# Weaned by parents early?



## shoopkitten (May 9, 2011)

Our cinnamon female does not make the screeching "feed me" noise, but she wasn't hand fed until we got her at 4 weeks.She doesn't bob her head but very gently picks the formula off the tip of the syringe when I squeeze it out. She never eats much when hand feeding but never calls out when she is put up. Could the parents have weaned her early?


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## Conurekidd (May 16, 2011)

Is her crop emptying? What the temp of the food being fed?


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## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

the earliest i have ever seen a cocktiel weaned by either parent raised or hand raised is 6 weeks old, usually at 4 weeks of age they are just exiting the nest box and havent even tried to pick at seed so theres no possibility that she was weaned by then. you need to check her crop cause she should be getting 3 feedings a day of 10% her body weight until you have eveidence of seed in the crop (massage crop gently you will feel the seed) then once you know she's eating seed you can start lowerling the middle feeding, but if she's barely eating now and not eating seed she could be slowly starving herself, you need to watch her.


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## Conurekidd (May 16, 2011)

Well becides all that we need to know If her crop is emtying. Iv had this happen to me. Sour crop. And to you need to vet her right way before she gets infection. 
That's why I ask what temp are you serving her and is her crop acually emtying the full amount. Her crop needs to Completly empty over night if now a lil in there. 
Does she apper ruffled? Like poor feather development?


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## shoopkitten (May 9, 2011)

Her feathers are full and beautiful. She has eaten seed and millet. I know because I have watched her do it. And when she was alone her millet was eaten and the seeds i put on the bottom of the cage disappeared. She seems to eat well on her own. This morning she actually made the "feed me" screeching I get from Sunnie. Not much, but a little screeching. Maybe she was just shy to start off?


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## Conurekidd (May 16, 2011)

What's her weight? Glad to hear she's doing better. But a questioned baby should still be vet. Birds are tricky lil boogers are letting us know there sick. 
I'm not used to hearing of a weaned baby at 4 weeks. Not sayin it not possiable. Anythings possiable. But just to be safe a vet trip should be made. Just to be safe.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Is it possible that the breeder is mistaken about her age?


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## Conurekidd (May 16, 2011)

Didn't think of this. Good question


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## shoopkitten (May 9, 2011)

I am not sure. She physically looks bigger than our 7 week old male but her parents were pretty big cockatiels. I will weigh her when I get home. Can you tell from pictures how old she might be?


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## shoopkitten (May 9, 2011)

She does have seed in her crop so I know she is eating on her own. At what age do they get their full flight feathers and leave the nest? She had done both of these things before we got her if that helps anyone determine her age.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

That happens around four or five weeks of age...its called fledging. So if she did that then she's probably closer to 7 or 8 weeks, she may have been weaned when you got her but regressed because of stress. Weighing her would be a good idea.


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## shoopkitten (May 9, 2011)

Ok, we'll have to find our little scale. Hubby put it away after his chameleon passed away.


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