Feeding parent cockatiels

[Miabella704]

My cockatiels have babies!!! One of the four died today. It was one that was almost two weeks old and appeared to have slow crop. What should I be feeding the parent birds? I've been giving them regular cockatiel seed mix and a hard boiled egg (chopped up) every day. Am I on the right track?
Also, is it normal that one of the chicks died? Does that just happen?

[Monica]

It's quite possible for a baby to die since they are so vulnerable when so young, however, it's best that you try and find out the cause of death so as to prevent the death of the other chicks...

As for feeding, you should also be feeding the parents fruits and veggies daily, (and maybe even a bit of bread). You don't really need to feed them eggs more than 3 times a week if they are fed fruits and veggies daily (chopped, mashed, leafy pieces, slices, etc...).

[Tiki]

I'm sorry to hear one of your babies died. That happened to the youngest in our clutch of 6 back In January. At least we did get the other five to grow in to beautiful, healthy tiels who are about 4 months old now. I noticed that the parents favoured toast and corn cobs-they can eat it fast and feed the babies.

[schavon2]

when my tiels had babies, they ate birdie bread (corn bread with fuits, vegetables, baby food, egg shells)...there are plenty of recipes out there. i also gave them spinach a couple times a week. as long as the parents have a good diet, the babies will wean to it too. 4 is a pretty big clutch for tiels, no? mine have never raised more than 3.
also, i didn't hand feed the babies...i left that up to the parents. but i did handle them alot, so they grew up hand tame.

[Monica]

A clutch of 3-5 or even 6 chicks is actually a normal clutch size. Six or more chicks is a large clutch.

And about spinach, I've heard that one should not feed it to their birds too often because of something in the spinach... I've forgotten for the time being...

[Joel]

Hello Miabella,

IMO & IME, for one to become a REALLY SUCCESSFUL breeder who rarily, if ever, loses a baby, one must be fully prepared with the knowledge, experience and equipment to be able to do one's absolute best to try and save every last one of them whenever they have a problem.

IMO & IME ONE MUST have a well stocked birdie medicine chest to include Nystatin, Diflucan, Lactated Ringers Solution, Injectable Baytril and Insulin Syringes with attached needles. Also an incubator, brooder, thermometers, formula, feeding spoons & syringes etc........ One also needs the experience or help and notes to be able to administer these meds at the right dose and in the right place at the right time. One also MUST be able to crop feed and EXTRACT the crop contents manually when/if needed. The only way around all this is to have enough money saved up & to be willing to go immediately to a well experienced AVIAN Vet so he/she can do for your bird what you yourself may not be confident enough to do......You most probably could have saved that poor baby if you were properly prepared. I am not criticizing now as we all have to learn one way or another but it is better for the birds that we learn BEFORE we have a problem RATHER THAN AFTER they die needlessly.

Miabella, I suggest you & others who are going to intentionally breed or allow breeding unintentionally (by keeping male & female together), get ASAP, the things I mentioned and a set of stainless steel gavage instruments to be able to feed directly into the crop and evacuate the crop when needed. Of course, learn how to use them, as already stated...... One also needs to monitor the babies daily to make sure each is getting fed enough and that the crop is moving properly and food is not going stale inside there........I'll stop for now till I hear what you have to say.......I hope you take my advice seriously & try your best to see that no others die.........Good luck.........JMHO from many years of experience, I lost a few too along the way and am only trying to help others from not making the same mistakes I did........Take care......Btw, since you asked, I would give the parents spray millet, a good seed mix with lots of extra sunflower when they are feeding babies, well scrambled eggs or 10 minute boiled eggs but only in the early morning or late afternoon as they spoil very quickly in the heat. Anytime is ok inside though if you have the a.c. on but still don't let them sit in the cage for too long. I would also add some greens (romaine lettuce-well washed and crispy), well washed fresh broccoli, corn on the cob after the first week and frozen green peas, I use a bread that has no preservatives that I buy at Publix or Wynn Dixie called BrownBerry Health Nut but I advise giving only in cooler weather, also after the first week to 10 days of growth IMO & IME. Keep the cuttlebone in the cage and keep everything as clean as possible especially when they have babies. Sterilize the water vessels with clorox every few days and change water twice a day at least.....Good luck again & feel free to ask any further questions.

[schavon2]

i've bred cockatiels and budgies successfully without any of those things joel. a good diet for the parent birds, a clean cage and nest box, and lots of loving attention are all i've ever provided, and our clutches have done fine. here in egypt, small birds are bred all time under pretty precrious conditions. most of the stuff you mentioned isn't even available here. nor is hand feeding formula. no anian vets either. we all just do the best we can with what's available to us.
i think it's unfair to tell miabella she probably could have saved the baby if she were properly prepared. you don't know that. why lay the guilt on her?

[Joel]

Sorry (to be polite) Schavon2 that we don't agree......... I am not trying to simply "lay guilt" on Miabella but I am in fact telling her the facts which are once again that she could have most (((PROBABLY))) (IMO & IME) saved that baby if she was properly prepared with the things I mentioned and knew how to use them and administer them. Also if she had checked the nestbox in addition and each baby constantly (at least once a day) then I am almost positive that she could have saved that little one...... We MUST learn from our mistakes & shortcomings and put our personal feelings aside for the time being. Sympathy for the bereaved & human tears and all that "Rainbow Bridge" stuff simply does not help in any way the dead birds or the birds who will have problems in the future. What will help them is each of us becoming a more well informed breeder, a better prepared/stocked breeder etc.....

Schavon, I don't know how long you have been breeding or how many breeding pairs you have but I would guess not too many pairs and not for so long (in all honesty now). You have been extremely lucky so far if you have never had a problem breeding. I simply cannot believe that especially if you have many birds but will give ya the benefit of the extreme doubt.

Is all I was actually trying to say is that sooner or later one WILL have a problem with sour crop, infection, bacteria, impacted crop, fungus, overly-stretched crop, abandoned babies, sick parents, spoiled food, bad water, parasites, mites, etc. etc. etc. and if one is fully prepared to deal with one, some or all of these problems that WILL eventually crop up someday, THEN that person's bird(s) will be much better off and have a MUCH GREATER chance for survival than those birds of the keeper who is not fully prepared. Is that so hard to understand and if you can't agree with that then I give up talking to you on this subject. Time and experience will PROVE me correct. I guarantee it.

If all you breeders in Egypt have none of the supplies, meds, Avian Vets etc. you or I have mentioned and still NEVER lose a baby in the nest to any of the things I've mentioned then please write a few books and let us all over here know exactly what you are feeding and exactly how you are caring for your birds and the exact diet you are giving and the water analysis so we can hopefully copy your methods etc. over here.......Hmmmm, maybe you do have purer water over there & cleaner air and better quality food and better hygiene procedures etc. etc......Maybe I should pack up my birds and move to your area?????.....

No hard feelings on my end Schavon, just discussing, arguing, debating, whatever, our different points of view for the benefit of the birds, that is what this hobby/love is all about......Good night, have a great day tomorrow too.

[schavon2]

ive raised 3 clutches of tiels and 3 of budgies. not that many...but i've never lost a chick
i'm sure not all chicks survive in egypt...all i'm saying is that you can't very well tell a person a chick dying was their fault.. i just found it an unkind thing to say.

[Tiki]

I have decided that I am not ready to breed (unintentionally since all my birds are pets) so I have had to put my one adult female in a large cage within my main birdroom. She can see and touch beaks with the others but she can't mate. I have 2 4 month old females who are currently free so they can get experience and bond more with us, but they will join their mother when they come of age. I am not sure when exactly is the right age-Joel would you know?

Even this feels really bad like I am keeping Romeo and Juliet apart. I just wish there was a way to spay birds like dogs and cats so they can be together without producing eggs. Tiki and Taina-my bonded pair are so much in love even through the cage wire, Tiki faithfully stays by her side.

I didn't know people can get cockatiels in Egypt-are they easy to find or do you import them from somewhere? I have been there several times and never seen pet shops.