# cockateils breeding diet ?



## westie (Aug 15, 2012)

is there a stick for a good healthy teils breeding diet ? please forgive me if its right under my nose I cant seem to find one


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27479
I know its titled the best diet for cockatiels, but this includes breeding tiels as well.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Breeding birds basically need more of everything - more calcium (especially the hen), more protein, more fat. It's OK to give a little bit of egg every day during the breeding period, approx 1/4 teaspoon per adult bird (and don't be surprised if the hen eats it all lol).

They also need access to nutritious soft foods, since soft food is easier for the babies to digest. The parent birds need to learn to eat these foods before the babies hatch so they'll already understand that it's food when the babies arrive. Pellets are an excellent breeding food - the parents eat the hard pellets and drink water to soften them up. If your birds eat Harrisons pellets you can switch to the high potency formula during the breeding period. Buster and Shodu's favorite baby food is organic multi-grain bread. Soaked or sprouted seed is a good baby food - see http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=9019 You can make enough sprouts to last throughout the day and feed part of it right away, refrigerating the rest so it stays fresh until you offer it later in the day. 

Veggies are good baby food of course. High-nutrition cooked food is also good - go for whole grains instead of refined flour or white rice.


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## westie (Aug 15, 2012)

I dont seem to be able to find a supplier of pellets in New Zealand, and Im just currently trying to teach them how to eat something other then seed.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

You may have to go online to find pellets.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

There are Australian pellet brands that might be available in NZ. Here's a thread about a new one: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=33421

It takes time for cockatiels to learn to eat pellets, so it might be too late for your birds to learn in time for this clutch. But they will learn eventually if you're persistent and creative, and it will benefit them and also their future clutches. There are tips for teaching a bird to eat new foods at http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/nutrition-conversion.html


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## westie (Aug 15, 2012)

Oh they arnt laying yet, I havent even given them a nest yet.. just reasearching to maybe get them set up for next season


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

That's great, I love it when people plan ahead!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

P.S. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption so you might want to read up on that: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27549

Calcium depletion is a major cause of egg binding and other egg-laying problems.


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