# Just hatched! Worried mom isn't sitting on the chick



## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

We have a small clutch of 2 viable eggs (one not viable). One egg just hatched and the mom isn't sitting on the chick (it is fluffy). We are worried that she should be sitting on the chick too (she is sitting on the one other egg that we think is viable).


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

Update, that chick died and the other egg hatched. Again, they parents weren't sitting on the chick. I removed the egg fragments (the female was trying to sit on that). Then I picked up the male and noticed he was very thin, so I pulled him out of the cage and gave him food which he ignored. Then I offered millet, and he went for it. The female was still sitting next to the chick, so I put millet next to her too, which she promptly ate. The male went and joined her, also ate the millet there, and now they are both sitting on the chick. I have plenty of food in their cage, all types, pellets, seeds, seed balls, and freshly cooked lentils, brown rice with corn and peas. They just seem only interested in the millet. 

Any advice?


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## Misstiel (Jun 10, 2021)

Awwwww! I'm so sorry that the chick didn't make it. You could try feeding the parents baby formula and if they take it, they might feed the other chick, then.


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

I had to pull the other chick. The father was flinging it around by the toes and beak, and neither were sitting on the chick. For a few hours it looked like they were going to take care of it, both on it and there was a little food in it's crop. Then they just stopped. This is their first time with a eggs hatching.

The chick was doing well, but we hit a rough patch (though it seems to be recovering). I was following the directions on the Kaytee Exact Formula canister, 1-2 days 1:6 (formula to water ratio), then yesterday, on it's 3rd day switched to 1:3 ( that is what the instructions said). The chick did not do well on this switch. After a bit of touch and go (it was pretty bad off), I think it is rehydrated again, and I am back to the 1:6 ratio. How do I know when to increase the thickness of the formula? Everything that I have read/watched says the consistency of applesauce, and also too watery is bad, and too thick is bad.


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## Misstiel (Jun 10, 2021)

I would suggest seeking the advice of a vet because there might be something else going on. If it is eating the consistency successfully, I would just stay with that for now. The best bet though is to probably contact your vet just to make sure.


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

An update- so far the chick has been doing okay. We've caught up with the feeding, I think most of the issues were due to the "brooder" I had constructed. Now that the temps and humidity are up, it seems on track. Fingers crossed!


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## Misstiel (Jun 10, 2021)

I'm so happy the chick is doing really well! 😊🤞


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

Thanks! It is stressful raising a chick! We are really hoping it makes it, it seems like everyday that goes by that its chances are better. It's pin feathers are coming in, and is bigger every day. I haven't weighed it (I keep forgetting), but want to start before the first morning feeding to make sure it stays on track. I do worry it is a bit thin, but it does have energy.


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

Any tips on hand taming? I know I feed it, but it seems to only associate me and my husband with formula right now


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## Misstiel (Jun 10, 2021)

Would you be able to send pictures of it and let me know how old it is? I could tell if it is on track or not, then. As for tips for hand taming, it kind of depends on how old it is. If it is still under a month old, the chick will most likely just associate you with the food still. If it is older, you can start spending time with it even if it is only little amounts of time. You can try rub its head if it will let you. That's how mine started warming up to me. Even just sitting with it for a few minutes can make a difference.


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

Sorry for the delay. It should be about 15 days old today. I weighed it today with an empty crop and I believe the scale said 40 grams today. Which I think is a bit small (according to the cockatiels cottage website). It is active and walks around it's "brooder", stretches it's wings, and responds to us.

Sorry the picture isn't the best. I had to improvise a brooder. We have never raised a chick before and are not planning on ever raising a chick again after this one, so had to pull together the brooder.

I think I may be watering the formula down too much. We were/are so nervous about slow crop or stasis, we may have swung the other way? I feed when the crop is empty or nearly empty (or at least I can tell there is proper movement and the crop contents have been drastically reduced). About 4 times a day, first at 6am and last at 12am. Generally the feedings are 3-4 hrs apart, depending on the crop. I mix a 1:2 (formula:water) formula.


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## Misstiel (Jun 10, 2021)

Yes, you're right; It is a little underweight, but it looks like it is doing well. If you're worried about slow crop, adding apple cider vinegar helps out a lot. It did with my chick, and experienced breeders have used it all the time. If the chick is only 15 days old, it should be fed five times a day. The times would be 6:00 am, 10:00 am, 2:00 pm, 6:00 pm, and 10:00 pm. That might be why it is a little underweight. Everything else sounds fine though. 😊


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

Thanks!

How much apple cider vinegar do you add?

Would you recommend slowly converting to the 6-10-2-6-10 schedule? Since we currently do the last feeding at midnight and the first at 6am?

Today I have actually been on that schedule, it just seemed align with the chick's crop movements.

Thanks for the help!


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## Misstiel (Jun 10, 2021)

I add 3 drops of the apple cider vinegar for *only *the last feed of the day once a week until it is a little older. When it reaches about four to five weeks old, you can do it every other last feed. I would convert to the new schedule as soon as possible. If you want to finish its normal schedule for today, that's fine, too.


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

Thanks for your help! 

I weighed the chick this morning and up to 45 grams. I had weighed it midday yesterday, so it seems to be putting on weight well.


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## Misstiel (Jun 10, 2021)

You're welcome! 😊 Yay, I'm glad he's gaining weight! 🤗


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

So everything seemed fine until yesterday. When I went to feed the chick in the morning it's crop hadn't fully emptied. I waited a while to see if it would and was looking stuff up about it. Then I mixed 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of water and used that for the formula mixing. I did a light feeding. Then an hour later I gave it a small amount of Pedialyte. Then 2 hrs later a tiny more Pedialyte. Then at 2pm the crop was empty! So I feed it normally, bit substituted half the water for coconut water. And again at 6 and 10pm. The crop goes down consistently, just not fully emptied. I called multiple vets in my area and none have availability until Nov or are taking new clients.

This morning same thing. Crop wasn't completely empty. I just gave the chick some Pedialyte warmed to 105 degrees F. I'm super stressed though! Any advice?

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## Misstiel (Jun 10, 2021)

You have to have a consistent temperature of 96 to 99 and a consistent humidity level of minimum 50% so the baby can digest its food properly. Hopefully, everything turns out alright though because I know how stressful it can be when the chick starts going downhill.


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

Yeah it is!!! Especially when there are no available vets. 

Anytime I get the brooder into the low 90s the chick pants and acts hot. The humidity has been pretty consistently between 50-70%

It acts fine, chirps, poops, and has been exploring it's brooder. Perching on things like the socks I gave it to cuddle with. The crop is just slow. 

Ugh, and I tried earlier today to do the papaya treatment from Tony Silvia. That did not go well, the chick threw some of it up. Started acting fine later though, except the slowness. 

Do you think it needs a crop bra? When I look at photos of crops, it doesn't look like it is worse than what is shown on a healthy chick.


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## Misstiel (Jun 10, 2021)

I'm sorry, but I wouldn't know if it needs a crop bra or not. Hopefully, everything will turn out alright and you won't have to worry anymore. I would say go to a vet just in case but as you said, there are no available vets.


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

Well, this chick seems to be a trooper. Today I saw the crop muscles working well, so even though the crop hadn't gone down 100%, it doesn't seem like food is being stuck. I do gently massage it's crop before I feed it, and carefully feed it.

It's been a lot more active today, chirping, flapping it's wings, and really vigorously begging for food when I feed it.


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## Misstiel (Jun 10, 2021)

Yay! 😁 I'm so happy it's doing much better!


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

Monday I found an avian vet that would take the chick in!!!! It spent the night and now is back home. Seems to be doing a lot better


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## Misstiel (Jun 10, 2021)

That's great news!


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## Snava94 (Mar 18, 2021)

pequod said:


> Monday I found an avian vet that would take the chick in!!!! It spent the night and now is back home. Seems to be doing a lot better


So what did the vet say it was or what did they do? And how is your baby doing now?


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## pequod (Feb 28, 2014)

Doing great now! It did have to spend the night at the vet and got on an antifungal and antibiotics for 10 days with small meals to allow the crop to recover. It's crop was infected and stretched. But now, about a month later the chick is a very healthy bird, and we have since weaned it. Here it is eating a little squash on its own here. Thanks for asking!


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## Snava94 (Mar 18, 2021)

pequod said:


> Doing great now! It did have to spend the night at the vet and got on an antifungal and antibiotics for 10 days with small meals to allow the crop to recover. It's crop was infected and stretched. But now, about a month later the chick is a very healthy bird, and we have since weaned it. Here it is eating a little squash on its own here. Thanks for asking!
> View attachment 94287


It is beautiful. Thank you for your respond. I want to make sure I know what to do In case i come across a similar incident. ☺ I’m very happy know that your baby is doing well. ❤


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