to clean the nest box weekly or more often if necessary.
   • Place the chicks in a large bowl, where you have placed a soft towel, while you clean the nest box.

Method 2 of 2: Help the chicks to develop

1. Keep a close eye on the chicks for the first few days. The chicks' parents will take care of them as best they can, but you should monitor the health and development of each chick regularly. If a chick gets sick you may need to see a vet. By the time the chick is a few days old, it should show some bright colors and start gaining weight. A chick with little weight is usually more susceptible to disease or is preyed upon by red mites.
   • If your chick doesn't seem to be developing or gaining weight, consider seeing a vet or hand feeding it if you can.
   • Once your chick starts to feather and they are about an inch long, they should feel strong.
2. Monitor the babies for recoverable developmental problems. If you think a chick is not developing properly, you should contact a veterinarian for expert advice. However, there are also some basic checks you can do at home to help the chick develop healthily. The first of these is to view the underside of the maxilla. If you notice that food accumulates there, it can lead to an undershot beak.
   • If you see food accumulating, gently remove it with a toothpick.
   • If you think your chick is starting to develop spreading legs, try adding some extra bedding to the nest.
   • If the chick cannot stand and sit upright or walk around easily, then it should have spread legs. See if the legs are tilting outwards, instead of sitting directly under the body.
   • If you are unsure or if you think the chick is ill, do not hesitate to contact the vet.
3. Help the chick wean. Once the chick comes out of the nest on its own, you can give the weaning process a helping hand, helping the chick to leave the nest. If you notice that the chick comes out of the nest itself, you can prepare a shallow dish of food and place it at the bottom of the cage. The chick then begins to eat food from the dish with which weaning has begun.
   • Wean the chick at its own pace, but keep a close eye on it to make sure it is eating enough.
   • Provide a small bowl of fresh water so that the chick can learn to drink from it.
   • Keep an eye on the chicks and the parents. If the chicks have not been fed by their parents for at least a week, they have not asked for food, and you see that they are eating seeds and filling their heads well, you can consider them weaned.
4. Remove the chick from the nest. Once a chick is weaned, you can remove it from the nest. This aids the development of the chick and the development of any younger chicks in the nest. Place the weaned chick in a large cage that you have set up separately for young birds. Make sure there is enough food in different places in the cage, but especially in a dish at the bottom of the cage, and that there is always fresh water.
   • Keep a close eye on the young birds and check that they are eating enough.
   • Make sure the bird's crop is full before covering the cage for the night.
   • The crop is where a parakeet stores food. When it is full, you will see a distinct bulge on the front of the chest.
5. Consult the vet. If the chick has developed and is independent, you can make the first appointment with the vet. A vet check will reduce the likelihood of hidden problems developing. The vet can also give you some good tips on how to care for a young bird. Before you go to the vet, it is good to prepare yourself well.
   • List all foods and supplements you give the bird.
   • Make sure you can describe your bird's habitat well. Bring photos if possible.