# Dally and Tsuka 2011



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

Well i took the plunge. they were mating no matter what i did, and my biggest concern was mostly finding homes, but i got someone who is taking any babies i dont find homes for. I already have 2 people wanting girls. so thats easy with my two as tsuka is split cinnamon... easier sexing

figured we'd go as a trial, see how it all goes. if it goes badly, i wont do it again... but if it goes well, then we'll go from there. ive put up our make shift box (store ones i found too narrow and i didnt like them) and theyve been going in it each day since i put it up. tsuka is really dedicated, preparing the nest, attacking anything that goes near the cage... im quite proud of him.

dallys had some attitude with tsuka today... but im hoping its nothing major. shes just guarding the box more. shes been having bigger poops too and has been eating a lot. 

im preparing to hand feed if needed, but i will be just handling when theyre eyes open to tame them instead if all goes well. but thanks to nwoodrow and roxy culver so far ive gotten some great info, now im ready to get more info 

well photos
dally going in box








slight egg bum? its bigger than her normal one.

__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content









cage set up with box. cloth covering it to discourage chewing, as theyve done a little bit








video of tsuka defending the nest (through my little entrance so i can peek in and if needed remove babies and eggs when needed to) hes gonna be a good dad lol



so any other information i could use, that'd be great  im already using aspen bedding, feeding lots of greens, especially dandelions. most of my diet questions have been asnwered but if i have more, ill ask.


but handfeeding formulas...

i can get kaytee exact or lefebers... which is better? price isnt an issue for either


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

Were all here for you hun and cant wait for the day when you come on here and go yipee for fuzzies.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Fingers crossed for little fuzzies!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

judging by what splits i know they have, this is what i'd get



Motherearl Split To Pied
Fatherearl Split To Pied Whiteface {X2: Cinnamon}

male offspring:
6% Pied Pearl Split To Whiteface
6% Pied Pearl Split To Whiteface {X1: Cinnamon}
6% Pied Pearl
6% Pied Pearl Split To {X1: Cinnamon}
6% Pearl Split To Whiteface
6% Pearl Split To Whiteface {X1: Cinnamon}
6% Pearl
6% Pearl Split To {X1: Cinnamon}
13% Pearl Split To Pied Whiteface
13% Pearl Split To Pied Whiteface {X1: Cinnamon}
13% Pearl Split To Pied
13% Pearl Split To Pied {X1: Cinnamon}

female offspring:
6% Pied Pearl Split To Whiteface
6% Pied Cinnamon Pearl Split To Whiteface
6% Pied Pearl
6% Pied Cinnamon Pearl
6% Pearl Split To Whiteface
6% Cinnamon Pearl Split To Whiteface
6% Pearl
6% Cinnamon Pearl
13% Pearl Split To Pied Whiteface
13% Cinnamon Pearl Split To Pied Whiteface
13% Pearl Split To Pied
13% Cinnamon Pearl Split To Pied


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

I cant wait


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

me neither... im hoping all goes well. shes getting VERY possessive of the box, she keeps chasing tsuka out, so im wondering if shes going to lay in the next few days or not


----------



## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

Oh yay! Congratulations! Tuska's really defending that nest. Definetly will make a good dad.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

hes taken chunks from fingers... i have to wear gloves just to change the food lol


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Wow!....Parenhood may just settle Tsuka down. For a little while Dally will have the upper hand/wing and be the dominant one and keep him in line...LOL

*but handfeeding formulas...
i can get kaytee exact or lefebers... which is better? price isnt an issue for either*

I would try to get either kaytee or Embrace. The Lefebers is not a good seller, and can be harder to mix. BUT, regardless of the brands you want to look on the packaging to see if they have a Use by date. You want to get a pkg that is not close to the espiration date. It is best to buy formula from a store that also handfeeds babies or has alot of birds. Many times the shelf turnaround on the formula is better....meaning you don't want to buy something that was sitting on the shelf for a long time. If old it can lose nutritional content, and it can also turn rancid. In either situation this can have a negative effect on growth and health.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

ok ill go for kaytee as i can easily get that. its a tad more but i get more as well. so kaytee will be my choice  im hoping he calms down... i have a video of dally being aggressive im going to post in a minute


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

ok video of dally being mean to tsuka. wouldnt let him in the box lol
this just started today


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i do have a question.

when my fiance opened the window in our room as well as lifting the blinds, the tiels went skinny bird... i worry this may stress them even though theyre used to it. is it ok to open the blinds at least?


----------



## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

Yay! Fuzzies! There may be something outside the window that they think is a threat or even the sound of the blinds opening could spook them when they get broody. (I know chicken term, but it still applies)


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i slowly opened it and theyre fine but if i notice anything odd, the curtains are going down again. gave them a little bit of out of cage time as they wanted it  so gave them a half hour and now theyre ok


i do have another question... when exactly will i be able to tell when dally is gonna lay?


----------



## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

That I don't know maybe someone else can tell you. My guess is when her abdomen gets bigger, but that's probably a duh!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

its slightly bigger than normal. but its hard to see in her feathers.


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

Pregnancy Belly is quite noticable just before they lay the egg, her butt area will look quite interesting with an egg shaped bump


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

OK...do you have a scales that weighs in grams? If so I would weigh her now. As the hen is ovulating as the egg travels down to the uterus the hen will gain approx 5-6 grams in body weight. this way if you have a starting weight you can watch her, and very carefully handle her to weigh her for a weight gain. if there is it could be an indication that she will be laying in the next 24 hrs. The other reason why weighing a hen prior to setting up is useful is so that you can catch problems. 

For example...average weight gain per egg is 5-6 grams. If she is showing signs of laying ( swollen abdomen and a hunched back, with tail facing downwards, maybe wings dropped a little) and no egg layed withing 24-48 hours of these signs, weigh her and if weight gain is over 6 grams, it could be a sign of a problem going on.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

nest box has been up for almost a week now (tomorrow will be a week) so im hoping its soon. shes getting very protective over the box. wont let tsuka in and when he goes in she goes in and kicks him out. she lets me put my hand in but tsuka is NOT allowed near the box anymore.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

our scale is garbage. we have to get a new one eventually. ours isnt digital and it jumps weight. one second it will say 30 grams for tsuka then 120 grams the next. its OLD. but i can say she feels a bit heavier... but thats not that reliable. ill attempt to weigh her with our old scale and see how that goes. she usually gets scared of it though so i dont know if its worth it


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

average laying time for first egg after successful mating is 8-10 days and then every other day after that.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

theyve been mating for 3 weeks now.  a few times every day


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

well i know that with my pairs as they hate any handling that i was told to weigh a paper bag and then gently place them in it and then weigh them that way, dont know if this will help you but it might


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

Not every mating results in an egg and sometimes its not until the nest box is given that the hormones in the hen produce an egg, just think of those prior matings pre nest box as fun sex and practice.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

well i weighed her... not sure how reliable it was. couldnt weigh tsuka he flew away each time... ya know when i dont want him to fly something comes up where he chooses to do it... but anyways dally was ok with it, no skinny bird, generally behaved.


weighed her a few times, weight came back consistent so i think this is accurate

says shes around 125 grams


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

well either her previous weights you pm'd me are completely false or she's porked out some


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

awwww bless she looks so adorable


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

im wondering
this scale has told me a few months ago she was around 85... so both are possibilities


though it has also told me that everything weighed 30 grams once then said they all weighed something different. but its staying this time. it acts up... its not the best, but its what i have for now. ill go by what it says this time... it could be correct, as she does feel heavier than when she was younger.


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

okay, but if you can get a hold of a newer scale i do recommend it cause you want to have a better idea of their weight cause you need to know if theirs trouble and an unreliable scale could cause problems later on.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

im gonna have to eventually. shes active. very active so i think alls going well... shes eating millet and veggies right now but ealier she was shoving tsuka off a perch...


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

oh shes being a bossy hen is she, well its about time tuska was put in his place, lol


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

ill weigh her again tomorrow. if its the same weight, i know its not acting up right now.
i think the problem with it, is sometimes the grey part you put things on sticks or is loose. last time i tightened it, maybe that worked, who knows.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i feel bad for him, despite all the times hes done it to her. he runs away so scared and i feel so sorry for him but at the same time its funny as maybe he'll learn not to do it no more.


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

hopefully, another way of testing it is to weigh something you know what the weight should be and see if it reads at that weight. 5 grams is 5 mls


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

ok will try that


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

alright weighed a 60 ml bottle of shower gel... its accurate


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

thats good, before you weigh her tomorrow retest this way you will catch any problems before hand and have grey hair before your age is supposed to., lol


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

grey hair just means youre wiser 

will definately do this... last time i weighed her it said she was 85 but then it acted up so i had stopped using it.. but its working again so i think we're good. that and shes become flighted since i last weighed her, so shes filled out

but 125 is bigger than i thought she was lol


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

dally still wont let tsuka in the box. each time he actually gets in, she runs in and chases him out. then she sits in the entrance  shes really not liking him in the box


----------



## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Oh yay good luck I hope you get some eggies soon!!!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

hoping  dally wont let tsuka in so i hope all's well...


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

shes been guarding the nest nearly all evening... just like this lol










i think i figured out why. tsuka goes in and changes the indent 3 times a day. she goes in and changes it back. so she refuses to let him back in anymore. i can put my hand in to pet her and she likes being pet, as usual but if i touch the bedding she nips! haha she doesnt want her bedding messed up.
shes been in there even more tonight. its like shes glued to that box... she does come out to eat and drink though and eat the cuttlebone and mineral block


----------



## Duckybird (Sep 13, 2010)

Congrats! Sounds like we will have a clutch around the same time! I put my box in last Wednesday (little over a week ago). I can't remember they were successfully mating before that, but I am seeing most of the behaviors you're describing. Tonight Callie was very broody and protective of the box. I think they'll all do great!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

haha lets see who lays first


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

And the race is on!


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Doesn't Dally look so adorable


----------



## 4birdsNC (Dec 4, 2010)

good Luck Dally & Tusca! My WF pair are sitting on eggs right now. I have been able to candle two and both were fertile... now its just a waiting game. I can't wait to see what splits they have that I don't know about... Its so exciting and nerve wracking at the same time... Hope your two lovely tiels come through with some preaty babies... they should, they are both georgous birds.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

thanks  good luck to you too!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

shes got bigger today 









and last night in the box


----------



## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

ahhh im so excited and their not even my tiels!!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

me too but im so impatient lol its been a week since the box has been put up so now im really impatient


----------



## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

Yay! How exciting!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

shes napping right now outside of the box entrance... shes still not letting tsuka in and shes in and out of it all day so far


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i think she may be trying to lay... she is hunkered down in the box and has been for awhile. 

opinions please? shes been like this for about 15-20 minutes now


----------



## Duckybird (Sep 13, 2010)

Maybe, maybe not. Callie has been broody for the past 2 days (including resting in and defending the box) without an egg yet. She is otherwise playing and eating but not eggbound. So maybe just getting comfortable?


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

im wondering... its funny as i can peek in, handfeed her millet, no nipping or attacking. but if tsuka peeks in especially when he wants to attack me, she kicks him out, so im calling her my finger defender  never fails. he doesnt get far into that box if dally is there and im there too.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

That's because she loves her mommy! Bubbles has been going in more frequently too, hopefully they all lay soon!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

maybe we will all get easter eggs


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Ha ha  i wont lol


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

well you do have bunnies... they may bring you some... somehow.

boy what a shock youd get if you got eggs, eh?


----------



## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

I want easter eggs.......maybe next year


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Ha ha i don't think i be getting chocolate eggs either lol


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I could see it now, Lindsey running around worried about Lucky laying eggs! It would be so cute! I bet Lucky would make a good mommy, she's got such a sweet disposition. Does my grandma sending me chocolate eggs count? lol


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

seems everyone has breeding birds... maybe thats the real reason why easter is at this time lol


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Lucky would make a good mommy as she got a sweet nature but i cant see it happen myself, they have stopped trying to do the dirty for weeks lol and i honestly cant see it happen with dumpling and buttercup (taco ???) but they might surprise me one day.


----------



## Eileen (Mar 11, 2011)

Congratulations to you! It is a lot of fun. My family and I certainly enjoyed it. 

I read an article about cardboard nestboxes. It appears the drawbacks are that your birds might chew through it and escape, or the eggs could fall out. Here's the link:

http://www.cockatiels.org/breeders/cardboard-nestboxes for cockatiels.htm

I attached a plastic basket near the top of my cage and it worked pretty well. My cage had a door on the top, so it was easy to access and I covered the top of the cage to provide privacy.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i check for any chewing... so far its just the entrance. theyve generally have left it alone. it will be replaced each time though. its meant to be disposable


----------



## Buggy (Jan 27, 2011)

DallyTsuka any update?Eggs?Hope Dally is OK and soon you will have egg


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

no egg yet, though she slept in the nestbox last night.... im getting so confused.


----------



## beckins (Jul 30, 2010)

aww how exciting  love the piccies, your two are gona make such cutie babies! Cant wait for some egg news ^^ If i lived near you id have a baby!


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Since Trsuka is split to cinnamon you might be able to tell right away if you have any little little girls hatch by looking at the eyes. Here is a thread that might be helpful: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=19686


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

thanks, i seen that thread this morning. its quite noticable! im keeping my fingers crossed for a cinnamon pearl pied as theyre pretty. also hoping some babies get the loosefeather gene too


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Also are Dally's cheek patches yellow streaked? If so she may possibly be split to WF.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i dont know. ive posted on here long before asking... ill post a photo of her cheek for you


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

do you think shes split anything else but pied?


oh, gross story, dally hasnt been out of the box ALL day today, not even to poop. she even slept in the box last night and didnt poop. so i took her out to see if she was ok as no poop is a sign of egg binding... i nearly puked as she pooped a massive poop that nearly landed on my foot... yuck!


----------



## birdlover4life (Mar 6, 2010)

Yuck! Smelly probably!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i didnt stop to smell it LOL i was nearly puking just cleaning it off the rug. thank goodness its a rug meant to be for the birds to poop on instead of the carpet lol


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Ha ha ha lol oh sorry i shouldn't laugh


----------



## birdlover4life (Mar 6, 2010)

I can just picture it! LOL!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

no, no its fine. i just laughed too and said "thank god that didnt land on us... oh man can you imagine if she did that on your arm?" im being polite and not posting that picture on here... as i did take a photo it was so huge!

ill post the link, but i warn you, its nasty

used a penny for comparison

http://s1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa409/TsukaDally/?action=view&current=311_1282.jpg


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

was it bigger than the last poop


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Try having one go down your back...its gross!


----------



## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

ahhhh!! hahaha! gross!!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

no thanks roxy. this one made me want to puke and it wasnt on me


----------



## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

The only time Lulu poops that big is in the morning. It's almost like clockwork. 5 minutes after I uncover her. and man.. are those poops big.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Its so nasty...I pick on my hubby about it all the time. If he's not nice to me, Cinnamon is going to egg poopy all on his face lol.


----------



## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

egg poopy lol lol.

Sometimes I hear it hit the bottom of the cage from the other side of the room! gross. lol.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i thought morning poops were bad... nothing on these monsters


----------



## birdlover4life (Mar 6, 2010)

Finn wakes up during the night to poop! He does a normal one in the morning, another one of his quirks


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

my birds wake up to go too... mango the lovie wakes up at 3 am every morning just to eat, run in the hamster wheel, then go back to sleep.

i wonder if its a hit or miss thing


----------



## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

Interesting. No, Lulu holds it until she can't possibly hold it anymore. Then.. bam! poopster machine.

I am a very light sleeper. Only on rare occassions do I sleep through the night. Normally I wake up like two-three times sometimes.

So, I do listen for any sounds coming from the cage. Not a peep do I hear. Thank goodness.


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

well i see dally had a pregnancy poop, thats a good sign hope she dont do it in her water dish when she bathes, jewels is famous for that and my walls look like a discusting airbrush painting, recommend big sheets of paper behind the cage.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

im hoping its tonight... though it seems shes changed who she thinks is her mate lol. she wont even let tsuka do that. but if im around she starts her mating noises....


----------



## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

Oy vey. lol


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

tell me about it. tsuka hears it, starts screaming and pacing and dally gets mad if he even goes near the cage... 

so they havent mated in 2.5 days


----------



## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

oooh how exciting! Look what I've been missing out on! You're all gonna have your hands full soon!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

well dally accepted tsuka back into the cage... they seem to be back on good terms now. lets hope it stays that way lol no more screaming


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

she might need him now if she going to lay


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

O wow she took him back...maybe she forgives him for whatever it was he did.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

well he was the one to attack her first... after that she chased him around the cage. so i think hes sorry and just missed her so much LOL


----------



## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

true love!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

more like an ornery old married couple lol bicker bicker bicker but they cant live without eachother


----------



## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

awwww Im glad Dally took Tsuka back!  hope theres some eggs soon!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

me too, shes sending out lots of mixed signals... tomorrow will be 14 days the nest box has been up.

oh well just gotta be patient.


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Well i hope she does in the morning gives me something nice i want to hear about rather than this royal wedding tomorrow grrrr


----------



## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

I hope the first egg comes tomorrow too!

I am not even in the UK and I am tired of hearing about
This wedding. NBC and The Today Show are over promoting it.


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Its really doing my head in its all i ever hear now
they will show it on tv on so many stations and later on the night they will show it again then again saturday


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

oh i hope she lays soon, and as of tomorrow i will be doing what ive done for the last 29 years celebrating my moms birthday, she had that day first.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

haha funny nwoodrow! tell your mom happy birthday for us

im really hoping. this is taking so long and shes making me worry lol


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Hope there is an egg 

Tell your mom happy birthday


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

no egg yet


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Poor dally


----------



## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

which dally are you refering to the bird or the poor impatient mommy.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

lol 

well the two have been separated AGAIN, this time likely for good. tsuka went at dally's throat and wouldnt let her escape, kept biting her and everything. she fell off the perch and hit the grate hard. i dont want to risk her breaking an egg...


i dont know what to do with tsuka anymore. hes getting very unmanageable


----------



## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

Is she okay??


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i think so, shes in the nest box again. i just hope her fall didnt do any damage


----------



## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

awww poor Dally. I wonder why tsukas being so mean to her?


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

hes a jerk 


well spoke to my fiance, we're getting him a new cage all to himself. we'll be buying it with our income tax money. spoiled brat... 
this will most likely be a semi-permanant thing... so breeding again may not be likely


----------

