# Randy and Swinger's breeding journal



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

*Randy and Swinger's breeding journal - Second clutch*

So I thought I would wait until I knew if any of the eggs were fertile before I started a journal for them.
It appears that they are stopping at three eggs, the fourth would have been due today but didn't and Swinger doesn't have an egg bump. They started the incubating a couple of days ago but I decided to candle them any way since Swinger lays on them early. 

This is what we have so far

*Egg #1 layed on the 27/11/13 (fertile)*
Sorry it's a bad picture will try for another one soon, it doesn't show much but for the first time ever I saw a tiny heartbeat  









*Egg #2 layed on the 29/11/13 (fertile)*









*Egg #3 layed on the 01/12/13 (fertile)*
You can't see much but if you look closely you can faintly see a red dot where the heartbeat is









Eggs 2 and 3 are to early to see right now but they are looking the same way egg 1 did at that stage, as soon as I am able to candle them again I'll add their picture to the first post and update on them through out the thread


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

So exciting. Congrats. :clap:


----------



## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

Oh yay i love breeding journals!! Congratulations on three eggs


----------



## .Alexandra. (Sep 11, 2012)

Exciting times! I hope the other two eggs are fertile as well


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Congradulations!
I'll be checking for updates


----------



## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

Wow! That's fantastic! Babies!


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

I've updated the first post with eggs number 2 and 3 which are both fertile, you can't see much on egg 3 but I could see a heartbeat 

Also here's another pic of egg #1
Excuse my grotty finger nails lol always in the way









Think I'll leave them for a few days until I candle them again though so I don't stress Randy to much


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Wow! Those egg pics are amazing. So happy for you! Do you think Swinger will lay any more eggs or is this it?


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

CharVicki said:


> Wow! Those egg pics are amazing. So happy for you! Do you think Swinger will lay any more eggs or is this it?


Thanks, I think she's only going to have the three eggs, I can't see any sign of her ready to lay any more


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Randy just came out the box for a stretch and since he flew out from the top of the box instead of the opening earlier today when I was candling I wanted to check that the eggs were still ok. I found a dent in egg #3 in the air cell end, I've patched it up with some clear nail polish and candled it to see if it was still ok (very unlikely since it's the first week) I couldn't see it's little heart beating and under the light it looked like it might have tiny faint cracks through more of it 
It wasn't leaking anything though so I have left it in there just in case.


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

I candled them again today, wasn't able to get any pictures though because I didn't have my mum there to take them. I'll try for some next time 
*Egg # 1 & 2* are still developing nicely and are getting more veins.
*Egg # 3* sadly hasn't developed any more since the dent.

Just a little side note: I also noticed their finch buddies have been minus the female for a while so checked their box, the little buggers also have six eggs, I was curious so candled them and yep they are fertile and look to be around the same stage as Randy and Swingers


----------



## catalinadee (Jan 1, 2011)

Sad news about the 3rd egg but congrats on the other 2!


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Are you going to leave egg #3 in there or replace it with a dummy egg? (If you have any?)

That's exciting about the finches! Looking forward to photos.


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

I'm going to leave it in there, I've been meaning to get some dummy eggs but haven't yet, it's still not leaking anything so hoping it stays that way


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

I still haven't been able to get any more candle pics, I find it hard holding the egg, light and phone at the same time :lol: so don't want to risk dropping them.
They are still growing and getting pretty big, I was able to see them both move in the eggs.

Egg #1's air cell looks like it is tilted which is to early but no pip marks, by my calculations from when the third was layed and they started sitting they should be due to hatch around next weekend. But then maybe I should have counted from when each was layed since the weather has been warmer 

I will keep checking each day just in case we have any early arrivals


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Egg #1 now has a pip mark and I can still see #2 moving so everything is going well so far 

Does anyone know if it is possible for the temperature outside to be to hot for the babies when they hatch? all the birds are panting now and poor Randy was peeking out the box while I misted the others so I had to make him come out for a misting to.


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

*UPDATE*

*Chick #1:* had piped on the 15/12 and still hadn't hatched by the 17th which was 52 hours later because the humidity hasn't been good with the heat lately and the chick hadn't started cutting out yet I decided to take the risk in assist hatching.
I took it slow from the air cell end and was very lucky that the chick had already drawn in the blood and yolk so I left him in just over half the shell to wriggle out himself, I monitored him for an hour afterwards then put him back in with Swinger who was on him in a flash 
Hatched (assisted) 17/12/13 at approx 7:45pm

*Chick #2:* had pipped on the 17/12 and 52 hours later also had not hatched or cut out any so I took the risk again and slowly started at the air cell end and stopped when I noticed some blood and he was still opening and closing his beak (hadn't drawn in the blood yet) the membrane was dry and had come away from the egg. I left him in the egg in the brooder and moistened the membrane every hour even through the night. He put up an amazing fight for 12 hours then sadly he passed and he only had a bit of the yolk left to draw in 
I feel terrible like I killed him but then I keep having to remind myself he didn't make any progress in the egg for that long so I gave him the best chance I could by assisting I hope.

On a happier note chick #1 is still doing great and growing. Since he's the only baby from this clutch if all goes well I'm going to keep him 

After the hatch


















4 days old








mum and bub


----------



## Sunshine2009 (Dec 29, 2011)

Oh so cute and sweet! Congrats!!


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Yayy!! Congrats!! :clap:


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Thanks guys 

have more pics

*5 days old* - the little rat bag hissed at me when I picked him up so I'm guessing s/he has daddy's attitude :lol:



















his/her left eye is just starting to open, you can kind of see the slit 









Bub had it's first weighing today and was 20 grams, I'm thinking my scales are wrong s/he's growing to fast


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

7 days old and 22 grams


----------



## Korvia (Aug 3, 2012)

aww baby is soo cute!


----------



## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

I love Swinger in the nest box. Angry momma face  Sorry to hear about Chick 2 and Egg 3, but at least one is doing great!


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Congradulations on the hatchling!!


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Thanks guys 
and sorry about all the pictures, I'm just really happy because we have never had a clutch that's gotten past 7 days and this little bub is now 

25/12 - 27 grams with a full crop - 8 days old
26/12 - 25 grams with a nearly empty crop - 9 days old

Today's pic 9 days










The precious little one propped himself up between my thumb and finger, curled his head around and fell asleep during weighing time, so cute


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Such a gorgeous, healthy looking baby!


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

I've found out that he's underweight and is stunted, dehydrated and has a slow crop  I've been feeding him some coconut water every 2 to 3 hours today and massaging his crop, it seems to be helping him do some poops which I suppose is good. Every time I take him out the box now he starts begging like he's expecting the drops but I don't want to feed him anything while he's still got some food in his crop.


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Oh no  I was wrong then, poor baby. Hopefully he will improve, he has you to care for him after all.


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Thanks  don't worry my mum and I thought he was healthy to until I saw another picture of a 10 day old.

Here's a pic of him today - 12 days old
His little crest is starting to come through more


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

(S)he looks like (s)he's sitting, so cute


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Sorry it's been awhile since the last update. 
The baby is doing good and is looking likely that it's a Pearl which also means it's another girl for the flock  and I'm guessing that Randy is split to pearl.

She's balancing better on her feet and walking around more and hisses at me every time I go near, she falls asleep alot while we are holding her. I'm trying to make it a habit of stroking her head and back in the hopes that when she's older wont be scared of hands 

Today she's 20 days old and will be 3 weeks tomorrow and is 92 grams.




























and couldn't miss the little tail


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

The baby is 4 weeks old today and turns out he's not a pearl after all but a grey. I'm hoping it's a boy so have named him Bear for now 
He's got the grizzly attitude of one but not the courage :lol:

Here's some pics



























He's been trying to stretch his wing and leg out like the adults do but he loses balance and tumbles over


----------



## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Ahh, so adorable! I miss my babies being that small.


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Look at that sweetie pie!!


----------



## .Alexandra. (Sep 11, 2012)

He is so big already! And immensely cute


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Wow!  Cute. Never would have guessed he was a normal grey. He looks kind of like charcoal.


----------



## Biscotti (Jun 13, 2013)

So sweet! I'm looking forward to my babies hatching and looking like this 

Eve :wf grey: :cinnamon pearl:


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Thanks guys 
I'm really loving watching him grow and all his firsts  He's been nibbling at our hands and clothes all the time lately so I gave him a bit of millet in my hand to try and he ate a couple of bits. Also he climbed on to my shoulder then onto the back of the couch today and to my shock he FLEW for the first time 

and a side note, Randy and Swinger left a little something in the box today, I caught Randy with an EGG in front of him, I don't think it's fertile though because it has a yellow/orange colour to it and doesn't look the same colour as the fertile ones usually are so will have to wait and see.
Does any one know how to prevent double clutching?


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Here is a quote from tielfan 


> I think I might have discovered the secret to preventing a second clutch right after the first clutch. It's all in the timing. The parents start wanting a second clutch when their oldest chick is about 3 weeks old, and by that time it's usually impossible to stop it. So this year I decided I'd start earlier, and upped the night length to about 11 hours when the oldest chick was about two weeks old. The natural night length here is about 10 hours right now.
> 
> It looks like it's going to work. There was some nesting behavior, but there has been no mating and the chicks are still being cared for. The youngest baby is 4 weeks old today, and all the other babies have fledged. This is out of a total of 8 chicks - two different clutches with two sets of parents. One of the parents is Shodu. She's a VERY determined breeder who is hard to control, and I'm amazed that this worked on her.


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Thanks so much Haimovfids


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

The new egg layed today









Bear 


















I caught bear on the egg when he was resting in the corner of the box  it was cute


----------



## caterpillar (Oct 14, 2013)

Bear is so adorable!!!


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Thanks 

He came out the nest box for the first time today, I was getting ready for work this morning and went out to check them and there he was on the lower branch


----------



## Fredandiris (Nov 27, 2012)

Yay he did it! I personally think that watching them learn how to perch is the funniest thing in the world. That and watching them try to climb ladders


----------



## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

Just want to say, I enjoyed looking at these pictures SO much!


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

dianne - I'm really glad you enjoyed the pictures 

Well Randy and Swinger now have 4 eggs, the fourth one was layed today. I'm starting them on long nights now to hopefully prevent anymore clutches and then they will be having a very LONG break.

Bear update - He's been spending the afternoons out of the nest box and I've been putting him back in the box at night, he's also started sitting on the seed dish and eating some bits out of it.
He always puts a smile on my face  I was candling the first egg (fertile) and for the first time he jumped from the finches box onto my shoulder and hung out with me for a while.


----------



## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

Oh, how sweet!


----------



## kaitlinpaige (Jan 13, 2014)

Bear is adorable! I love his color  Hope all goes well with the new clutch. Thanks for all the pictures, I really enjoyed them and watching bear grow.


----------



## nassrah (Feb 27, 2012)

Bear is so cute !!!Congrats-hes adorable X x


----------



## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

His baby face! He is so cute  Hopefully he'll get some more brothers and sisters soon


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Bear is so cute and cuddly, even though he was parent raised, I made sure he was handled everyday from the day he hatched and it was so worth it 

The new clutch, I thought Swinger was finished at four eggs but she's now got a fifth and I was also off with the days they were layed because I thought it was mornings but it was actually night that she layed them.

Egg #1 layed on the 19.01 - Fertile









Egg #2 layed on the 21.01 - Fertile









Egg #3 layed on the 23.01 - Fertile









Egg #4 layed on the 25.01 - Fertile
Egg #5 layed on the 27.01 - Fertile

I'll add pictures of the others when you can see it more


----------



## Janalee (Jul 25, 2012)

*Randy and Swinger*

It must have been so neat to see a heartbeat! I am sure you are looking forward to hatching day!
Pardon my ignorance, but can you continue to candle eggs as the embryo develops? I would think as it grows, it would be too dense. Is candling mainly to determine if the egg is fertile?
I have to mention, too, with names like Randy and Swinger, they must be good breeders!  Very cute!


----------



## Biscotti (Jun 13, 2013)

Another fertile clutch! Lucky you!

Lets hope the other eggs are fertile too!

Eve :cinnamon pearl: :wf grey:


----------



## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

5 eggs! Wow, big clutch


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

I've got a video of egg #4's heartbeat on my facebook page if anyone is interested (you'll find it in my siggy) Sorry I don't know how to embed them and it's a bit shaky, I don't have much of a steady hand 
I've also added the candled pictures of eggs 2 and 3 to the other post.



Janalee said:


> It must have been so neat to see a heartbeat! I am sure you are looking forward to hatching day!
> Pardon my ignorance, but can you continue to candle eggs as the embryo develops? I would think as it grows, it would be too dense. Is candling mainly to determine if the egg is fertile?
> I have to mention, too, with names like Randy and Swinger, they must be good breeders!  Very cute!


You can continue to candle them but as they grow it get's a bit harder to see much but you can see them move when they are bigger. Candling is also handy when they are taking longer to hatch than normal so you can get a rough idea of if they have drawn in the blood yet 
:lol: They chose each other so they weren't an intended pair but they are definately good breeders, so far every egg they've had has been fertile and they are great parents.


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Just a quick update, all five eggs are fertile


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Lucky you! :excited:


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Lucky lucky lucky!!!! 
I have always wanted to open a nest box with so many chicks screaming for food at the same time haha!


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Haimovfids - I listen to Bear scream for his food and he can get pretty loud and I wonder what it would sound like with more babies :lol:

Candled the eggs again and everything still seems to be going smoothly, they are all moving and no DIS yet, so hopefully things will still go good and we'll have the first chick hatching around Wednesday next week


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

That's a week after Marshmallows hatchday!!


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Egg #1's air cell has tilted and I think I can see a pip mark, so we may get an early arrival.


----------



## Biscotti (Jun 13, 2013)

I'm so excited for you! I hope you get all the babies this time 

My Biscotti looks like she may have an egg bum - she's been nesting in the bottom of the cage and I'm debating putting the box in.

Eve :cinnamon pearl: :wf grey:


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Biscotti said:


> I'm so excited for you! I hope you get all the babies this time
> 
> My Biscotti looks like she may have an egg bum - she's been nesting in the bottom of the cage and I'm debating putting the box in.
> 
> Eve :cinnamon pearl: :wf grey:


I hope so to  everything is still looking good with the other eggs

If she's going to lay an egg then maybe you should so she doesn't nest on the floor. I really hope if she does that everything works out this time for you


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Over 48 hours later and Egg #1 still hasn't hatched yet, it's still moving and chirping but the air cell does look to be on the big side, it hasn't been pipping in a line either more like randomly around the same area, I'll be watching it for awhile longer at least until tomorrow though to see if it hatches on it's own.

Egg #2's air cell has now tilted and there may be a slight pip mark.


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

It hatched on it's own :clap:

Welcome chick #1 - I've marked it blue on the head after the photo was taken because it's toes are just to tiny.

I put twenty cents next to him, he's smaller than it but I couldn't get a good picture because he kept moving. He's a lot smaller than Bear was when he hatched.


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Congrats!! Such an adorable little baby! :clap:


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Congrats!! (S)he is adorable


----------



## Biscotti (Jun 13, 2013)

S/he is so cute! 
And s/he hatched all on her own!
I'm so happy for you 

Eve :cinnamon pearl: :wf grey:


----------



## wandalee (Feb 17, 2013)

Thanks for sharing! Any more babies hatched yet?


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Sadly Egg #2 didn't make it, the chick wasn't able to draw anything in because of the low humidity, but Egg #3 did hatch on it's own 

Another picture of chick 1 - 2 Days old










and Chick 3 - Hatched 12/02 it's the one closer to the eggs










Egg #4 - is still moving but the air cell hasn't tilted yet
Egg #5 - has a small dent that I've patched up and the chick is still moving so I'm hoping it will be ok

Bear is still a greedy little one begging for his food  and luckily Randy and Swinger are still feeding him to but he is eating seed on his own at times. He still goes into the nest box when he wants to and checks out his siblings, don't worry I've watched him and he stands next to them but doesn't hurt them


----------



## Biscotti (Jun 13, 2013)

How's everything going? Are the chicks doing well? Any more hatchings?

Eve :cinnamon pearl: :wf grey:


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Egg #4 I can't see moving and it's been a while now so I think it might be dis and Egg #5 had a fair few dents in it, a really big air cell but was still moving, I tried wet paper towel over the egg but while I was at work I think Randy and Swinger may have tried assisting it because half the shell was off when I got home but the chick didn't make it  I've left #4 in the box for now just in case.

So it looks like it will only be Chick #1 and 3, they are still going good, I think might be getting a bit overfed though and seem to be a little behind in growth like Bear was.

Yesterdays weighing was:
Chick 1 - 5 days old - 16 grams
Chick 3 - 3 days old - 6 grams

Both together, Chick 3's fluff is more yellow


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

The parents are doing a great job!  

They are nice and healthy looking!


----------



## Tohru1529 (Feb 26, 2014)

how are the baby tiels now.


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Sorry I haven't been updating much guys I've been a bit busy and have recently had to start handfeeding a Zebra Finch baby the last couple of days because it fell out the nest and the parents aren't taking care of it, I'm not sure how old it is but I'm guessing not much more than three days old, it's other siblings died so I'm on feeding duty every 2 hours with it.

Now back to the Cockatiel chicks, sadly Chick one (Tiny) died on Thursday he/she was 17 days old  But Chick three is still going well
Here's some of the pics I have of them

Chick one on the left and three on the right









Chick one with the messy face









Here's a more recent pic of Chick three - he's starting to make lots of little sounds and hissing a lot


----------



## Tohru1529 (Feb 26, 2014)

blueybluesky said:


> Sorry I haven't been updating much guys I've been a bit busy and have recently had to start handfeeding a Zebra Finch baby the last couple of days because it fell out the nest and the parents aren't taking care of it, I'm not sure how old it is but I'm guessing not much more than three days old, it's other siblings died so I'm on feeding duty every 2 hours with it.
> 
> Now back to the Cockatiel chicks, sadly Chick one (Tiny) died on Thursday he/she was 17 days old  But Chick three is still going well
> Here's some of the pics I have of them
> ...


I am sorry for the loss of tiny. I am glad Chick 3 doing well.  keep up the good work.


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Oh no! I'm so sorry about the loss of Tiny! 
Let's hope chick#3 thrives!  

I named chick#3 Cherrio!


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Update
26 days old, 77 grams with an empty crop.










We had to call the avian vet today about the bub because his eyes have been very watery, so much that they drip. The vet said that they can get something with their sinuses and they get puss around there and makes their eyes drip, not completely sure since my mum was talking to him but it is related to Car Alarms Psittacosis. The vet gave us the ok to treat him with .01ml of Car Alarms medication and said it might help until we can get the little one in for a consult, he was a good boy and greedily took the medication. I'm thinking this is probably why Tiny died.


----------



## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

We are going to be keeping the little one  my mum is getting attached to him and he has been named Snuggles.

He went to the vet for the first time today and the vet agrees that it looks as though he has Psittacosis too, probably because his immune system is still developing. So he will be getting two dosages a day of the same medication Car Alarm is on other than that he's going great.
He's been coming out the nest box but hangs around on the floor of the cage as he hasn't learnt to fly yet but can perch really good.


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

O MY GOSH!!! He is so fricken cute!!! I can't believe my two babies are going to look like him. More photos and videos please


----------

