# Handfeeding for beginners



## MsPriss (Feb 11, 2009)

Does anyone have any advice for someone who has never handfed a baby cockatiel? I believe my female cockatiel is going to lay eggs and I want to be prepared to handfeed them. I am very good friends with a shop owner and he wants to take the babies (if she lays) at 13 days old.. but I'm not sure if I want to do that. Can anyone suggest a good website or give me more information on it? Thanks!!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The very best way to learn handfeeding is to find a knowledgeable person who can give you a live demonstration. The shop owner might be a good person to teach you - he must know how to do it, since 13 day old chicks are nowhere close to being weaned. In fact most people don't start handfeeding until the chicks are 2 to 3 weeks old, so he wants them kind of early. 

A local bird club can also be a great resource - check out http://www.birdclubsva.org/index-2.html and/or google the words bird clubs virginia.

It's not absolutely required to handfeed the babies if the parents are doing a good job. Some people say that you can get equally good socialization just by handling the babies frequently. My chicks hated being handled though - their wild instincts kick in really early! So I decided to go with co-parenting: I handfed them once or twice a day for socialization, then put them back in the nest and let the parents do the rest. It worked out great, and the chicks stopped hating me as soon as I started feeding them! 

Here are some articles on handfeeding:
From the National Cockatiel Society: http://www.cockatiel.org/articles/handfeeding.html
From Cockatiel Cottage, an excellent resource on tiels in general: http://www.cockatielcottage.net/feeding.html
Winged Wisdom has an excellent 10-part series on cockatiel breeding. Go to http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww1.htm and scroll pretty far down the page to the Cockatiels section.


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

i do not and will not let any chick go till it is fully weaned


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## MsPriss (Feb 11, 2009)

The shop owner has been working with birds since the early 80s so he's pretty good at it. I actually watched him while he was hand-feeding birds several times and have asked him to teach me, he said he would. Its probably not a bad thing to know with birds as pets. I just want to have an understanding just in case things go wrong, say I have to pull a baby early due to an aggressive parent or something freak like that. I may also want to hand-feed the babies myself.. thankfully, I have a bit of time. I have a great avian vet and am looking into the websites posted (many thanks) by tielfan. I would love any input on a beginner and hand-feeding. What was it like the first time you all hand-fed a baby? I'm pretty nervous about it all, but am willing to learn as much as possible (and ask stupid questions) to get it right. I love my birds and don't want to lose any of them, which is why I have enlisted the shop owner as mentor. LOL It's rare that I trust anyone with my animals, but he is the exception as I know his experience and he actually cares about the birds in his shop.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

If you can get the owner of the Pet Shop to show you, then you're all set! (or even an avian vet)

I hand fed 3 babies from 3 weeks old - it can be really scary, I was nervous the first few times I had to do it, but after that I found it extremely easy. 

Now I know next time, I will be able to do it, because I know all the do's and dont's. A lot of people don't like first timers hand feeding baby 'tiels, because they fear that something could go wrong and it's very true, anything can go wrong and you could have a baby 'tiel die straight away. I worried 24/7 about something going wrong, but now all 3 are healthy and very happy 6 month olds. I say, if you have someone show you, it's the only way you're going to learn how to do it.

If you want to ask ANY questions at anytime, go for it, they can't be stupid since it's your first time and you won't know anything unless you ask questions.  But like I said already, I'd definitely have someone who's very expirienced with hand feeding show you how to do it for awhile.


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

yes get the petshop owner to show you i had one emergency i was forced into handfeeding and i never done it before then and the chick was 7 days old


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

You might also want to ask the shopkeeper (after he's taught you how to handfeed!) if he's willing to take the babies at a later age than 13 days. Like after they've weaned, maybe! That way you'd get to enjoy them longer.


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

here is a web site
http://www.kaytee.com/pet-birds/general-care/hand-feeding.htm


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I would definitely get some lessons from someone who has done it before. Here is a link I found about hand feeding
http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-breeders/bird-breeding-diet/hand-feed-tips.aspx


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## MsPriss (Feb 11, 2009)

Thanks for all the information!!!!! You all are so great!! I have been going through it one site at a time. Today, my female has been in her box and it looks like she is laying on something but when she comes out and I check, there's nothing there.. is that normal? The pair are also hanging out in the box at the same time. I guess there's lots to do to get ready.


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

yes it is mine did that for 3-5 days before they started to lay


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

A thorough investigation prior to laying is normal. The presence of a nestbox will stimulate their hormones and get them into full egg-laying mode if they weren't there already, and it takes a few days to actually produce the eggs once the birds are physically ready.


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