# Parents not keeping chicks warm?



## trantula_77 (Jun 17, 2011)

Greetings,

This is my first post and first time breeding cockatiels...unintentionally. My cockatiels ended up bonding and laying eggs. They've done a great job of taking turns nesting on the eggs and keeping them warm. Well the 2 of the eggs have hatched and initially they sat on the chicks regularly, took turns and fed them well. They have continued to feed them but recently have stopped sitting on them.

After seeing them out for nearly 2 hours I pushed one closer to the parent and it was cold to the touch. I'm worried that they are getting secondary sour crop from being too cold. Would it be a good idea to put a heating pad under the wooden nest to keep the temp up since the parents aren't being attentive? They are about 6 days old now and I won't be hand feeding them because I work full time. I plan on starting at 10 days and handling them each day. 

Thoughts would be appreciated!


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## luffy3001 (Sep 1, 2010)

parents will stop sitting on them at that age now the chicks cuddle with each other for warmth all u could do is put the cockatiel cage somewhere warm its absloutley normal and if u still think there is something wrong look at there crop and see if food is being ingested properly


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The parents normally stop brooding the chicks when the oldest one is about a week old. The chicks huddle together and keep each other warm and usually everything is fine. But you have only two babies, and if your house is cold it's possible that they can't keep each other warm enough. If they seem to be cold then some additional heat is a good idea. Just make sure that it doesn't get TOO hot. You can see a list of recommended brooder temperatures at http://cockatiels4u.tripod.com/rearing.htm


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## trantula_77 (Jun 17, 2011)

I just wanted to say thanks for the advice! The parents started going back after a day of being aloof and the chicks have begun to progress from the squishy phase (with fluff and closed eyes) to the raptor phase (pin feather).


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

Ya parents will start coming out more for long times. I wouldn't move the cage though. I did that with one of my pairs and they wouldn't go back in the nestbox and all I did was move the cage across to the other wall. It ended up being a big mistake.


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## vaneupr (Jul 11, 2011)

i agree with debbie, cockatiels with eggs or babies are sensitive to changes and may abandon the babies. I'll go with the other option of having a little more heat for them.


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