# baby tiels.... should I worry?



## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

Hi all, I thought I should move my topic on here to this part of the forum concerning my new babies....


BE WARNED: As I carry around an 8MP camera phone, I tend to take LOTS of pictures.... and I'm a visual type of guy 

So my oldest should be about 14-15 days old, and the youngest being 10 days old or so. At this age, are you able to tell what mutations they will become? I'm pretty positive the father is the normal grey, with the mothers being the lutino or pastel face grey. I don't think the white face had anything to do with it. I'm guessing these little guys will all be normal greys??


I realized ever since I've had these babies, I've been worrying about them non-stop, mainly whether the adults are feeding them or not. I've been taking them out to check each day whether their crops are full and noticed the larger 2 will usually have the larger crop over the 2 smaller ones. Hopefully, I won't have to start hand feeding as I'm afraid I might injure 
them due to me being inexperienced!

Question: do the chicks tend to get injured either by the parents, or the siblings? I noticed on 2 of the babies, on the top of their head, are what looks to be dried blood from minor cuts and scratches. Should I be concerned? or are they something else entirely like lice or mites that I can't tell?? I tried to remove it with a wet cotton tip but it doesn't go away.... I was trying to be gentle since the are so fragile...... any suggestions are greatly appreciated. 


these 3 pictures show the red marks on the top of the head....


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

and these are pictures of their progress....


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

They're gorgeous! The dried blood could be from the parents preening too much. The oldest one with the yellow crest looks like he's gonna be a pied which is the only one I can tell. Posting a picture of each one of the parents would help as well because then we could figure out if there are any sex-linked mutations in there too.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

thanks for the response! there's a picture of my adults from the Noobie thread --> http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=20819


I believe I was told by the experts here, that I have the following:

whitefaced pied male
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normal gray male
lutino female
pastel face gray female

the last three are the parents....


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

just as I feared, came home from work today to find the youngest one dead..... 

I check the other 3 and their crops seems to be full, although, contrary to yesterday's observation, the oldest doesn't seem to have as big a crop today. 

Do you think it would be wise to assist the parents with some feeding of my own? I think I will go a buy some baby formula just in case....


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

was its crop empty or have any food in it?
sorry to hear about your loss...
do you have anyone who knows how to hand feed that could show you how to?


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

another thought how hot/cold is it inside their nest box?
did the baby look white or pink?
any extra info might help us help you....


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

It can't hurt to assist feed, trust me. Especially the younger ones because when they hatch the parents are already feeding a more solid solution than they need.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

the crop was not full, I think it's most likely due to it being the youngest and weakest, it couldn't compete with its sibling during feeding sessions... I had noticed the crop not being full yesterday and should have guessed the outcome. 

well, after I made my last comment, I drove to the near pet shop, Super Pets, and grabbed a bottle of Kaytee's Exact Baby Formula and syringe, asked to speak with anyone who have experience with feeding baby birds. While she was helpful, I realized, as well as she did, that I already knew most of the basic things to look out for, i.e. full crop, etc.... she couldn't really tell me in details how to go about prepping and feeding the babies though.

Good news is, once I returned after 30 minutes or so, I went to check on the chicks again and they have full crops!! SO they ARE indeed being fed, pheeeew... further makes me conclude that the youngest just wasn't strong enough to fight for the food as its siblings were. 

Well, regardless, I bought the formula and syringe, ready to go when need be. Unfortunately, I don't have or know anyone who can teach me how to feed the chicks properly. I did a lot of online research today at work and found the closest avian vet is about 1.5-2 hours away  

If anyone can walk me through, thoroughly, step by step, from preparing the formula, to feeding the chicks, I would greatly appreciate it. Again, I don't plan on intervening unless I absolutely have to. I'd much rather nature take it's course and let the mother learn to be a mother, and the babies, gain the experience it needs... 

thanks for any help, advice, comments you may offer!


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

@roxy culver: If the parents are still feeding them, I can intervene a feed session a day to help out without completely pulling them out of the nest? Say, give them a feeding session once a day when I get off work? Would that be ok? 

P.S.... the, now, youngest one, finally has bother eyes wide open actually is the first to hiss at me as I reached for it.... CUTE!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Yes you can give an assist feed without pulling the babies...its called co-parenting and works really well. Its so cute when they hiss at you!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> If the parents are still feeding them, I can intervene a feed session a day to help out without completely pulling them out of the nest? Say, give them a feeding session once a day when I get off work?


Yes, you can do this. But if the parents are keeping the babies well fed you don't have to.

I do this with my chicks for socialization, starting when they are two to three weeks old. The risks are higher with younger babies, so don't do it at a younger age unless the parents aren't feeding them properly or pluck the babies severely. Some parents will pluck the babies to encourage them to leave the nest so the parents can start a new clutch. This tends to start when the oldest is about three weeks old, and the hen tends to be the worst offender.

I think your grey hen is whiteface not pastel face. Whiteface is a recessive gene so both parents would have to have the gene to get any whiteface chicks. Whiteface chicks can be identified at birth because they have white fuzz instead of the yellow fuzz that all other chicks have.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

"If anyone can walk me through, thoroughly, step by step, from preparing the formula, to feeding the chicks, I would greatly appreciate it. Again, I don't plan on intervening unless I absolutely have to. I'd much rather nature take it's course and let the mother learn to be a mother, and the babies, gain the experience it needs... "

thanks for any help, advice, comments you may offer![/QUOTE]

i prepare formula according to kaytees instructions on jar as it states how there
i boil water to a full boil on stove top
the scoop you got in the formula mix jar ...mines blue
mixed it/water according to formula preparation and the age chart on jar...
as example if feeding a 14 days old you would mix 1 scoop of formula mix to 1 1/3 -2 parts water (this feeds my 2 five week old babies 12 cc 's /each with lots left over in 4 oz juice glass sized cup 
trial and error how many times you must do this batch size to have each babys crop full depends how many babies ur feeding.if you have to double the recipe or not.
water temp when mixing formula mix /water ...is 120f 
but don't serve it to the babies until the mixed up formula cools down to 104f-106f very important!!!
it also warns to avoid heating formula in mirowave as hot spots could occur causing a 
accidental crop burn on the intruction label of how to prepare it.

hope this helps get you started if you need to in future


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

This isn't the whole procedure, but here are some helpful hints.

I don't boil my water - the babies are already used to the regular household water because the parents have been regurgitating it to them since the day they hatched. I put it in the microwave to warm it up, nothing more than that. I warm up more water than I need in a bowl. I take some to mix with the formula in a cup, then stick the cup in the remaining warm water. This helps keep the formula warm longer, which is helpful when you have multiple chicks to feed. I check the temperature before each chick, and when it starts getting too cool I'll heat the bowl of water again then stick the cup of formula back in it and stir the formula with the thermometer until it reaches the right temperature. No hot spots or cold spots this way.

Ignore the handfeeding charts if you're assist feeding - the babies will have some food in their crops when you pull them and won't eat nearly as much as the charts say they should. They might refuse to eat because they're already full.

Chicks are messy eaters so have a clean cloth handy. When you're done feeding a chick, wipe as much off the face as you can with your finger. Then dip a clean section of the cloth into the bowl of warm water (the one that's holding the formula cup). Test the temperature of the wet cloth against your face, and when it's a nice comfortable temperature use it to wash the rest of the formula off the baby. Clean the beak by gently pinching the beak between your cloth-covered fingers and pulling your hand outward, away from the baby's face. If the feathers are messy, clean them by moving the cloth in an upward direction - not downward, that will smoosh the formula deeper into the feathers.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

thank you both for all your help! What do you use to measure the temperature? any particular one I should get? I don't have a kitchen thermometer around.... I think I'm most worried about burning them


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I use a cheap digital cooking thermometer. I think I got it at Walmart for about $5. 

Temperature is the tricky part. Ideally the formula temperature should be between 102 and 106 if I remember right, but just the act of loading it into the syringe is going to make it cool off a little. My research indicated that the maximum safe temperature is 110 degrees so I like for my formula to be 108-110 when I put it in the syringe. That way I know that it can't be too hot but should still be warm enough by the time I get it into the baby's mouth.

Before I used the digital thermometer for the first time I tested its accuracy by sticking it into some warm water with a couple of oral thermometers that I had on hand. They all showed the same temperature so I felt safe.

If you like, you can also use the thermometer to test your water temperature before you mix it with the formula. I don't like to use water that's too hot because (a) it might cause some loss of vitamins and (b)you have to wait for the formula to cool down before you can feed it to the babies. If your water is too hot you can add a little cool water to adjust the temperature, but if the formula has already been mixed you will change the thickness if you add more water.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

thanks for the tip... I'll drop by Walmart or Target tomorrow... 

I don't have kids of my own, but wow, these lil ones stress me out and I haven't even done anything yet! Just the worrying is stressful enough!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Good luck! Another tip: it takes a few seconds for the thermometer to adjust to the temperature of the formula and get an accurate reading, so don't believe the first number it displays. I worry about hot or cold spots in the formula, so when I'm taking the temperature I continuously stir the thermometer through all parts of the formula until the temperature reading stabilizes. That ought to insure a uniform temperature throughout the formula.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

i use a digital thermometer and double check a few times to compare results are accurate
most beep/flash when reading is done
i found it at drugstore for 9$ i needed in a pinch so i never changed to a candy thermometer
i just do it the instruction way out of fear of wrong concentration or being too hot/cold.
worry bug me...lol
and placing the cup in bowl/dish of hot water helps keep temps too


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

Ok, through my minimal observation after work, I'm glad to see the mother lutino has been diligently feeding the babies, and I also notice the pastel face/gray mother also visiting the nest when the lutino mother comes out, presumably also feeding the babies. However, I haven't seen the father gray get any where near the nest now. I thought the males were suppose to take over the feeding and caring of the babies more so than the mother? I've checked and double checked to make sure the babies crops were full, but, I have obtained myself all the necessary things for me to attempt co-parenting if need be. Went to Target and picked myself up a thermometer for 11 bucks. I think I will make some practice formula tomorrow to get used to the routine and temperature reading.... any input on why the male lost interest? is that normal? thanks again!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Is the male a first time father? The parent birds don't always know what to do the first time around. Or maybe he just has poor parental instincts. 

Or maybe it's because there are already two birds feeding the babies and he figures his help isn't needed. Back in February I was given four adult birds (3 males 1 female) and 5 babies in the nest. The female had mated with all three males, and I was told that she didn't do anything with the clutch after that - the three males incubated the eggs and fed the babies, and this feeding pattern was still going on when the birds were given to me.

They gave the birds to me because the female had started laying eggs again and they couldn't cope. This time the pattern was different - the female would only allow her favorite male in the nestbox, and he and she incubated the eggs and raised the babies.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

I got the male from a breeder during my last visit to Everybody's Bird Mart event. The owner promoted him as being experienced in mating/fathering babies before. The male was doing a great job the first week or so, since then, I haven't caught him anywhere near the nest. I was actually afraid only the lutino mother was doing all the work, but finally caught the other pastel face mother in the nest at least once yesterday after I came home from work. I'll have to monitor them closely this coming weekend throughout the day to see how often the babies are being fed. 

Also, not sure about the gray female, but it is definitely the lutino's first experience as a mother...


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Some birds do get it right the first time. How many babies are there? If it's more than about three and only one parent is feeding them reliably, you might need to assist feed.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

there were 4, but sadly 1 died 2 days ago. I came home from work and noticed the youngest's crop is empty, it doesn't seem like they were fed, so I tried to feed them some of the formula. Unfortunately, they aren't too keen on taking it from the syringe  should I apply a bit of force into their mouth, since they aren't voluntarily opening their tiny mouths for the food?? It is possible, however, that the female just hasn't gone in to feed them yet. Do they run by a routine schedule?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Handfeeding a chick for the first time can be difficult since they don't know what you're doing and tend to resist. It might take a little bit of wrestling to get some formula into the beak, but when they figure out that it's food there should be less resistance. Be as careful and gentle as you can of course.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

is it ok to pull the chicks out to feed and then pop them back in the nest after? Will that annoy the mommy into abandoning them?


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## Alfred (Jun 17, 2011)

If there are in progress then it is not problematic more.Because now there are recovering.It was a matter of worry before but according to your post it is alright now.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

When "borrowing" the chicks, it will be helpful if you can remove the parents from the breeding cage before you take the babies and let the parents back in after the babies are back in the nest. That way they won't be alarmed by the sight of an empty nestbox.


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## Petra (May 29, 2011)

You also can take one by one and let the parents watch so they can see the young.
If i feed the young one time extra i do it on the nest so they can see the young no problems here.
Then i put the young back in the nest 
Greetings Petra.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

Thanks so much for everyone's patience and input! I truly and greatly appreciate it!

Since my attempt at feeding the babies failed yesterday, I left the babies in the nestbox to observe whether the mother feeds them or not, unfortunately, I was unable to check on them as she decided not to come back out after. It was already getting dark. I did notice the gray mother popping her head out of the same nest whenever I made some noise while trying to cover up the aviary. I decided to let nature take it's course, have faith in the mothers, and hopefully see the babies well taken care of. 


I'm keeping my fingers cross and hoping to see the babies all safe and well fed by the time I get home from work today.

I'm also going to go and buy all the necessary materials to prep a brooder in case I ever need one...


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

sadly, only the oldest baby is still alive. The other 2 couldn't make it past the 18th... 


I've been worried about the last one as I have not seen the mothers go into the nest box as often as they used to. I do, however, see the WF male go into the nest at least once (after I get off from work). I also notice the 2 mothers returning to the nest before it gets dark. Is this a good sign that they have not abandoned the baby and are still feeding? I've been assist feeding the baby everyday for the past 3 days when I get home from work. Although, the baby isn't actually chowing down or seem that enthusiastic about the food. Does that mean it's not hungry? 

Also, when compared to some of the pictures posted in the forums, my 3 week old (born the 31st of May) seems much smaller and bald than it should! Any thoughts???? Should I completely remove the baby from the nest and take over the feeding? or not?? I attached a few pictures for your viewing...


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Im not sure about size but it does look like one of the parent tiels is plucking him. Im sure someone who breeds will be along later to help you out better


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

looks like plucking is happening to me


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

then should I take the baby out completely???

the feathering seems pretty even in terms of growth. I can't really tell if they are actually being plucked since I don't notice any obvious bald spots. The only really bald spot is the face, which compared to the pictures of what a 21-23 day old should look like, it is concerning....


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

his/her head looks plucked
3-4 week olds get fed 3 x /day when handfeeding is this something you can do?
another thought baby might be getting plucked cause someone wants that nest box for their new clutch...and are trying to kick baby out but its not getting the message..so they pluck it.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

Thanks, guys, for all the advices!! Greatly appreciate it!

My boss is pretty flexible and my department is closed off to everyone except for the 6 of us that are part of the MIS dept. I should be able to give the lil one the necessary feedings it needs, especially since it's only 3x a day. I'm usually in the office by 7am, so I can do the first feed right when I walk into work, no one's around the office at that hour yet so I have plenty of time, then the 2nd feed can be after I get home from work, which is around 4ish, and a night feed around 11... 

How long does it usually take for the feather on the face to grow back?? The lil one looks like a vulture!!! Can we tell what sex he/she is? I'd like to start thinking up a name....


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Since the baby is a grey you can wing spot sex him/her....here is the link
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=18307

The feathers should come back probably in about 4-6 weeks once you get him/her away from whoever is plucking him/her.


edit: oh wait do I see a pied wing feather there? ( a completely yellow wing feather?) If yes then he is a pied and you still might be able to wing spot sex him depending on where the pied feathers are.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

yes I believe there is one solid yellow feather on the end, I will take a picture of it tomorrow to verify...


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

this is a personal decision you will have to make....
your options are to take baby out and hand feed it 3x/day 6hrs apart in feedings
with a 12 hr overnight no feedings until schedualed morning feeding.
example 6am 12pm 6pm and repeat next day 
but time can be anytime of the day thats works for you as long as its 6 hrs between feedings 3x a day and weight MUST be monitored by weighing baby on gram scale daily before the morning feeding is fed to chick(on a empty crop)
if you can't do this then option 2 would be .....
to leave with parents ......the feathers will grow slowly back if follicle damage didn't occur from being plucked..most grow back
option3
or if dads not plucking remove mom to another cage right next to dad/baby so she can still see them at this point dad can raise a chick alone and you won't have to hand feed chick fulltime you could assist fed chick for/with dad.
also dad is the one who will show chicks what to eat 
when weaning off to seeds/pellets/veggies/fruits...

either way your choice.
hope this helps you


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

I can't thank you guys enough for all the input you've shared! I'll have to go with hand feeding as I'm not sure who is the culprit. It's most likely not the dad (which I believe is the gray male) as I have not seem him around/inside the nest for at least a week now. The 2 mothers retreat back into the nest before sun down with the WF male visiting the nest right before that. I don't know what happens in there as they are in an aviary and are not tame. They would freak out if I tried to open the back door for a peek! I'll have to go grab myself a gram scale from Target after work today... what are the weights I should be aware of? I'm sure I've stumbled upon that info before on here, must look again....


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

baby should continue to grow weight daily...each chick is different on how much is gained daily...
if a weight loss happens it can be an early indictations of a problem starting....
however keep in mind the more the baby flies around it (over the age of 3-5 wks),it will lose a little weight but be careful not too much though ...
so watch weight at this time closely also as you did when younger ages
but weight comes back fast as muscles grow bigger on chick..and also the chick reduces amount eaten at each feeding changing over to seeds/pellets/veggies to ensure its not to heavy to fly
thats why weighing is so important with chicks as they grow


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

there is this growth chart but as i said all chicks very in weight from chick to chick and clutch from clutch but here is an idea of a chick's weight gain as it ages
http://justcockatiels.weebly.com/watch-me-grow.html
hope this helps you out
also very important ....always feed chick formula at the temp of 104f-106


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

Thanks so much for all the input! Tonight will be the first night away from the nest and comfort of the mothers. Hopefully won't stress the baby out too much. I bought a gram scale from Target after work and weighed the lil one, only 66g!!!!!!! Hopefully it will take the formula better and start to gain back to normal. Good thing is it is still quite alert and active....


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

tom123 said:


> Thanks so much for all the input! Tonight will be the first night away from the nest and comfort of the mothers. Hopefully won't stress the baby out too much. I bought a gram scale from Target after work and weighed the lil one, only 66g!!!!!!! Hopefully it will take the formula better and start to gain back to normal. Good thing is it is still quite alert and active....


did you compare your baby's weight to the chart link above?
remember this is only 1 chicks weight gain this was only to provide an idea of a weight gains of a chick,all chicks gain weight at a different rates
he will gain weight fast hopefully from the hand feedings you give
baby should be fine alone...ive heard of people putting it a beanie baby or small hand bean bag or stuff animal bird for extra warmth /company in the tote box with 3" of aspen shavings on bottom of it for warmth and birdie messes and a towel over opening at the top
but only use stuff toy/beanie animal with older chicks that can hold their heads up so they won't accidentally smother itself ....so above 10 days old should be safe to use if its seems are sealed good with no possibility of it coming open.
hope this helps


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

I'll try to update after a few days progress and see if there are changes to the weight. Spent the whole day with me at work, starting to get used to my hands...


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

How often does a baby at this age sleep within a day???


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

how often is yours sleeping thats alarming you?its age also please?
before 4 wks old they sleep/nap alot throughout day 
but older chicks are awake more busy flying/playing/eating.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

well, unless I am keeping the baby busy, I will usually find it sleeping or trying to sleep. It was born on May 30-31st, so about 25-26 days old now....

I'm just worried it's not eating enough, eating too much, or being too forceful :S 


you know, the usual parent worries!!


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

I'm so thrilled today as my baby, for the first time, recognized the syringe as the food supply! The baby finally learned the head movement chugging down the formula through the syringe whereas before, I kinda had to force the syringe into it's mouth and do a pump-extrract-swallow routine. Now, it's aiming for the syringe, and all have to do is position it correctly (thanks to the great illustration by *srtiel* of course) and pump! I no longer have to worry about the formula getting cold cause I'm taking too long, and then having to go and redo a new mix to get the right temperature again. That was both worrying AND exhausting!!! 

I notice the lil one preparing itself into the fledgling stage as it enjoys preening itself, stretching itself, and rapidly flapping its wings. 

At this stage, even though the weight is quite low, compared to the standard, should I still stick to the 3x a day feed or perhaps do a 4x a day for a few days first??


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

how old is the baby now?
is it begging for a 4th feeding or you just wanna beef it up?
if 3-4 weeks old srtiels has that handfeeding sticky and advice on weaning off formula is included in this thread too check it out if you haven't all ready great advice


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

The baby is on the 27th day today and yes, it is begging for a 4th feed. I've been compromising the feeding to 7-9 cc each time, besides, it doesn't seem to want anymore than that...

Besides being plucked bald on the head, it looks to be fully feathered, kinda like a tee-cup cockatiel baby. 

I did notice the baby pulling it's head down to the pine bedding and picking up the pine in it's mouth. I was worried it might try to eat it but it looks like the baby splits it out/drops it right after. I didn't want to chance it so I covered the bedding with a paper towel. I will look up the sticky and try to encourage the weening process on the lil one and see if it will help.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> I did notice the baby pulling it's head down to the pine bedding and picking up the pine in it's mouth. I was worried it might try to eat it but it looks like the baby splits it out/drops it right after.


This is actually a normal part of the weaning process - the chick starts beaking small objects in its environment, which basically means wood shavings. I've never had a problem resulting from this, and I assume that wild tiel chicks do it too since the parents shred the inside of the nest hole to make some bedding.

At this age, when I take my babies out of the nest for handfeeding I put them in a little carrier that has pellets and millet spray sprinkled on the bottom. They can experiment with real food before and after their turn at the syringe.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

that's a relief to know! I will try to include a tray of pellets and millets in the tank. 

I gotta say, the baby is a better alarm clock than my phone! It starts to cry for food every 4 hours, won't even make a peep before then. Would just sleep or preen itself quietly in the portable brooder while I'm at work. After feeding, it goes back to nap time :blink:


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

tom123 said:


> I will look up the sticky and try to encourage the weening process on the lil one and see if it will help.



its a great sticky to read and i have weaned all my handfed babies her way successfully (srtiels)

yes quite normal for the babies to start beaking everything in site of them....
my beak everything exspeacially new things as babies.no worries.


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## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

Make sure the babies are kept warm in the carrier. They can get chilled by winds or re-location.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

hehe, so my sister wanted to give the lil one a name. But since I haven't determined the sex I didn't want to think of one yet. Until today, my sister (who resells Coach and other bags/purses online) jokingly suggested Coach as a name, I said NO! instead, I shot back with Gucci!!!! GUCCI it is! somewhat unisex as I can't even tell myself 


my so called carrier is nothing but an Amazon shipment box bedded with pine shaving and paper towel with a thermostat attached to it from the outside and a chinchilla bed house for extra comfort and warmth. While at the office, I place the box near/on top of my PC as it acts like a heater. I monitor the thermostat constantly and if need be, I carry one of those reptile heat pad with me in my messenger bag. So far, Gucci is adjusting well to it. I will open a new thread in the appropriate thread to ask about the sex and mutation of Gucci after this post.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Well Gucci looks so comfy there!!!


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

hehe, Gucci was indeed. Just sat there and placed it's bald head on the edge of that fluff! Not even a peep throughout the day while I was working about.... until feeding time that is!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Aww Gucci is so adorable


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

Thanks *lperry82*... he's been getting a lot of attention once the word got out in the office


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## luffy3001 (Sep 1, 2010)

hope u have healthy and happy birds and also if u take a baby bird out at 2 weeks of age will it be as tame as when u handfeed it from day 1


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

yes luffy


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

Thanks luffy3001! I hope so too!

and from my limited experience so far, having to take over the parenting of the neglected baby at about 3 weeks old, Gucci has become quiet attached to me already. So I can positively say that it would not make a difference in taming. As a matter of fact, like most animals, it's best to leave it in the care of the parents, if not to build antibodies, it's good to learn how to be a bird.... from a bird


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

what are good weaning foods that I can start to introduce to Gucci other than spray millets? The granule pellets I have are too hard for him to chew, although he tries.... I offer greens as well. But are there store bought weaning pellets I should get? Gucci's gone from 4 feedings to 3 feedings a day for the past week. I will try to reduce to 2x in a few more days. He is now 35 days old!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Kaytee makes a weaning food: http://www.westcoastpetsupply.com/2...Food-for-Cockatiels-and-Parakeets-2-lbs..html It looks like pellets but maybe it's a bit softer. I've never tried it so I don't know what it's like.

Soaked or sprouted grains are an excellent weaning food. It's softer than dry seed and the grains are larger than most bird seed, so it's easy for the baby to chew on it. A natural-foods store with bulk bins should have a variety of human-quality grains that you can buy in small quantities. There's an article on sprouting at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=9019 You can mix corn kernels and/or peas with the grains - the babies like those too.


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

thanks! I'll give sprouting a try....


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## tom123 (Jun 6, 2011)

haven't start sprouting yet, will probably make an attempt at it this weekend, thanks for the instructions!


In the meantime, Gucci's starting to enjoy the spinach/romaine lettuce, millet sprays, and even apples I offer him. As you can see from the picture, I would lay him down on the tray right after work on the living room floor while I make my runs outside with my aviary, I come in to find the lazy bugger laying down and eating. Doesn't look it, but prior to the picture, I caught him with his beak full... talk about breakfast in bed! in this case, late lunch/early dinner! 

oh and as you can see, I've upgraded his mobile home to suit his wing flapping/stretching needs....


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