Ugly Baby!

Here's Chick #2 on day nine.  It looks like this one will have a lot of yellow in his feathers. Momma bird had just eaten a bunch of romaine lettuce, and you can see it in baby's crop.  He's starting to open his eyes.  

Day 8 Parents Feeding Chicks

Both Canary parents are feeding the chicks pretty regularly now.  The chicks have become much more demanding for food and it's all the mother can do to keep up, so she allows the male to help out.  And because the chicks are eating more, my twice-daily feedings have become more plentiful.  Besides a food cup of sprouted seed and quinoa (cooked like rice), the breakfast platter on the cage floor this morning includes a piece of raw corn on the cob (her fav), cottage cheese (his fav), boiled egg, romaine lettuce, a blob of the cooked seed, and a sliver of apple.  I think they're glad I'm an early riser, because they attack that plate as soon as it's in the cage!  The corner of the cage with the nest is dark and the chicks continue sleeping until the parents arrive with full gullets, ready to share.

Canary Chicks Opening Peepers

This is Chick #2.  See the little eye starting to open?  They stay sealed shut the first week, then open little by little.

A size comparison.  Chick #3 looks much smaller than the other two, but he's equally feisty!  Here, they're taking  a rest after being transferred to a kleenex in a warm bowl while I changed out some of the nest bedding.  Momma bird has been pooping in the nest (they're supposed to be neat and clean out baby's poop, but that's not happening.  I was instructed by my friend that raises canaries that the babies would get skin rash if left in damp poo.  Since my birds are very very tame, they don't seem to mind what I do and always go back to the chicks.

Smaller Chick #3 on the left.  Chick #1 (black eyes) on right.
Check out those feathers sprouting from their wings.

Doting parents feeding the babies together.