Why don't the young fearful seagull's parents or his brother and sister give him food in His First Flight by Liam O' Flaherty?

In "His First Flight," the young fearful seagull's family doesn't give him food to encourage him to learn to fly and become independent. By withholding food, the family is nudging the young seagull to overcome his fear and attempt his first flight, a crucial step in his development as a seagull.