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Caring for Newborn Lovebirds

Sakina loves birds. She has had pet parrots and budgies. Now she has two lovebirds, one of which is a peach-faced male she hand-raised.

A newborn baby lovebird is a wonderful bundle of joy. Its birth is a happy moment for both the owner and its parents. In this article, we will take a look at the signs that a lovebird egg is going to hatch, how to care for newborn lovebirds, and how to care for the parents, as well.

How Do I Know When Lovebird Eggs Are Going to Hatch?

Lovebirds lay a lot of eggs after mating, but not all of them will hatch into chicks. Generally, out of ten, one or two eggs will hatch. Sometimes, none of the eggs will hatch! At times, it may happen that one chick may be hatched after a mother lovebird lays around 40-50 eggs. This happened in my case with my female lovebird, Lulu.

How do you know if a lovebird egg is going to hatch?

  • You'll see changes in egg color.
  • The mother bird will incubate the egg.
  • You'll notice nesting behavior.
  • The mother bird may become more aggressive.
  • The father lovebird will feed the mother.

Each of these signs is described fully below.

1. Changes in Egg Color

The white color of the eggs changes from a light gray to a dark gray. This indicates that a baby is growing inside the egg.

2. Incubation

If any of the eggs laid by the mother lovebird contain babies, she will sit on them (incubate) continuously without much break. She will appear fluffy and slightly bigger than her normal self. This way, she provides the necessary heat for a chick's growth. This is another obvious sign that a chick may hatch after this period.

Lovebird, Lulu incubating her eggs.

Lovebird, Lulu incubating her eggs.

3. Nesting Behavior

While sitting on her eggs, the mother lovebird will shred paper that you provide for the nesting. This behavior will increase significantly during incubation (nesting behavior). This way she builds a nest for her upcoming babies, which is another sign of hatching.

Lovebirds playing with paper.

Lovebirds playing with paper.

4. Aggression

A mother lovebird tends to be aggressive, especially when we touch her cage. She worries that we may try to harm her eggs. She may try to bite the male lovebird, too. At this stage, try your best to give her space and don't do anything which annoys or angers her.

Lovebirds may get cautious (when their chick is born) when we come closer to their cage.


5. Regurgitation

The mother lovebird sits on her eggs and doesn't eat. The male lovebird feeds her (regurgitation) every few hours and this is an obvious sign of an egg hatching.

My lovebird. Mumu feeding his mate, Lulu by regurgitation.

My lovebird. Mumu feeding his mate, Lulu by regurgitation.

Newborn Baby Lovebird

The first sign of a chick hatching will be its cry. It will make small crying sounds every now and then.

I still remember how my lovebirds, Mumu and Lulu, had their first chick hatched. It was born earlier this year on the 13th of January. Mumu had chirped continuously from his cage, but we didn't know why. We had assumed that maybe he was simply chirping. When I opened his cage covers, I noticed a newborn baby kicking its legs in the air!

Caring for a Baby Lovebird

Baby lovebirds are tiny and delicate and require lots of care. It is really important to follow the points I mentioned below so that your baby lovebird gets cared for properly.

What a Baby Lovebird Needs

  • Support
  • Food
  • Warmth
  • Cleanliness
  • Sleep

1. How to Support a Baby Lovebird

Make sure that the baby lovebird is placed in the nest box. It should be kept between two unhatched eggs for support. This way if the baby rolls around, it will stay remain in the same position.

Lovebird eggs in a nest box. When a chick is born, place it between two eggs for support.


2. Food a Baby Lovebird Needs

Make sure that the baby is being properly fed by the female lovebird; you will notice her feeding the baby. She will bring up food in her beak and feed it to her chick.

Be sure to provide fresh water, healthy foods like corn, spinach, seeds, apple, banana, and crushed egg shells to both the parent lovebirds.

In some cases, it's possible that a female lovebird won't feed the chick properly. In such situations, you should gently take the baby in their hands and try to feed it a little lovebird formula.

3. Keep the Baby Lovebird Warm

Warmth is something that is necessary for a chick's growth. Along with healthy food, it also needs warmth and proper sleep to stay healthy.

Cover your lovebirds' cage even during summers. You can use light pillow covers to do this. In winters, make sure to put baby blankets around the cage so that the chick as well as its parents, stay warm.

If your area has extreme winters, make sure to cover your lovebirds' cage with heavier blankets to provide extra warmth.

Warmth is essential for a lovebird chick's growth. Also, it is important to keep your pets warm during winter.


4. Keep the Cage Clean

Your lovebirds' cage should be cleaned daily, along with the seeds and water bowls, too. Fresh food should be provided whenever required and no food should be kept in the cage for more than two hours.

Towels, papers, and magazines can be used to put over the base of the cage. Besides helping in keeping the cage warm, female lovebirds require papers for shredding and playing.

Clean the dried grass inside the nest box whenever you feel wetness. Ensure the grass is never wet or else the baby might get sick.

5. Sleep

Newborn baby lovebirds are really tiny and require lots of sleep. Ensure that the chick is getting proper and peaceful sleep at all times.

How to Care for Parent Lovebirds

  • Make sure they are well fed.
  • Fresh water and healthy foods should be made available at all times.
  • Seed and water bowls should be cleaned properly.
  • The cage's base should be covered with paper.
  • Make sure your lovebirds are not bored or frustrated. It's important to give them attention too.
  • Let your pets out for playing and make sure they are happy.
  • Ensure that your lovebirds are getting peaceful and uninterrupted sleep for at least 12 hours.

You Can Do It

Hand-raising newborn lovebirds is a difficult task, but with proper care and attention, they can grow into loving and healthy pets. My lovebirds' chick didn't survive for long, but I'm happy that I got the opportunity to raise my male lovebird, Mumu.

Happy hand-raising!

My Lovebirds Playing Chase

Additional Reading


Questions & Answers

Question: My lovebird does not take care of her newborns so they die. This is the third one. Can I take the newborn out and feed it myself? Does it need a cage?

Answer: You can definitely feed the newborn yourself. You don't need a cage, you can place the chick in a brooder filled with dried grass. That will help in keeping it warm.

Question: Can I feed the baby lovebirds by hand and put them back in the nest? Will the parents continue to feed them? Will the parents reject them?

Answer: No, they won't reject them. It's best to feed them once they are at least two weeks old. It is easier to hold and handle them then.

Question: My lovebird is not feeding her newborn hatchlings. Is it ok to put them in a nest box with my other female lovebird and her babies?

Answer: I'm not sure if the other female lovebird will accept the newborn chicks. Try putting them near her. If she doesn't feed them, you need to feed them yourself.

Question: I have three baby lovebirds in the nest. If I take the oldest chick out to start hand-feeding, will the parents still feed the other babies?

Answer: Yes, you can take out the oldest chick and hand-feed him/her. The parents will continue to feed the other babies.

Question: My lovebirds don’t feed the baby after hatching. When & how much should I start feeding my lovebird's hatchling after the next one hatches?

Answer: Please feed a thin formula feed to the chick, 4-5 times a day with a small plastic syringe.

Question: My lovebirds have laid three eggs and one has hatched so far. I haven’t seen the parents feed it. Should I wait and see or feed it myself, if so with what?

Answer: Please feed the chick immediately. You can buy a formula feed for lovebirds from a local pet store. Add lukewarm water to a little formula and make a slightly watery paste. You have to feed this to the chick using a syringe. You can view my article about hand-raising a baby lovebird.

Question: Why is my handfed baby lovebird smacking his tongue on his beak? What does that mean?

Answer: That means the chick (even if he grows up) is rolling his tongue. Birds generally do so when they are ready to sleep and it is a sign of contentment.

Question: My lovebird sits on top of the baby, not next to it. Is that safe?

Answer: It isn't entirely safe, please look into the matter. If the baby is injured in some way, please separate it and keep it in a brooder and hand-feed it yourself.

Question: My lovebirds laid 6 eggs and 2 of them hatched and I took great care of them. Suddenly, one day when I was not at home, both the baby lovebirds were swallowed by a snake. My question is: can I wash the other eggs before they hatch? Will it be a problem?

Answer: That's really sad. I don't think you should wash them.

Question: My lovebird has a clutch of 6 eggs. The last one was laid almost 5 weeks ago and it doesn’t look like they are going to hatch. My female lovebird doesn’t seem to be losing interest in the nest though. She is still spending most of her time inside the nest. Should I just take away the nest box and the eggs? Will this stress her out?

Answer: Just remove the eggs or future ones if they don't hatch within 25 days of laying. Please keep the nest box.

Question: Can I move an egg that was just laid on the bottom of the cage into a nest? Will mama lovebird take care of it?

Answer: Yes, you can take it with a spoon and transfer it to the nest box.

Question: What should you feed a newborn lovebird who has fallen from a tree?

Answer: You can give the newborn lovebird formula feed. It will be available at a local pet store.

Question: We just bought a one-month-old, blue lovebird. I'm in Taiwan and I don't have the things needed for warmth. I use a heater, is that okay?

Answer: You can buy a brooder for your baby lovebird. That will be enough to keep it warm.

Question: I have separated the father, and yes, the baby did pass. But another lovebird has hatched, and the mother seems to be protecting it. If I keep food and water in close reach to her, she won't need his help, right? I don't want him attacking the new babies. Do I remove the dead one? Also, I do not want to incubate them because I am not a professional breeder or anything.

Answer: You don't need to be a professional to do this. Yes, if the food and water are close by, the mother lovebird will find it easier. I hope she doesn't get agitated without the male's company. Please remove the dead lovebird.

Question: I just noticed that my lovebird laid an egg, but it's been a couple of days, and there's only one. Should I be worried that there are no other eggs?

Answer: A female lovebird lays an egg every alternate day (a clutch of 4-6 eggs). Do you see the bottom of your lovebird bulged? That means she is pregnant, but can't lay the egg. If this is so, please give her crushed egg shells and place her in warm water.

Question: My baby lovebirds are hit by their mother. The babies are bleeding. What should I do?

Answer: That's a serious issue. Separate the chicks from the mother lovebird immediately. Apply turmeric powder on the wounds, and give the chicks plenty of rest. Hand feed them if they are younger than 1.5 months of age.

Question: My lovebird hatched five eggs, but only one survived. I keep the birds outside, with temperatures of 18°C at night and 30°C in the day. The place is shady.

The female stays in most of the time. I noticed the little one is breeding fast. Is this normal? Now I have moved the cage inside and temperature is 25°C. The chick is two weeks old and no feathers yet. Any tips are welcome.

Answer: The lovebird chick will have at least some feathers, is it totally skin? And yes, they do grow up quickly. Where do you keep the chick? This is important to consider.

Question: My Lovebird laid four eggs. Two of them hatched and one died. Can I take it out the nesting box?

Answer: Yes, the unhatched eggs must be removed.

Question: Why did my male lovebird throw an egg from the nest?

Answer: The egg might have been touched by someone, or the lovebird might think it's contaminated.

Question: I have 3 lovebird chicks and each bird was born at an interval of 2 days. The first chick is now 2 weeks old which is comparatively bigger than the other two. Does this mean the parents are not feeding the other two lovebirds properly?

Answer: Growth differs in each lovebird. But if this is the case, you need to hold the other two lovebirds and feed them.

Question: One of my neighbors will be giving me two baby lovebirds sometime soon. I am planning on hand-feeding and training them. I was wondering how I would keep the babies warm, since their parents will not be there to sit with them. Will the pillows and blankets be enough to keep these babies warm?

Answer: A brooder is enough to keep two babies warm. You can see a brooder's picture online or view my article, "Hand-Raising a Baby Lovebird: A Personal Experience" for more information. A brooder must be filled with dried grass, and the chicks can be placed on it.

Question: Can I touch young lovebirds with bare hands?

Answer: Yes, you can, but please make sure your hands are clean.

Question: Can I hatch my lovebird's rejected egg?

Answer: Yes, you can. Buy an incubator and place the egg inside it. It will hatch once it has been provided with continuous heat.

Question: What should I do if the mother of the budgie bird is not feeding her 1-day old baby and throwing her out of the nest? How should I feed the baby?

Answer: You can make a very thin formula feed for the chick. Please feed the chick slowly and in a gap of 2 hours.

Question: Our lovebird has eggs, but all them did not hatch. Only two babies came out, and the mother is hitting the baby's head. She is not feeding it and is pushing it down. What should I do?

Answer: Is there a wound on the chick's head? If this is the case, remove the chicks and place them in a brooder; they will be safe there. How old do the chicks look? Try feeding them yourself.

Question: My lovebirds somehow broke their eggs. They had three eggs, then two of them broke. I inspected one of the eggs and saw a baby inside covered in yellow goo. Is there a chance those eggs can survive? One of them just broke a few minutes ago.

Answer: If the chick is alive, you will see movement. If the egg broke before it was time for it to hatch, then the chick won't survive. If possible, you can incubate the eggs yourself (since your lovebirds are breaking the eggs).

Question: Help! The first egg has hatched, but the male began nibbling on the legs, so I thought he was just cleaning it, but I noticed that the legs were red and swollen. He dragged the baby out of the nest and left it. The female didn't look concerned, and they stepped on it on their way in and out of the box. We took both birds out and with a stick, we nudged the baby back in, but the mother doesn't seem to be doing much about it. And the baby does not seem to be squirming nor breathing. What do I do?

Answer: If the baby lovebird doesn't show any movement, it means it's dead. If this is the case (with the parent lovebirds), please keep the eggs in an incubator (they will be safe) and hand-feed the hatchlings.

Question: How and when did you start the weaning process for a lovebird chick?

Answer: I started the weaning process when my lovebird was 1.5 months old. I started placing bits of fruits (banana, apple, grapes - no seeds) near him a couple of times every day. He was scared and made little crying sounds but I continued to place fruits, eventually seeds and veggies (boiled - spinach leaves, corn, chickpeas) in front of him. Eventually, he started eating them on his own. This is a good stage to introduce drinking water to your bird too.

Question: This is the second time my lovebird eggs hatched. But the chicks die within 2 days. What should I do?

Answer: Survival is difficult. Please don't get disheartened.

Question: My two newborn lovebirds fell down from the nest. I put them back in the nest using a coconut husk. The mother bird had killed them the next day. Why?

Answer: It might happens at times that the female lovebird gets aggressive and tend to harm/neglect the lovebirds. Please separate the chicks the next time they hatch and handfeed them yourself.

Question: Can I hand feed newborn lovebirds?

Answer: You can definitely hand feed them. But an age of around 3 weeks in an lovebird makes it easier to handle them.

Question: Why does my male lovebird feed the five-week-old baby lovebirds?

Answer: It's generally the case. Mother lovebirds take care of the chicks initially, then as they mature, the father lovebird feeds them.

Question: A couple of my friend's baby birds died. She thinks she may have done something wrong. But after reading this, I don't think she did. Why do you suppose they died?

Answer: Survival is difficult and death is common in young birds. It's really sad to see this but that's the way it is.

Question: I am living in UAE. My lovebirds are out in the balcony, so what kind of cloth should I cover them with? What kind of seeds should I give them? Can I give them boiled egg shells?

Answer: Please make sure they are not under direct sunlight. Bring them inside, cover them up with a light cotton cloth in summer and a baby blanket in winter. The seeds for lovebirds are available in a local pet store. Yes, you can give tem boiled egg shells (crushed into small bits).

Question: The chick has fallen down from the box and the female lovebird is not allowing it back up. What should I do? Can the baby grow outside of the box, in the cage?

Answer: Please shift the baby in a brooder. It will stay warm and safe there. Place a towel at the bottom of the brooder and fill it halfway with dry grass. Then, place the baby on it.

Question: My baby lovebirds are about 7 weeks old. They're trying to leave the nest, but the parents won’t let them. It’s like they're trying to protect them but it is making them fearful. Can I put them into their own cage?

Answer: Yes, please put them in a separate cage as they are getting mature gradually. Please include lots of safe toys for them.

Question: I have two baby lovebirds that are one week old. When will their feathers show?

Answer: Their feathers will start developing once they are three weeks old. The progress will go on until the chicks are six months old.

Question: My lovebird babies haven't sat up yet. My first is ten-days-old and the other is one-week-old. Should I be worried?

Answer: No, you shouldn't be worried. They will take time (at least three weeks) to gain strength and sit or stand up.

Question: My mother lovebird looks stressed and feathers puffed up today for the first time. Baby chicks need feeding- what can I feed them until I find feeding formula? The only syringes I have are thicker medicine ones and not the thin ones I see in feeding videos.

Answer: You can feed the baby lovebirds mashed banana and apple pulp with a spoon. The mother lovebird might be tired. Please provide her warmth.

Question: Why does the mother lovebird throw one or the other chick out of four chicks from the nest?

Answer: The mother lovebird might be thinking that the chick is contaminated. It can be done for unexplained reasons. If you think the chicks aren't safe, please monitor them closely and separate the ones which the mother lovebird has abandoned.

Question: My budgie's egg has hatched, a baby bird has come out of the egg. We want to train it. After how many days can we remove the baby bird from the pot?

Answer: You can start training the baby budgie once it is around 9 weeks old.

Question: My lovebird laid 3 eggs and 2 of them have cracked. What should I do?

Answer: Please discard the cracked eggs.

Question: My female bird has started getting aggressive with the male and is controlling his every move. She attacks him. What can I do? She now bites too. He is sweet and loving but has started pulling at his feathers. If I let them out she will attack me and him. But if he is just out, he just sits on my shoulder. She recently drew blood from him because I gave him treats by hand. She has now bitten me and drawn blood. There is no nesting box and no eggs anywhere.

Answer: I think she might be molting. Please check if she's itchy or her feathers are falling. Please give her multivitamins and try to keep the birds in separate cages. Please give both of them vessels filled with warm water or spray bath with warm water. It will help them get less itchy.

Question: My lovebird laid 6 eggs about 24 days ago. Only 2 of them were fertile, so I removed the other ones. 9 days back one out of the two eggs hatched but even after so many days the other one didn't hatch. It has turned grey and sometimes, the mother bird doesn't even sit on that egg anymore. What should I do?

Answer: Please discard the egg which has greyed and isn't hatching. It won't hatch, that is why your female lovebird isn't sitting on it.

Question: I think the smallest of the two lovebird hatchlings may have died. Do I leave it for the mother to deal with or do I remove the hatchling?

Answer: Please remove the hatchling immediately.

Question: I have two pairs of lovebirds. One female lovebird flew away from the nest. So I bought one new female lovebird and I put it inside the nest. Now, the old female lovebird is fighting with the new female lovebird. How do I keep my female lovebirds from fighting?

Answer: Please buy another nest box and shift the new female lovebird in it.

Question: My newborn lovebird has fallen from the nest and his 2 legs have been weakened and he cannot walk. His mother is not feeding and him and he's not eating. What should I do?

Answer: Please handfeed the chick yourself. Buy some baby lovebird formula, mix a bit of it with lukewarm water and fill it in a small syringe. Please feed the bird at least 4 times in day.

Question: Our baby lovebird is about 4 weeks old and we’re trying to wean him so that he can eat seeds instead of formula feed. How do I get him to eat the seeds as he won’t eat them?

Answer: Please introduce seeds, bits of apple, banana, corn kernels, spinach leaves and other healthy food items to your bird on a daily basis. The baby bird might be scared for some days but will slow learn to try and eat them. If the bird still doesn't eat, make a big show of eating the food. Also, you can introduce water on a daily basis.

Question: How big is a lovebird?

Answer: A lovebird is around 50g in weight and 5-7 inches (13-17 cm) in height.

Question: My lovebirds eggs hatched. The babies are still in the nest. One of the babies keeps laying flat on its back. Should I be concerned?

Answer: Is the baby being fed properly? If that is okay and the baby is getting enough rest, I don't think you should be concerned.

© 2017 Sakina Nasir


Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on August 05, 2020:

Hi Joy! :)

You can do so or you can feed the chicks yourself. Please keep an eye and check whether the parents are taking care of them or not.


Hi Sunil, I'm so sorry to hear that. You can incubate it if you wish to.

Sunil on August 04, 2020:

Mother love bird died.egg's here what can i do

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on July 09, 2020:

Hi Sharif. Please buy a partner for your single lovebird as soon as possible. Loneliness can make him/her frustrated.

Sharif khan on July 09, 2020:

Ok thank u

But i only have a single parent would that be ok?


Hi Sharif. Yes, please keep the parents in one cage and the chicks in a brooder (it's a plastic box with slits on the top) if your chicks are less than 2 months old. If they are above 2-3 months old, you can keep them in a small cage. Please feed them regularly.

Sharif khan on July 08, 2020:


So should i keep the parent bird in another cage and both the chicks in one

Would that be good for the chicks ?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on July 08, 2020:

Hi Sharif. I'm sorry to hear this but sometimes birds harm their chicks for unexplainable reasons. You can let the other chick be with this one for company.

Sharif khan on July 08, 2020:


They used to play together in one cage before with the parent and other sibling

But now the parent bird only fight with this one and not the other one is there any reason because it’s his baby bird and why is he fighting him


Hi Sharif.

Please feed the baby bird yourself and give him attention. Keep him out for at least 10-15 minutes and pet the head. If possible buy another baby lovebird to keep this one company. Please don't worry.

Sharif khan on July 08, 2020:

Hello so i have one parent love bird and 2 baby birds which are about 4-5 months now but now the parent bird is fighting with the baby bird and even plucking his feather yesterday the baby bird was bleeding so i have to keep it in another cage what do i do now he’s alone and i’m stressed. Please help

Joy on June 12, 2020:


Can we put back lovebird's eggs that been hatched in incubator to the nest box, so that the parent lovebirds feed the babies?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on May 20, 2020:

Hi Cheyenne. :)

Please handfeed them as soon as possible. They need lots of nutrition as they're young to grow well. A heat pad isn't required if there is enough warmth at your place.

Cheyenne on May 20, 2020:

My lovebirds had four babies and the 2 biggest are eatting most of the food were the 2 smallest get very little. Should I get formula and start hand feeding them? Also, should I get a heated pad for them

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on May 03, 2020:

Hi Pallavi.

Please separate the chick which is abandoned. The mother lovebird must be doing this for unexplained reasons.

Pallavi on May 03, 2020:

Hello! My question is why do mother love bird throw one or other the chick out of few from the nest in our house,?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on April 27, 2020:

Please discard the unhatched egg. The female lovebird isn't sitting on it because she knows it won't hatch.

Neha on April 27, 2020:

My lovebird laid 6 eggs around 24 days ago. Only 2 of them were fertile so we removed the other eggs. One out of the 2 eggs hatched 9 days back. But the other egg didn't hatch yet and it also turned gray. What should I do?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on April 14, 2020:

Hi Sharif. Yes, it would be better to let him get checked. I hope the chick is not born with weak legs.

Sharif khan on April 14, 2020:


So you know i have 3 baby love birds so the youngest one is not able to walk and i think his leg and wing is not build up properly he rest at the same place an try to walk but couldn’t his one leg is active and other one is not should i take him to a vet?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on April 13, 2020:

That's completely normal. Please don't worry. He is only protecting the baby lovebirds.

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Sharif khan on April 13, 2020:

Thank you so much!!!

Now I don’t have worry

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on April 12, 2020:

It is okay. It is only an instinct to protect the lovebirds.

Sharif khan on April 12, 2020:


So all the baby love birds are in the nest and he sleeps outside protecting sometimes he sleeps on his stomach but most of the time He’s standing straight and sleep next to the nest


Hello Sharif. Is the male lovebird sleeping on his stomach? If so he might be trying to give warmth to the baby lovebirds.

Sharif khan on April 12, 2020:


As my male love bird is sleeping on both the legs as i’ve read that its not a good sign do i need to worry or maybe he’s just protecting baby love birds?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on April 08, 2020:

Hi Sharif.

Please don't place her in the same cage. Keep her in a separate cage for a few days. Then if they seem comfortable around each other, you can shift them to one cage.

Sharif khan on April 08, 2020:


As u said to get a new female bird for my male love bird but as i put her in the cage and they started fighting as i walked 4km to get her because of lockdown and they are fighting is this a good sign?

Sarahjane1970 on April 07, 2020:

Thank you x

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on April 07, 2020:

Hi Sharif Khan. Please get a female lovebird for the male lovebird as soon as possible. Please try to hand feed the chicks using a small syringe and get baby lovebird formula feed. It will be available in a local pet store.

Sharif khan on April 07, 2020:


As I was cleaning my bird’s cage one of the mother bird flew and never came back,She had 3 baby love birds and one male bird left behind.I am really stressed and concerned about the male bird will cope up or end up in depression apart from that would he feed to his baby love birds which are just 2-3 week old now!


Hi SarahJane! :)

Yes, please keep trying to feed from the syringe and pet the bird after feeding is done. This will calm the bird and help build the bonding too.

Please take the chick out for at least half an hour in a day. Make sure the chick is getting warmth but light as well.

Sarahjane1970 on April 07, 2020:

We separated our 3 week old chick yesterday as the dad seemed very stressed and was plucking out his own feathers..he seems much better now the chick has gone..but I am struggling to get the chick to accept feeding from the syringe..I think I should try every couple of hours until it takes more at a time,but am worried that I might be stressing it out too much by trying that..also we have currently got the chick in a warm cupboard,but I’m worried that it needs some more light at times or is it better off in the dark

Debbie on April 01, 2020:

Thank you Sakina.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on March 31, 2020:

Hi Debbie! :)

It would be better if you transfer the chicks to a nest box when they are 3 weeks old. No, I don't think the mother lovebird will reject them.

Debbie on March 31, 2020:

Thank you for your advice.

I want to transfer the babies to a proper nesting box when they are about 2 weeks old. Will the mumma reject them if I do.

Many thanks

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on March 29, 2020:

Hi Debbie. :)

You will have to watch over the feeding process. Some mother birds let the chicks stay in the nest for a longer time, others let them out once they are 3 or 4 weeks old.

If the mother bird stops feeding the chicks, you will have to hand-feed them.

Debbie on March 29, 2020:


My lovebirds eggs have hatched, not sure how many because I can not see in. My question is, can I leave the mother lovebird to fed them until they are 8 weeks ( if they survive).

Would appreciate some advice please.

Nivetha on February 18, 2020:

Your tips are awsome

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on January 27, 2020:

@Shoban Hi!

I think the lovebird isn't attached to her chicks or thinks they are "dirty". Please feed the chicks yourself.

Shoban on January 27, 2020:

My love bird just hatched egg and give birth 2 chicks. Only by a week it starts to not feed them and they die. The mother chick not even go in to the chicks cage at all ... why .

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on December 31, 2019:

@ Renee Please open the nesting box and remove the chick with your hand.

Renee on December 31, 2019:

Baby love died in nesting box. Whats procedure for removing dead baby love bird

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on December 22, 2019:

@Iqra Hi! :) You can definitely do so. The mother won't reject the chick.

Iqra on December 22, 2019:

Hi, i was wondering... can i take the baby Lovebird out of the nest box, hold him, and then put him back in? Will the Mother reject him?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on December 20, 2019:

Hi Eric. :)

Bands need to be put when the lovebird is a hatchling. Once it has reached maturity, the band will become a permanent fixture.

Personally, I think it's better to avoid bands. When I had bought Lulu home from the pet store, she had a leg band. She was really irritated by it on a daily basis.

Eric on December 20, 2019:

How old does the baby have to be to put a closed leg band

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on December 18, 2019:

Hi Jasmine! :)

That is to provide warmth. I hope she's not suffocating the baby. If you think so, please separate the chick for some time in a day.

Jasmine on December 17, 2019:

Hi Sakina this is Jasmine here. One of my lovebird egg has hatched and the mother is sitting on the baby. Why is she sitting on the baby?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on December 07, 2019:

Hi Someone! :)

She had laid that many during the time she was with us.

Someone on December 07, 2019:

Umm a lovebird does not lay 40-50 eggs they only lay about 4,5-7 they don’t lay that many

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 05, 2019:

Hi Bless! :)

You can incubate the eggs yourself if you wish to.

Bless on November 05, 2019:

Helooo..i have 2 love birds whichnstarted laying eggs.. but the birds breaked the eggs. What to do should i keep the eggs seperate? Pls advice me

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on October 22, 2019:

Hi Tanya! :)

There's no special diet, but you can give them fruits like apple, bananas (without seeds) and veggies like spinach leaves, boiled beans, corn and crushed egg shells.

Tanya on October 22, 2019:

Hi my love birds have started mateing and are nesting should i feed them a special diet??. If so can u please let me know thankyou

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on August 11, 2019:

@Jennifer Dollmaier Thank you so much! I'm really glad you think so. I'm so happy for you. :)



Jennifer Dollmaier on August 11, 2019:

I cannot thank you enough, Sakina! My lovebirds recently had eggs and with your help I now have four very healthy babies. You should be really proud of your forum and how many birds and humans it has helped. I've learned so much from you.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on July 17, 2019:

@Rizwana Please make sure the parent lovebirds are being fed well. Give them spinach leaves, crushed egg shells, corn kernels, fresh fruits like banana, apple and grapes (no seeds to be given). Nutrition is required for good health.

Rizwana on July 17, 2019:

Thanks ...plsss give me some suggestions for lovebirds nd their chick....at this stage ..like egg hatching and all..

Thanks again


@Rizwana Please don't panic. Survival is difficult in young birds, especially newborns. Not all chicks live, I have faced this as well. It's upto nature to unfold the survival.

Rizwana on July 16, 2019:

My lovebirds chick die in two ...I don't know why ..what the reason???plss tell what should I do .. I'm worried about it

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on June 28, 2019:

@Cecilia I'm so sorry to hear this... I can't imagine the pain you must be going through. :(

Cecilia on June 28, 2019:

The person who said both her love birds died in the morning leaving behind their eggs. OMG !!! What a heart breaking story! I just lost my girl of18 yrs. I have her first born and her mate. But not a day goes by that I don't cry she has only been gone for 2 months. I miss her so much. Love birds mate for life. I thought I was going to lose him too. I can't imagine the pain that person experienced. Loosing 2at once. Then the uncertainty of the eggs left behind. I'm getting choked up now just thinking about it. I'm so sorry for her.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on May 18, 2019:

@Caitlyn That's great news! I'm happy for you. :)

Caitlyn on May 18, 2019:

I removed the chick, and went to the local pet shop where I got food and a heating pad as well as a syringe. I warmed it up in my hands and have now placed it on the heating pad. Things are looking better for the baby now as it is moving around a lot more where as before it was just lying still trying to keep itself warm. Thank you so much


@Caitlyn Hi! Please take out the chick and take care of it yourself. I hope things turn out well.




@Anonymous Hi! I think the egg is infertile. Please take it out and discard it. You can incubate them yourself, but they should be fertile first. Hope this helps.



Caitlyn on May 18, 2019:

My lovebird pair laid 4 eggs and they all hatched, this morning when I checked I saw that 3 of the babies had died (I followed your above advice and removed them) but now the mom is spending more time out the nesting box than in it. Should I leave the baby or take it out and care for it?

Anonymous on May 17, 2019:


I have two (male and female) peach-faced lovebirds and have laid eggs. There was two eggs, and they had been sitting on the eggs constantly for a while, but sadly one day I found one of the eggs, broken at the bottom of the cage. I'm not sure if it means there was something wrong with the egg, but now there is still one egg in the nest and it has been about a month (maybe more) and it still hasn't hatched. Does it mean they won't hatch at all? Is there a problem with the egg? Should I take the egg out? After some research, I realised a lot of people incubate their eggs outside of the cage (with an incubator), but I don't really want to do that. Is it still ok to take the egg out, check if there is a chick in it, then put it back in? I'm sort of stuck, so do you have any suggestions? Thanks!

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on April 11, 2019:

Hi Anon! :)

If the crop is bulged or appears like a ball, it means the chick is not hungry. If it's flat, it means he/she is hungry. Chicks tend to chirp and be active. Try to pet him/her more and see if he/she falls asleep for a longer time.

Anon on April 11, 2019:

Hi there, I'm hand raising a 20-25day old chick, he has some air in his crop which is quite visable on feeding, is this normal? Also the little chick is super super noisy constantly chirping away and doesn't seem to sleep very much. It'll fall asleep briefly when cupped in my hands but rarely for longer than a few mins. Any sugestions? Thanks in advance

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on March 23, 2019:

Please give your birds multivitamins. They are supposed to eat try giving them spinach leaves or different food items. The bird formula will be available in a local pet store.

Helen on March 23, 2019:

Hi - our lovebird mumma is pulling her feathers out and looks really scruffy now - I'm slightly worried! She's seems OK in herself but just looks poorly. She chucks the bedding we give her out and when we've left fresh foods for her she doesn't eat them - nor does Daddy bird. Is there anything more we could be doing? Also - where do you get the baby bird formula? Do you make it yourself or can you buy it? Many thanks!!!

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on February 20, 2019:

I'm really sorry to hear this. Was Peaches feeding these chicks as well? Did Kisses assume Peaches would feed the chicks?

Linda on February 20, 2019:

My lovebrid kisses hatched 3 eggs was feeding them well until my other female lovebrid peaches went into the nest and kisses let the babies die why is this I'm so sad

Naeem on February 04, 2019:

Thanks for sharing the details

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on January 27, 2019:

@Shaun99 Hi! Thank you so much for the warm words. I think something must have scared the chick. Is there anything new in the environment? Please feed the bird (even though he/she is trying to run away). I would suggest you to bond with the bird, pet his/her head after feeding is done and gently put them to sleep. I hope the chick will not be scared. Feeding is important, or else the chick may become weak and may not be able to survive. Please feed the bird the same amount like before. Don't let him/her run away.

Shaun99 on January 27, 2019:

Hi Sakina

Your posts are really informative thanks. I have a quick question, I bot a 3 week old chick 10 days ago and was handing feeding it with appropriate formula and it used happily eat around 5ml, but suddenly since last 2 days it's hardly eating 1ml even thou it cries and the crop is almost empty, when I try to feed it just tries to run away and doesn't want to open its mouth, any idea why is it behaving this way?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on January 17, 2019:

@James Hi! :) Parent lovebirds are ready since the eggs are laid. It doesn't take any extra time.

james on January 17, 2019:

When the baby lovebirds hatch their eggs, how long it takes for them ready for parenting?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on December 26, 2018:

@Anonymous Broken eggs don't survive. I'm sorry. Let the lovebird lay eggs next time.

anonymous on December 26, 2018:

can broken eggs survive? what should i do? my lovebird had only one egg left. i cant even afford to make or buy a incubator

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on December 10, 2018:

Why did you give heavy food to your bird? Lovebird babies are supposed to be given thin bird formula.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on October 25, 2018:

@Sandhya Hi! Please remove the dead chicks from the nest box.

Sandhya on October 25, 2018:

My love bird lay 5eggs 3 hatched and 2died inside the pot what should I do? Can I leave the dead ones inside the pot or should I take out please suggest mam

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on October 24, 2018:

@Radhika Hi! You can feed them little amounts of pulp made from fresh fruits like apple. Give them a little amount of mashed banana, corn and spinach leaves. These foods are healthy for them.

RADHIKA on October 24, 2018:

My Lovebirds are not feeding the babies and not making them warm , they are not caring the babies . I think i must take a proper action . I think i must take or of them . But i dont know what to feed and where the food get and there are no petshops here. Can we make food for them , if we can make something please tell how to do this ? please reply fastly

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on August 08, 2018:

@Chandana Hi! :) Give your lovebirds seeds, apples, bananas, corn, spinach leaves and crushed egg shells. These foods help them stay healthy. The babies will be fed by the mother lovebird.

Chandana on August 08, 2018:

Hi....,..I want to know that what are the best food for love birds and their babes....

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on June 23, 2018:

@Mimi2008 Hi! :) That's a common issue in lovebirds, especially females who tend to get aggressive. What you can do is, separate the baby lovebird and put him/her in a small brooder or cage if preferable (since the chick is 5 weeks old). Keep the door of the chick's cage open so that the mother lovebird can get access to it. Do keep it mind that the chick may find it uncomfortable if placed in the cage. So, keep him/her at least for one hour in another cage and put them back near the mother lovebird. The father lovebird, if kept in another cage, will feel lonely without the female. So, I don't think it's okay, but if the problem continues, do try keeping the male away and see what happens. Hope this helps.

Mimi2008 on June 23, 2018:

HI !☺,I have a few urgent questions that I would really like you to awnser please.the mother keeps attacking the father because she is being protective over her 5 week old baby, and the mother keeps on being extremely aggressive and won't let the father eat or drink .we are wondering if we should move the father out of the cage and seperate the mother from the father . And if we should seperate them, then how long should we seperate them?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on June 21, 2018:

@Dfair13280 That's good to hear. :) Are the baby lovebirds liking this three-tier cage? Are the parent lovebirds okay with it?

Dfair13280 on June 21, 2018:

Ok ty I also built a large cage into a three tier and put them on top with access to middle cage where mom and dad are that can be sealed.


@Dfair13280 If this is the case, keep the baby lovebirds in their own cage for an hour or so, not for the whole day. Since it's a new environment, they will take time to settle in.

I did mention before that if the bird doesn't like the cage, he/she will show discomfort. Please don't let them be depressed.

Let them stay in the cage for an hour or so and let them out and place them with their mother. Don't let them cry for that long. :(

Dfair13280 on June 20, 2018:

Ok I put them in their own cage for only the day they kept crying and mom did too so I will let them spend days in their own cage for a week before permanently moving them. My heart was breaking from the crying.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on June 17, 2018:

Dfair13280 Yes, you can put your lovebirds in a cage and make sure you include safe toys and perches for them. Since they're new to that environment, they may take time to settle in it.

Do keep those 3 tents at the base of the cage as well, they will get a sense of familiarity.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Dfair13280 on June 16, 2018:

Can I put them in their own cage now?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on June 14, 2018:

@Mimi2008 Hi! :) Okay, what you can do is, place the chick in a brooder. You can feed him/her lovebird formula by now. (If you want to, you can check out my article "Hand-Raising a Baby Lovebird: A Personal Experience" for more information.)

So, when you place the chick in a brooder (close to the cage), you can feed him/her and also keep the lid open. The mother lovebird can come out of the cage and climb the brooder if she wants access to the chick.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Mimi2008 on June 14, 2018:

Hi, My baby bird is 3 weeks and 4 days old and when I try to take it out of the cage the mother becomes EXTREMELY aggressive, when I take it out it's very difficult to put the baby back in the nest box. I am not sure if I should be removing the nest box and if I should keep the baby in the same cage. I want to be able to play with baby but still give access to the mother to feed it.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on June 09, 2018:

@Dfair13280 Those sound exquisite. :) Thanks for sharing.

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