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Post by a11ycat on Jul 17, 2008 18:07:11 GMT
Am pleased to say, that my cockatiel Smoky has hatched out her first chick! I think that if the other 3 eggs hatch, they will hatch over the next few days, as it must be the newer eggs that are hatching, and she has sat on them continuously as she was sitting on 3 older eggs (which haven't hatched)?
She still does not take eggfood... have tried it warm, cold, wet, dry, carroted etc... will try and offer a boiled egg tomorrow... am providing extra millet and hemp seed...
When do I need to start thinking about intervening and assisting her feed it, and what signs should I look for?
Can anyone give me any other tips?
Just in case I need to give handrearing formula - I have a 10ml syringe - and I feed across from the right hand side of the chick if its facing me?
I have a heating mat, which I will use to keep a container warm if I need to remove the chick for feeding - but I'm hoping that Smoky will do most of the feeding and keeping warm...
I'll get pics as soon as possible... is there any risk to the chick if I disturb Smoky? She's being naturally protective of the chick and her eggs... but I do think I need to check on it, as Smoky doesn't have the father to help her.
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Post by a11ycat on Jul 17, 2008 18:36:26 GMT
I went up just now, and she was off the nest preening, and as I left her she was eating.
The little chick was on the cool side, so I picked it up and warmed it up in my hand, and have left a bulb heater, pointed at the nest, which should provide some warmth for the chick until she comes back onto the nest.
It was peeping away, and started to move around a bit more as it got warmer. It also made little clicking noises...
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Tigger
Fledgling
You Can Never Have Too Many Cockatiels! :)
Posts: 102
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Post by Tigger on Jul 18, 2008 0:17:54 GMT
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Post by laurie on Jul 18, 2008 2:38:48 GMT
 Congrats!! hope you post pics!! 
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Post by Berserka on Jul 18, 2008 5:53:52 GMT
Single parent birds do a remarkably good job, it will be highly doubtful you will need to help her out.
Good idea with the heater, although make sure the nest doesn't get too dry. Some people have found they need to gently mist the inside of the nest box to keep humidity up.
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Post by shell on Jul 18, 2008 5:57:43 GMT
congrats
I would try mum on some boiled rice if she wont eat the eggfood my tiels love it and it its really good for them
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Post by a11ycat on Jul 18, 2008 9:37:29 GMT
She spent 3 hours off the nest last night... feeding and preening...
I'm worried that she's not sure what to do with it... I have a nest cam, so I can keep an eye on her/it, but I saw her peck it a bit when she got back into the nest, before settling down.
Have provided some lovely warm eggfood this morning, and will give her some boiled rice with a bit of egg mixed in tonight...
Hope she figures out she needs to feed the poor thing.
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Post by kiwi on Jul 18, 2008 13:58:43 GMT
Can you manage to check the chicks crop? You get a good idea whether mum is feeding chick enough by checking a few times a day  |
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Post by a11ycat on Jul 18, 2008 17:55:36 GMT
I have now seen the mum feed the baby, and there is stuff in the crop, so I think I can stop worrying so much, and just keep an eye on it!
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Post by a11ycat on Jul 18, 2008 18:44:31 GMT
Here are some piccies! Chick and eggs  Cockatiel chick  Cockatiel chick  One thing I am concerned about is that the number of eggs seems to be increasing again. There were 3 old ones which didn't hatch, then 4 new ones, and now there seems to be two more... I really wish she would stop laying eggs... its not good for her to have laid so many... Can anyone advise me on how long to wait to see if any more eggs hatch, and then I'll remove the eggs and hopefully she wil l just concentrate on the chick(s). |
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Post by Berserka on Jul 19, 2008 8:07:02 GMT
The old ones look dead so I'd remove them. Leave 2 or 3 in there so the chick has something to lean on (helps prevent leg splay).
Just keep the calcium up so she doesn't use all her reserves.
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Post by a11ycat on Jul 20, 2008 9:59:18 GMT
I can still hear the chick, but mum has been sitting tight every time I've checked, so have left her alone... she's looking really tired, woke them up this morning and she seems to just want to go back to sleep... is being that tired normal? There is calcivet in the water, but am wondering whether I need to give her a direct dose... I'm also putting a little glucose powder in the water to give her more energy.
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Post by a11ycat on Jul 21, 2008 12:36:47 GMT
Unfortunately we found the chick, and another one which hadn't managed to break out of its shell dead today. I don't think it was being fed enough.  |
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Post by shell on Jul 25, 2008 7:56:37 GMT
Very sorry to hear
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Congratulations on your Tiel Chick!!! 
They are so cute when they are little 
