Hand feeding and Hand raising

Question
I have 3 baby budgies that are about 1 and a half weeks old.The parents are feeding them and they're all starting to grow feathers. Because i am inexperienced with baby budgies, should i be hand-feeding them and at what age? Also when is it appropriate to start hand raising the budgies.

Answer
Hello Sally! Budgies can still be hand-tamed even though the parents are feeding them. All my hand-tame babies are actually feed by the parents! It is more healthier for the babies to be fed by the parents because the mother produces a crop milk that avian store bought formula could never match. Over all a parent fed budgie will be healthier. Once they get older and start to eat millet and normal food, you can offer them different types of food. Babies will try almost anything, so nows your chance. They like the insides of cherry tomatoes, peeled grapes, millet spray, leafy greens, cooked pasta and ect. You can start handling them now. The mother will not care if her babies are handled. Nows the time to do it because you don't want the babies to have the fear of humans imprinted in their head. Spend loads of time with them, carry the babies around in your coat pocket, while at the computer have them snuggled in a shirt, when your eating include them in your meal. Once they learn to perch, then you can start teaching them the step up command. This is easily taught by repeating the word step up over and over again as you have them step up on your finger. They will get it eventually. Handle their wings, touch their tail and rub their beak to get them used to being touched. Time is the most important thing in raising tame chicks. The more time you spend with your babies, the more the will become tame. Even skipping one day of spending time with them will make a huge difference in how they act. Its worth the wait, your babies will be wonderful companions. good luck!