Age Stages and Milestones 

Raising a baby budgie by hand requires knowing exactly what to expect at every stage of their growth. From the moment they hatch to the point they start flying, each week comes with big changes in behavior, appearance, and care needs.

Below is a full guide to help you understand how your budgie chick develops and what to do at each stage.

🐣 0 to 7 Days Old – The Newborn Stage

In the first week of life, budgie chicks are incredibly fragile. They are completely blind, have no feathers, and their skin is pink and soft. They sleep most of the time and will only make soft chirps when hungry.

Their body temperature must be carefully maintained using a brooder set between 35–37°C (95–98°F). At this age, you’ll need to feed them hand-rearing formula every 2 to 3 hours, including overnight. The crop must be monitored closely to make sure it's not overfilled or left full for too long.

This stage is the most sensitive — avoid unnecessary handling and focus on warmth, quiet, and cleanliness.

👁️ 7 to 14 Days Old – Eyes Open and Pin Feathers

Around day 8 to 10, the chick’s eyes will begin to open. You’ll also start to see “pin feathers,” which look like little spiky tubes poking through the skin — these are the early stages of feather growth.

The chick will begin reacting more to light and touch, and may start stretching and lifting its head. It will also chirp more loudly when hungry. You can gently start to interact during feeding time, using calm voices and soft touches to get them used to human contact.

Temperature can be slightly lowered to about 33–35°C (91–95°F), and you’ll likely still be feeding every 3 hours. At this point, you can start weighing the chick daily to make sure it's gaining weight properly.

🪶 14 to 21 Days Old – Growing Feathers and Getting Curious

Now the chick will begin to look less alien and more like a bird! Feathers will start coming in on the wings, head, and body, giving it a patchy look. Their movements will become more confident, and they may begin preening, nibbling, or stretching more often.

By this age, chicks are generally strong enough for gentle daily handling. Speaking softly and allowing short interaction sessions will help them grow into tame, confident birds.

They’ll need to be fed about every 4 hours, and the temperature in the brooder can be adjusted to around 30–32°C (86–90°F). You can also begin providing soft bedding or nesting material for comfort.

🐥 21 to 28 Days Old – Exploring and Learning

This is one of the most exciting stages. The chick will now be mostly feathered and starting to look like a real budgie. You’ll notice them trying to perch, climb, or flutter their wings.

Their curiosity is increasing, and they’ll begin interacting with their surroundings. This is the perfect time to start introducing soft weaning foods near them, such as millet spray or mashed vegetables, while still offering hand-rearing formula.

The temperature can be dropped again to about 28–30°C (82–86°F). Feedings can also be spaced out to every 5–6 hours. You may allow short, supervised periods outside the brooder for safe exploration.

🕊️ 4 to 6 Weeks Old – First Flights and Weaning

By now, your budgie is likely fully feathered and beginning to attempt short flights. They’ll be much more active, hopping, flapping, and testing their wings.

This is also the time when they begin the weaning process. Some chicks will still accept a couple of hand feeds per day, but they’ll also start eating on their own. Offer fresh foods often — soaked seed, leafy greens, eggfood, and small pieces of fruit or vegetables.

Let them practice flying in a safe area. Avoid clipping their wings — flight is essential for healthy development. Continue bonding and interacting to encourage confidence.

🌿 6 to 8 Weeks Old – Independence

Around this age, your chick should be fully weaned and eating on their own. They’ll be flying well, preening regularly, and showing clear personality traits.

Now is the time to transition them into their permanent cage or aviary. Provide toys, perches, and social time. Continue offering a varied diet and begin gentle training or step-up exercises if you like.

At this point, your hand-reared budgie has become a young adult and is ready to begin their next stage of life.