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I have a friend who has ended up with an unweaned budgie and has no experience on how to feed the bird. The bird was sold as at least 6 weeks old but my friend thinks he/she has to be around 4 weeks since the tail is not fully in yet.

The baby is very difficult to feed. My friend is terrified of using a 10ml syringe she was given and thinks this is too much to feed the tiny thing. She was shown and told to put the syringe in the bird's mouth and push in 10mls of feed down the throat into the crop. The budgie won't open his/her mouth to take the syringe so she is using a spoon instead. Yesterday she thinks she managed to hand feed about 6-7ml of feed. She is using Kaytee Exact enriched with omega 3 and 6, etc. She says the bird doesn't open his mouth willingly for either the syringe or spoon, and I think this is because the person in charge of handfeeding was force feeding. The baby is nibbling on some millet spray every now and again.

Please, PLEASE can anyone help? How often should a budgie his/her age be fed and how much? It is taking over an hour to try to get food into this budgie 3 times a day. The breeder said he had to sell the bird a week early because he was going on holiday.

Baby budgies are difficult to start handfeeding, and most baby parrots
are difficult to handfeed when they have been pulled when they are close
to being fully-feathered. A little force-feeding with a steady hand : just a small squirt
so that the food is in the mouth and swallowed is the easiest way to start.
If the baby is willing to nibble a little from a spoon is even better. Probably
about a ml (or cc) per feeding might be the best you could hope for, with a max
of about 5 ml. It takes a lot of patience.
I cannot believe that force feeding 10 ml at a time would be safe.
The good news is that the baby is nibbling on millet spray.

Thanks so much alhee. I will pass this message on to my friend. I have had 4 answers now from all over the world and it's reassuring to see that you all pretty much agree on everything! I'll let you know how it goes. Many thanks for your advice. xxx

10Ml force feeding a budgie!?!?! holy &*^%!
I would feed less but more often. A pipette, or eye drop with a little food at a time(make sure it is warm)
If the budgie refuses to eat either the crop is cold (not good) or it is in fledging stage in which they are fussy
patience..please...

Thanks Bostonbudgie - thank heavens the owner has some sense and thought this was way too much. I will pass on your message to her. She will be very grateful. She is now feeding with a tiny bit of formula in a 2ml syringe but getting a little more in with a spoon. Looking at the pics she sent me the budgie looks to be about 4.5 weeks old. The breeder told her it was 6 weeks when he sold it to her! He said he had to let her have it early because he was going on holiday!!! At least she will know for next time - all her birds have been rehomes until now. Will let you know how it's going.