# abandoned 1 day old chick



## Eggletine (Sep 18, 2013)

Hi all my cockatiels abonded their one day old chick I found the chick this morning in the nestbox very cold I am heating the chick up right now the chick is still alive. What do I do now


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

I have never had experience with this, so no advice, but Joey and I are sending the little one hugs and growing, thriving thoughts.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

When I had to keep my chicks warm I made my own brooder. I put pine shavings in the bottom of a fish tank, small cup of water for humidity on one side, covered most of the top and used a heat lamp with thermostat for the temperature with the chick placed under it.

both these sites might help on hand feeding and what side to direct the feeding.

http://www.justcockatiels.net/

and

http://www.internationalcockatielresource.com/

Be sure to remember what side to feed them and read up on crop burn, sour crop and all those sorts of problems so you can have a better idea of what to look for. Keeping the chick warm enough is a must as they can get a slow crop.

If you know any breeders in your area with a pair that could foster the chick that may be a better option, otherwise sorry that's the best I can offer for now, I've never had a cockatiel chick abandoned that young before only a finch chick and sadly he didn't make it as I accidently aspirated him.

Wishing you luck and will be thinking of the little guy.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Got some pics of my DIY brooder in case it helps, it's a bit dusty from not being in use though.

It's a 50W globe and shade, one of those reptile globes that emit heat but not light and thermometer on opposite side to lamp.









I cover most of the mesh section with a towel with a small area near the light uncovered.









Thermostat attached to side and some board covering all but the front sides.









I think that I read somewhere for emergency heating you can fill a glove with hot/warm water and sit the chick between the thumb and finger section with their crop against it.


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## Eggletine (Sep 18, 2013)

Thanx bluesky, I just did my first feedeing and it went well the baby is still alive. I also has to feed a zebra finch baby one due to injury and that went well for a while till he went lame. Also how many times to feed the babe I don't know. I have read those websites twise maybe 3 times today and before that a lot I also had a experienced handfeeder show me how to do it on a week old but its nothing compared to this. At this point I have the baby in a small container with woodshavings in my homemade forced air incubator with a piece of 3 ply soft toilet paper covering most of it. Its a quail incubator and had eggs in it already for a few days before the baby hatched. I don't have any supplies to make a brooder and the shops are closed


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

The easiest way to make a brooder is to modify a water heater thermostat $15 and buy a lamp kit and a light bulb (preferably a red bulb) for $5 then all you need is a container small enough for the bulb to warm. Just about anything will work even a five gallon bucket (with a lid) if you have one laying around. Drilling holes in the water heater thermostat makes it much more sensitive and more practical for this application. You might spend an hour configuring a setup like this, I suggest making a hole in the container to adjust the thermostat without opening it.

How to modify a water heater thermostat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MsbVbQ2vZ0

How to wire a water heater thermostat and a light bulb for a brooder/incubator:

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/home-made-incubator

Water heater thermostats can be picked up at your local hardware store like Lowes or The Home Depot you can pick up a lamp kit there too if Wally World or Kame Apart is too much trouble.

If you have a spare meat thermometer you can drill a hole in the side of your container and use that to monitor the temp instead of buying one for that purpose.

Some pics of my brooder:



















Its an old cooler, but you get the concept. Place the bulb and the thermostat right next to each other, that bit is important for making sure it holds accurate temp.

Here are some brooder temp and handfeeding guidelines:

http://www.cockatiel.org/articles/handfeeding.html


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## Eggletine (Sep 18, 2013)

Thanx for the info. Darkel777. I live in south africa not everything is availible here as in some other contries. I will see what I can find to make a brooder. Also should I feed the chick during the night or won't that be neccisarry


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

You should feed at night for the first two weeks. You will likely want to tag team this with a friend so you're not sleep deprived and exhausted after those two weeks; I know first hand doing this by yourself is nearly impossible.


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## Eggletine (Sep 18, 2013)

I don't have anyone else


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

Eggletine said:


> I don't have anyone else


I did it one time by myself, it wasn't very fun. I still had to work every day and had to take the chick with me. There where a few times where I passed out, overslept, and neglected a feeding. I'm surprised the chick survived.

If you can find a foster mother for the chick among your flock that would be best.


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## Eggletine (Sep 18, 2013)

I'm a stay at home mom of 2 toddlers. I am used to little sleep, but not that much


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

How's the little guy doing today and how are you going with all the feedings? If the parents are still looking after one chick you could see if after a few days of handfeeding this one if they will accept him back if not then continue what you are doing


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## Eggletine (Sep 18, 2013)

I hanfed him a few time and during one night. I put him back yesterday morning and now mommy and daddy are caring for him


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

aww that's awesome, I guess they just needed a helping hand  I'd love to see pics of them as they grow if you post any


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## Eggletine (Sep 18, 2013)

Yes ill take some photos when I go give the parents food.


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## Eggletine (Sep 18, 2013)

I also have a question the momma tiel is starting to lay a secon clutch there are 2 eggs so far. Why would she be doing that? Its in the same nest as the babies


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## Eggletine (Sep 18, 2013)

*pics*

Here are some pics of the babies, mom and dad


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Randy and Swinger layed a second clutch when Bear was 5 weeks old. The advice I was given was to start long nights treatment with them but that didn't work because when Snuggles was also 5 weeks they ended up triple clutching. I froze those eggs because I currently have psittacosis in my flock and they lost interest, but I was told to increase the night time hours until I find the magic number. 
I don't think it will stop her from completing the second clutch but will hopefully prevent another, don't worry from what I've seen there's a few members who's pairs have double even triple clutched  Sorry that's all I can offer, yours seem quite eager starting another so early, other than that if these eggs are fertile it's up to you if you want to let them hatch 

EDIT: the parents are gorgeous


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## Eggletine (Sep 18, 2013)

I will probably let them hatch thing is they are ouside in an aviary and its winter time here meaning short days long nights I also keep them covered at night. So its kainda weird that they are breeding. I saw another pair mate a few days ago. It gets light here at about 8 o clock and start to get dark at about six o clock. And most days its raining or clouded.


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