# We have a BABY!!!!!!!



## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

This morning I went to uncover the tiels, give them breakfast etc, the usual routine. They got all out except Frank, which is normal since he has the day shift on the eggs.
Then I started hearing a tiny peep... and another one.... I went to look into the nestbox and AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH there is a baby there, and Frankie is feeding him!!!!
I can't be 100% sure about who the father is, either Frank or Yoghi. This is such a surprise, I was sure they'd be infertile just like the last time! Well, I guess I grossly underestimated my boys' sexual abilities 
This baby is so pretty, and minuscule! Seems to me more on the white side than yellow, but I wasn't able to check properly. I tried to get closer and Frank snapped at me. And this brings me to my first question:
How do I check on him/her? I have been following Renae's journal and I see how much she has been able to handle the babies from the beginning, but I am afraid I will lose a finger if I try to get too "friendly" 
Second question is: Would it be better if I move the cage with the nestbox attached in a different room where the parents can be on their own and in a quieter environment? The cage isn't huge so it would take just a couple of minutes, but I don't want to stress the parents.

This is Frank sitting on the baby... There is also another egg underneath.



I will post one of the baby as soon as Frank moves or feeds the baby again.
This is amazing! We are trying not to get too excited because I read that so much can go wrong in these first days, but it's hard... this is such a beautiful event!


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Congratulations!


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Ok, there is more than one egg! There are at least two more eggs in the nest.
You must think that I am a horrible mom, you are right! But with the fact that I was absolutely sure that they were infertile, and always one of the parents sitting in the box, it always mad me a bit sad looking at them and I didn't see the point in monitor them the way I did with the last clutch.
I managed to catch Frank while he was feeding the baby, and I see that I was mistaken about the colour, the chick is definitely yellow.
Photobucket is down, I will add the pic when I get access again.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

Congrats! I don't have any experience with chick raising, but I'd love to see the pictures when you get them up


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## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

Lol congratulations on the new baby! Hope everything goes well! Send it my way when s/he's weaned, thanks 

How's Yoghi hanging on?


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## scootergirl762 (Aug 27, 2013)

Congratulations! Can't wait to see pictures - Best of Luck!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Don't move the box...you may scare the parents into abandoning the nest. Leave it where it is since its been there since they set up shop. It'll be fine.

Usually when I wanted to check babies I either waited til mom is was in the box (my hens were way nicer about it then my males) or I used a spatula to push the boys out of the box. Then just block the hole and check on the baby. Once they get older, the parents leave the box more and you have more chances of checking on the babies.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Thank you everyone for the congrats, this is truly a marvelous event... I am in awe. Not having had children of my own, this s the closest I ever came to a maternity event.. well my nephews' and nieces' too but I only saw them when they were a few weeks old so it doesn't count.
Since Photobucket is still down I will upload the pic here. Sorry for the quality, I am the worst photographer in the UK lol


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## SoCalTiels (Oct 8, 2013)

Teehee! Cute little baby  congrats! Always so exciting to see on here.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Awe, congrats on the baby!









I handled the babies when Quinn and Mishka were out of the nestbox, Quinn could get really nasty when she wanted to (she was way worse than Mishka) and she got me good a few times, so I completely understand what you are saying about being afraid of losing a finger!!


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! So exciting. Little tiny baby. 

Congrats! Can't wait for the updates.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Oh my! What a beautiful baby and I love those nestbox pics  Good on ya Frank!


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

oh so gorgeous! i think those photo's are great quality too 
we'll need regular updates


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

A few hours ago I couldn't hear the baby peeping anymore so I thought he had died... Then he started again 
Tomorrow I will have to find a way to check properly on him, if I succeed I will take some proper pictures.



Tequilagirl said:


> Lol congratulations on the new baby! Hope everything goes well! Send it my way when s/he's weaned, thanks
> 
> How's Yoghi hanging on?


Careful what you wish for! I won't sell them so IF everyting goes well you are more than welcome to one of them 

Yoghi is still hanging there, poor little one; I am still feeding him eggfood, guardian angel, milk thistle and brewers yeast, rice, beans... but he just can't pick himself up. He refuses veggies apart from romaine. He still has a reasonably active life and doesn't seem in great distress, but looking at him my heart bleeds. He's very often puffed up even though I keep the room temperature very high. He isn't worse than last week, that's already something... Stationary, I'd say. All the ladies adore him so he's never alone, they all hover around him, very sweet they are!

I wonder what the baby will be. Mom is a pearl, very similar to Hank, and both possible dads are grey split pied. Frank Has a lot of white on the face and has grey-brownish feathers. I have no idea about their parents so maybe it's impossible to guess?


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*Update... and a new baby!!!*

A few hours ago the second baby hatched!
Today I was a bit worried because I couldn't hear the baby, but in the late afternoon I started hearing little tweets again... Thank God! I live in fear of them dying, I worry that they are not fed properly etc.
Anyway! At about 7pm there was a lot of little noises from the nest so I got a little torch and went to take a few pics... and the second baby was there 

The quality of the videos is really bad, I need to find a better light because this torch I have is useless.

http://youtu.be/zFn1PgkTdhg

I took a few more, but Frank seemed very stressed so I left them alone.
It's amazing how much bigger the first baby is, compared to the other! Is that normal? Or maybe the new baby is weak? I hope not 



This is a few hours earlier, still one baby, look how bossy and protective Frank is!
http://youtu.be/GFaDhVeBU6M








Here, discussing about baby names



They are such good first-time parents  Let's hope that they won't lose interest, fingers crossed!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Babies!!!! They are looking good. So when you get a chance to get in there make sure the remove the egg shells so they don't get wrapped around another egg and trap the baby inside.


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

so gorgeous!


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

Up to 2


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## RMAC81 (Oct 16, 2013)

I use a small wood dowl about the size of a pencil, small enough that it doesn't scare the parents to check my boxes. I try to check every other day so the pair has plenty alone time with their chicks. I also check the boxes after I feed so it is always around the same time and same routine on the days I check.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*Three babies now*

These last three days mom and dad have been leaving the babies alone in the nest for about 15 minutes, during which they eat together and do regular flock stuff. When that happens I am allowed to get near the babies and check on them.
The first day I was terrified that the parents were not going to come back, but I underrated them again! They are as good as gold, the babies seem well fed (what do I know lol) and surely are growing at an alarming rate... 
There are still FOUR unhatched eggs and I hope they are infertile because what am I gonna do with SEVEN BABIES??? No no, three is really the maximum possible. 
Two of the eggs are translucent. Is it a sign of eggs that aren't good anymore? I am not sure what I am supposed to do with them if they don't hatch. Leave them in the nest? or take them out? They still sit on them at the moment.

These are the three babies, aren't they the ugliest/cutest thing you have ever seen?   

http://youtu.be/_WH3nUThzUA


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## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

They are super adorable lol


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## .Alexandra. (Sep 11, 2012)

Aww how cute are those three


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Awe, too cute! 

If the two eggs are clear, then they are probably infertile, depends how long ago they were laid, too.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

The dates on this post were all wrong, so i am posting the correct timetable now.

2013-10-10 - nest box installed

2013-10-11 - 1st egg laid
2013-10-13 - 2nd egg laid
2013-10-16 - 3rd egg laid
2013-10-18 - 4th egg laid

All the eggs had an incubation of 20 days.

2013-10-31 - 1st egg hatched
2013-11-02 - 2nd egg hatched
2013-11-05 - 3rd egg hatched
2013-11-07 - 4th egg hatched

One of the three remaining eggs was cracked and empty.
I swapped the remaining two eggs with a lady whose hen has been sitting on infertile eggs, hoping that she'd become a mom too. Sadly those two eggs never hatched and I suspect that they were either DIS or maybe just didn't develop chicks inside.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-09: I touched Archbishop Fluffybutt of Baldtushytown!!!*

During the first days after the hatchings, either mamma Trilly or papa Frank (or both) were still constantly in the nest, and whenever I opened the top lid to take a peek everyone would hiss at me, parents AND chicks alike... 
Because of this, and because those babies looked so fragile, I didn't touch them at all.

I read somewhere that once the babies are all hatched they are able to keep each other warm and that's when the parents will start spending less and less time in the nest. 
Sure enough this is what happened! They both now spend most of the time flying around and eating everything they could find, in industrial quantities 

Once I was reassured that they always went back at feeding time, I took advantage of one of their absence and gathered the courage to pick the bigger baby up (I was too afraid of hurting the others, too tiny yet!).

I already posted this pic in the Photo section, but just for the sake of keeping all together in the same thread I post it here too.





His noble name is courtesy of SoCalTiel, and I suspect that it will stick 

*QUESTION*: I didn't know that the skin on the wings becomes black! is it maybe a trait of a particular mutation?

Love this little baldie!


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

I think it's just genetic. Bishop! Cute ugo :lol:


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-14: Weighing Time *

Last Friday, the 14th, it was the first time I felt comfortable enough to hold all the chicks, so I decided to weigh them.

I still haven't found a chick weight chart with average values, I will need it ASAP. In the meantime, I will keep weighing them every other day.

*Question*: Should I weigh them every single day?

Baby 1 - 68g - 14 days old
Baby 2 - 60g - 12 days old
Baby 3 - 40g - 9 days old
Baby 4 - 17g - 7 days old





This video http://youtu.be/_8irzDyj6_E was shot only three days earlier; how fast they grow in such a short time!




Baby 1, the Archibishop





Baby 2, who rolled and crawled away all the time she was on the blanket... Her provisional name is Peregrine 





Baby 3 and 4


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

I don't know the 1st thing about chick care, but I would weigh them continuously for a while to make sure they're gaining weight steadily. But don't take my word on it.

What are you calling the other 2?


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-16: Weighing Time again!*

Today it was weighing time again 

I was very curious on the results because now I can start comparing the weight of the different chicks and determine whether there is one who is growing faster or slower than the others.

I have been throwing myself into the care of these little fellas hoping that it will help focusing more on life and less on the feeling of loss; it seems like it's working somewhat, and I am really grateful.

Ok, now the numbers!

Baby 1 - 79g (+11g) - 16 days old
Baby 2 - 70g (+10g) - 14 days old
Baby 3 - 60g (+20g) - 11 days old
Baby 4 - 28g (+11g) - 9 days old

Baby 4 is so tiny, and I am a bit worried. He gained 11g though, and his crop is full most of the time, so he is eating.
I hope that there won't be complications.

Baby 3 seems be growing at a faster rate; I can't wait for the next weight report to see if this supergrowth is consistent.


Here is the Archibishop, who has LOADS of pin feathers right now!
By what I can see his growing feathers seem all very dark. I made the mistake of using the flash on him, and the result isn't at all good, sorry about that.








Below is Peregrine, chick 2
Am I seeing things or her colouring looks completely different from Archibishop's? Looks like she's got loads of yellow and white....









Baby 3 has veeeery long legs, and he's the only one who actually stands on his feet! I don't know if that's the norm, but I was really impressed.
For now I will be calling him Skyler, my dream name 







And this is little baby 4, so tiny and sweet!







They all hiss at me when I open the nest lid, but they stop as soon as I pick them up.

*Question*: For how long I can keep a baby away from his nest for these weighing/photo-taking/cuddling sessions?


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## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

Oh my jealousy, they're so adorable!


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## Peaches&Me (Oct 30, 2013)

Wow they are gorgeous  & how wonderful to keep a photographic record this way, I did this when my tortoises were hatchlings, photos on scales are so much better than pen & paper records


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

They're doing great








You can keep them out for 30 mins or so, I'm not sure but if they have full crops and they aren't about to chill I don't think it's a problem
Make sure you try to take them out at least once a day to keep them tame


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm pretty bad at identifying colors at the pinfeather stage, but I think Peregrine is a pearl. It looks like her pins are yellow at the tip and gray at the base.


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

I thought the same Carolyn 
I'm glad km not the only one that saw that


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## sweetpea07 (Nov 16, 2013)

How exciting!! Congrats!!!


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Pearl, wow where did that come from??? I used the genetic calculator and with dad grey split pied and mom pearl the results were grey with various splits. Of course I know nothing about the grandparents.
If the chick is a pearl, would the dad have to be split pearl?




Lougirl said:


> What are you calling the other 2?


Chick 4 still has no name... At the moment I have a fixation with Pippin but there are so many already! Why don't you name him?


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Yes, if they are pearl then the father must have the pearl gene 
What a great surprise 
The same thing happened to me! I had no clue that the father had the pearl gene until my two babies were Lutino pearl, it was indeed a shocker


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## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

I think I'm in actual love with Peregrine


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Peregrine told me, just this afternoon: Mom, wouldn't it be nice if I was to relocate down South? Better schools, less criminality... There is that nice Lady Esperanza, maybe she will take me so I will have Tequila to keep me company?"
I swear, that's what she said!!!


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-17: Empty crop weighing*

Today I weighed the babies with the crops almost empty and it shows!
They weigh less than yesterday 

Baby 1 - 75g (-4g) - 17 days old
Baby 2 - 69g (-1g) - 15 days old
Baby 3 - 60g (+0g) - 12 days old
Baby 4 - 26g (-2g) - 10 days old

Skyler, baby 3, is the only one at same weight and this seems to agree with my idea that he's the fastest growing.

Baby 4 still looks like a tiny oven-ready turkey  Should I be worrying? Maybe I should help with the feeding? I know nothing about feeding chicks so I'd avoid that unless it's really unavoidable.
What you think?
The difference with the others is remarkable:






The others seems to be doing quite well, the Archibishop is getting darker and darker... a definite grey there, I guess!



Bubu isn't sure about the babies, he looks a bit perplexed :lol:
Also in the same pic above, Peregrine and Skyler on the right are quite different, in the sense that Skyler has shorter wings! Peregrine has normal round wings, but in Skyler they look shorte and seem almost square at the ends. Weird.

But he is adorable 





In this pic you can see better what I mean with "shorter wings"



Colours-wise, Peregrine and Skyler are similar but not really the same; I am so curious to see what they will grow to be! And Baby 4 is an absolute mystery


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Dad must be split pearl, and if mom is visual pearl you can get pearl babies of both sexes. Peregrine could be a boy!


Baby 4 looks OK to me, and all the other chicks probably looked the same at that age. They grow so fast that a 2-day age gap makes a huge difference. To me it always seems like the youngest baby is way behind the others but it really isn't - I've just forgotten how fast the others changed. In this picture, the first 3 chicks hatched within 24 hours of each other, the 4th chick hatched one day later, and the last two came at 2-day intervals. Poor little Squeebis at the end looks kind of pathetic compared to the others:


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Tielfan, what a beautiful group you had there! And surely Squeebis looks normal size now, if he's the same one in your siggy.
What did you do when they grew up? Did you keep them all?
Squeebis and the chick next to him seem to have shorter wings , compared to the others in the picture. Just like my Skyler. I am sure that they grew up to normal size wings, so do you have any idea of why they look shorter in some chicks at that age? Is it maybe related to their mutation?
Sorry, loads of questions!


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## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

Barb I'd love to, really, but Teqs isn't the sharing kind 

They're all beautiful!


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

aww they are all so cute and growing fast, I love the pictures of chick four


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Baby #4 is showing signs of stunting. In going thru previous pixs I also noticed that the toes on the left foot tend to curl inwards, which is also an indication the baby is having problems. The crops look like the parents are feeding well but it could be that this particular baby needs a little more fluids. You might want to consider a few supplement assist feedings with a formula using *Coconut water* as the fluid to mix it. This will jelp with hydration.
-----------------------------------------------------
Today I weighed the babies with the crops almost empty and it shows!
They weigh less than yesterday 

Baby 1 - 75g (-4g) - 17 days old
Baby 2 - 69g (-1g) - 15 days old
Baby 3 - 60g (+0g) - 12 days old
Baby 4 - 26g (-2g) - 10 days old


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Here is a helpful collage explaining pearl chicks 
Collage made by susanne Russo


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> Squeebis and the chick next to him seem to have shorter wings , compared to the others in the picture. Just like my Skyler. I am sure that they grew up to normal size wings, so do you have any idea of why they look shorter in some chicks at that age?


Yes, Squeebis is normal size now, although he's my lightest bird in terms of weight. He was the youngest of six, and it's common for the youngest to be a little bit of a runt. Right from the start they get food whose texture is geared toward the older chicks so it's a little harder to digest. 

The lutino baby right ahead of him in the chick picture is Teela. I kept her too, but I sold the four oldest chicks. There's really no difference between Squeebis and Teela's wings and the other four, I think the younger babies just hold their wings a little differently because they don't have to deal with the long primary feathers that are starting to emerge on the older chicks.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Tequilagirl said:


> Barb I'd love to, really, but Teqs isn't the sharing kind
> 
> They're all beautiful!


aha Teqs is just like Bubu then, they want to be only children, bless them!
If my partner dosn't kill me first, I will probably end up keeping them all :lol:


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Haimovfids said:


> Here is a helpful collage explaining pearl chicks
> Collage made by susanne Russo


Thank you Baruch! That pattern looks very much like this one, what you think?


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

I think so. I can see it on the wings


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-18*

Today I managed to weigh them with the crop not so empty, and these are the results

Baby 1 - 89g (+14g) - 18 days old
Baby 2 - 89g (+20g) - 16 days old
Baby 3 - 74g (+14g) - 13 days old
Baby 4 - 41g (+15g) - 11 days old

They are all putting on weight nicely, but, as Susanne says in her post, Little 4 is not doing as well as the others.

I am in contact with the International Cockatiel Resource group on FB and receiving wonderful support, but the idea of having to feed the little one is scaring me enormously.
I have been advised to pull the Archbishop so that the parents have less mouths to feed and it makes a lot of sense to me, still scary though.

This year has been so bloody stinking horrible for my birds, I can't help but feeling that something is gonna go wrong on this too.

On a positive note, I have been able to take some nice pics, and kept the older babies with me for a little longer than yesterday. They are so sweet, I had to force myself to put them back in the nest!


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-18: Photos!*

A group pic for starters... Baby 4 is still naked apart from the tiniest crest




The Bishop's top





... side...





... and adorable lil face




He is getting darker and darker... now wouldn't it be cool if he ended up being all BLACK? 

--------------------------------------

This is Peregrine, with a pair of very handsome sideburns 





she looks like a messy hedgehog... but that little face is beautiful 







----------------------------------------------

Here is Skyler, who is still semi-bald...




... but so adorable! He is a great favourite of Bubu, who is always around when S is out...




... as demonstrated here




----------------------------------

No pics of Baby 4 today, I put him back in the nest as soon as I was done weighing him.


While the babies where with me, Mamma Trilly came with us in the living room, eating (what's new ) and keeping an eye on everything that went on. She is good with me, no yelling or biting me when I touch the babies phew!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I hadn't really looked at the weights before, and now that I have looked it's noticeable that baby 4 is small. My babies are mostly parent-fed so they NEVER have empty crops and therefore I never know what their empty weight is. But I do know their average 'full' weight, and here's how those weights compare:

18 days 98g
16 days 92g
13 days 74g
11 days 61g

They peak at 20 days and then their weight declines somewhat.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

tielfan said:


> I hadn't really looked at the weights before, and now that I have looked it's noticeable that baby 4 is small. My babies are mostly parent-fed so they NEVER have empty crops and therefore I never know what their empty weight is. But I do know their average 'full' weight, and here's how those weights compare:
> 
> 18 days 98g
> 16 days 92g
> ...


Yes your chart is very similar to mine apart from the 11 days old. Mine is 20g less than he should be.
I haven't interfered at all with the feeding, and their crops are also full most of the time, but at this point I need to do something about it.
Tielfan, do you have any suggestion on the best course to follow? What would you do in my situation? You have a lot of experience and I am sure your input would greatly help me.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

They're SO cute!! I'm dying of adoration


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## Peaches&Me (Oct 30, 2013)

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I know you've been talking to srtiels, and she's the expert on this. If his crop is always full he's getting enough food but maybe he's having trouble digesting it. Assist feeding him some liquids (like water or coconut water) might help.

Have you been tracking his weight for very long to see if he's steadily gaining? If he's gaining weight steadily now, it's possible that the stunting problem occurred earlier, but there's no problem now and he's currently playing catch up. The weight tracking will be somewhat erratic because the weight will vary according to exactly how full he was at the moment you weighed him. There are some days when one of my chicks will weigh in at LESS than the day before, because it was very full on the first day and not so full on the second. But the general trend should be upward. Here's the weight increases for my babies (an average of 34 chicks) starting with 41g, the point where your baby is now. This is all sort of semi-full weight - I block the parents out of the breeding cage an hour or two before I borrow the babies for handfeeding so they'll have some interest in the formula, and I weigh them right before I feed them.

Day 8 41g
Day 9 46g
Day 10 53g
Day 11 61g
Day 12 69g
Day 13 74g
Day 14 81g
Day 15 86g
Day 16 92g
Day 17 94g
Day 18 98g
Day 19 99g

That will give you an idea of what sort of weight increments you should be looking for if the baby is at the same amount of fullness every time you weigh him. Don't be concerned if one day seems dramatically out of line, but overall things should be moving in this direction.


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## stella116 (Jun 29, 2013)

They are so cute!


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-19*



stella116 said:


> They are so cute!


I have always thought that chicks look ugly, but that was before these little guys arrived... now I think they are all beautiful! How biased is that lol

Thank you Tielfan, tomorrow I will wait longer and hopefully baby 1 will accept the formula. Today I only had him away from the parents for about 30 minutes when I tried to feed him. 

Coconut water sold here is full of sugar, so I don't think it would be good for baby 4. I was able to give him a drop of water though.

Looking at your weight chart, the numbers for the three older chicks are just about the same; but every single number for baby #4 is exactly 20g less. It seems just as you say, that he might have had a problem at the beginning and now he's trying to catch up: since I started weighing him he has been gaining steadily... he just hasn't been able to recuperate those initial 20 grams.

Today's results:

Baby 1 - 88g (-1g) - 19 days old
Baby 2 - 86g (-3g) - 17 days old
Baby 3 - 74g (+0g) - 14 days old
Baby 4 - 49g (+8g) - 12 days old


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If his weight is always 20g less, that means he's now gaining steadily at a good rate. You obviously need to keep an eye on the situation, but it sounds like he doesn't have a problem right now. I've never had to deal with stunting issues, but it's my understanding that he won't start gaining weight faster than average, so that by let's say 16 days he'll be the normal weight for 16 days. He'll just be three days behind schedule consistently, but will reach normal weight.


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## catalinadee (Jan 1, 2011)

I think I might HAVE to have one  gimme one of those pearlies


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Finally Baby 4 has some feathers! He/she is a pearl. I took some pictures and will post them tomorrow together with the weighing results.
Today I had a little bit more success with the Bishop's hand-feeding but she (I think she's a girl) still looks at me with a face like "What on earth are you trying to do, woman??" but she is very sweet, and patient 
She is completely black apart from the usual white strips on the wings. Shouldn't she have the red cheeks by now? Her sisters (or brothers), the pearls, have nice red cheeks already, just like their mom.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

catalinadee said:


> I think I might HAVE to have one  gimme one of those pearlies


Daisy, they are identical to their mom, but in miniature... they are perfect!!!


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

I have the same question about how long you can keep a baby away from the nest?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Looking back at the photos in this thread, there don't seem to be any that emphasize the Bishop's cheek area so I'm not too sure what's going on there. But the down feathers look yellowish, so I don't think she's whiteface. Could she maybe be pastelface or yellow cheek?

The pearl babies are going to have more yellow on the face than a grey baby would have, which makes it easier to see their orange pinfeathers.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

The yellow on the face and some red on the cheeks is visible now, especially under a strong light. I think the Archibishop is a grey baby just like daddy! 
at the moment just the faintest yellow, but definitely emerging.

Baby 4 is growing some great plumage, still mostly pins but still it's a relief to see that his growth seems to have gone back to normal.
Head behind the crest is super-bald and I am not sure if that's normal or someone is plucking him... and he's definitely a pearl.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-19*

From left: the Archibishop, Skyler and Peregrine. The weird lighting is because of an infrared lamp keeping them warm.
The baby is alone in the nest getting fed by the parent.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-20*

I didn't weigh the babies today, it was a hectic day so I had to skip the weighing and handling time 
I love to pet them! they are such cute and sweet babies.

The Archibishop in all her black glory... I was hoping that she'd stay ALL BLACK but obviously that's impossible, a yellow beard is starting to show. Maybe one day someone will create the Black mutation.





Little Skyler





And a group photo. Baby 4 was still naked, poor thing!


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## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

They're all so cute!


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-21*

Baby 4 is growing at a good pace; the others seem to have settled and the weight isn't moving much. Maybe I am choosing the wrong time to weigh them, or maybe they are just tinier than the norm. It wouldn't surprise me since both the parents are not big birds.

Baby 1 - 88g (-0g) - 21 days old
Baby 2 - 89g (+3g) - 19 days old
Baby 3 - 78g (+4g) - 16 days old
Baby 4 - 53g (+4g) - 14 days old


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Aww they're just too gorgeous for words!


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Aww they're just too gorgeous for words!


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-22*

Baby 4





Peregrine






and the Bishop


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-25*



RowdyTiel said:


> They're all so cute!


Thank you  They are cute yes! At this stage they are losing the tortoise-looking face and becoming more birdy. Can't say that they are beautiful though :lol: ... But I hope that when they grow up they will be pretty.


Weight hasn't changed a lot for the older babies, but Baby 4 has gained 23 grams  
I am really happy about that, he seems to be on his way to be a normal sized tiel.

Baby 1 - 90g (+2g) - 25 days old
Baby 2 - 93g (+4g) - 23 days old
Baby 3 - 87g (+9g) - 20 days old
Baby 4 - 76g (+23g) - 18 days old



Peregrine





Skyler... she has such a pretty little tail 





Baby 4 hiding behind big sister Peregrine





The Bishop has now all her feathers and you can't imagine how soft she is!
The pic is a bit out of focus but it shows the colours on her face and all the pretty stripes on the body and tail.


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

They are beautiful!! It makes me want baby birds again lol


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Baruch NO! :lol:
How many do you have now? I lost the count


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## Korvia (Aug 3, 2012)

SO CUTE!
I want babies. They are just too cute when babies, then they get cheeky lol.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-11-27*

Usually I take the babies out and keep them with me for a while in the living room/bedroom. 
Today I decided to let them out and keep them in the bird room; I avoided until today because a few days ago Bubu pulled Skyler's tail feather so I don't trust the other adults around the babies.

I set them on the table and it was MAGIC! All the other birds of course had to come and have a look, so loads of birds on the table 
Mom Trilly came and fed them, which I wasn't really expecting... She is good to me, lets me touch the babies move them, everything. I am really thankful. Dad Frank looked from above, sitting on the mobile.
The one landing on top of everybody else is of course Angelina, with her celebrated grace and agility :lol:
It's a real Pearl Galore... three babies, Trilly, Sesamo hovering around and Fifi sitting on the tub watching the babies as she always does.

http://youtu.be/W63UvYDv49Y

Second video is slightly longer and nothing happens that hasn't already happened in the first one. Only difference is that Daddy Frank is visible.

http://youtu.be/pfGrLLh0T74




Babies with Mom



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The Bishop looks very mean...






Fifi and Mr Darcy observe the scene


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

They are so beautiful, and they got SOO big!!


> Baruch NO! :lol:
> How many do you have now? I lost the count


I'm unstoppable! 
I have 10 lol


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Absolutely gorgeous.


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## nassrah (Feb 27, 2012)

Adorable!Mom , Dad and you were such good parents!Such cuties all of them!Congrats X x


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## .Alexandra. (Sep 11, 2012)

Oh my! They are so cute! And really beautiful


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## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

They grow up so fast! Bless their little hearts <3


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

I didn't post for three days and even though I have no pics I have to report some great happenings! Both the Bishop and Peregrine have been FLYING!!!!
Well, Bishop is quite good at it, Peregrine starts flying and then planes down on the floor ... at least she doesn't hurt herself plopping down!
I guess in two days time Skyler will have a go too. Baby 4 will need a little bit more time. He is improving all the time but he's still a bit of a runt.
The Bishop now spends all her time outside with the "big guys", and copies everything they do. Very very cute. I am a bit worried because he refuses to be fed by mommy, but I am leaving food everywhere on their playpen so I hope he's gonna start feeding himself. 
Actually, Baby 4 has already started picking up seeds!


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Aww that's wonderful news. They're progressing fast. The Bishop sounds like Coco, always copying what the "grown-ups" are doing, lol.

Can't wait for more pics, as usual. :excited:


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## amberwydell (Oct 13, 2013)

They're so adorable! I've bred rabbits in the past, and I know how scary it is when they're growing up... You just can't bear the thought of them not being looked after! But your baby tiels seem to have shot up so quickly, and are looking stunning  Are you planning on keeping any of them?? I think I'd be tempted to keep them ALL!! Congrats x


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

These are a few pics from 3 days ago, will post new ones later



Perry & Skyler being adorable...


2013-11-29 13.20.34 by barbixxfids, on Flickr





Perry and the Bishop being nosy



2013-11-29 14.19.47 by barbixxfids, on Flickr


2013-11-29 14.25.01 by barbixxfids, on Flickr




The babies having nothing to do with the formula WHATSOEVER... naughty babies!


2013-11-29 14.24.50 by barbixxfids, on Flickr




2013-11-29 14.25.10 by barbixxfids, on Flickr




And the Bishop watching telly with his unfeathered Daddy 


2013-11-29 14.48.51 by barbixxfids, on Flickr


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Look at how big they got! It was just yesterday when the parents laid there eggs and look at these babies now 

Skyler is my favorite!


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Baruch, Skyler isn't flying yet! I am a bit worried. Baby 4 is still too small of course, but i was sure that today was Skyler's flight day


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## Peaches&Me (Oct 30, 2013)

Oh my goodness, those babies are just tooooooo gorgeous


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Do you see them practice? If you take them to a room which isn't too big and let Skyler perch on your finger, and slowly drop your finger. It will make her fly around the room 
I did this with my marshmallow and she is the best flyer of my flock 
I asked on this forum if it will safe and they said yes 

Just make sure you do it in a room with perches so that she can land


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

*2013-12-04*

Little tails = Babies
Long tails = non Babies
This is the only way to tell them apart, especially the pearls 
They all have discovered the boing, Skyler too! She did some tentative flying yesterday, but she isn't as graceful as the Bishop and Peregrine, so she usually ends up dropping down on the floor like the fluffball she is. Fortunately she is too lightweight to injure herself






Baby 4 in her little playpen on the desk next to me. She isn't flying yet but she's the only one who eats seeds and eggfood! I am so proud of her 
I put a couple of small toys in there but she hissed at them... 






One of the babies (no idea who!) keeping unfeathered dad company while he naps






The Bishop's cheeks are still very pale, and the white on her wing is getting very patchy. Is that normal?


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

They're all adorable!! I love baby no. 4


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## nassrah (Feb 27, 2012)

Me too Ollieandme ! I love them all,but also a huge fan of Baby No 4 X x


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Lol how can you prefer one over the others? They are bloody identical! Or if you can see any difference please let me know because I am clueless :-D 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

I stand corrected, I don't know how I can have missed that but one pearl has barred tail feathers, and the other one has solid yellow. Baby 4 still hasn't got a proper tail lol

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

They're all so darn adorable!







Baby 4's face in that playpen pic makes me melt!


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

i think it's the photo more than anything  if i lived near you i'd bring no. 4 home in a flash!!


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Please ignore my big face and Keith tapping on my head.



These two girls preen and scritch each other 
Maybe they should be rehomed together...


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

you could request that they go to the same home!


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

I guess this journal is heading to an end and I feel a bit sad because it has been such an exhilarating journey, full of surprises and worries and beautiful happenings, and soon everything will return to normal. Sigh.

I have taken a few pics and two videos to show how the babies are now all grown up, starting to eat on their own, flying like little eagles and finally showing some interest to toys.

Baby 4 still doesn't fly but I can feel that he is about to. He perches on the pen's edges, then he gets scared and goes back in, then he bobs his head up and down a bit as if thinking of flying, bites the sticked golf ball I made for him, for a few minutes, and then back perching, and so on, all day long 

Their weight goes between 80 and 74, I was hoping for them to get hevier but they look active and healthy so I try not to worry about it.




This is the Bishop, all striped body and feathers; look at the weird pattern of the white strip on his wing.





Peregrine. She is lighter in colour than the other two pearl babies and is the spitting image of Aunti Fifi 
She is also the heaviest of the chicks.
Her tail is solid yellow, and she makes a few weird noises so maybe she is a boy after all!





Perry again, next to Fifi and Angelina






Perry's tail






Baby Skyler. She is very similar to her mommy, and her tail feathers are striped. 
You can see those beautiful black feathers lining her wings






Little Baby 4; her toy ball is bigger than her 




Here with Bubu who always needs to be at the centre of attention :lol:




Small video of Baby 4 and his ball 
http://youtu.be/Vs-JilbIGBY


And here all the babies enjoy a bit of grain and salad... Baby 4 trying to chew a huge piece of salad did melt my heart considerably 
All the flock is there as well, the only one not visible is Keith because he's sitting on my head as usual.
I tried to film the babies as long as I could but they are NEVER STILL!!!
http://youtu.be/iwyRlRGBotE


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## Peaches&Me (Oct 30, 2013)

Looks like you've done a fantastic job raising them, they are all gorgeous, I loved the videos


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Aaaaah. Every time you post new pictures I fall more and more in love with them.


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## .Alexandra. (Sep 11, 2012)

They are so cute!
I loved the video of all of them together. Eating, playing and some flying


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## nassrah (Feb 27, 2012)

Lovely videos! I think if we were still living in the UK,we would surely be getting all of them-Theyre beautiful !!!


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