# 7 day old chick help



## shaenne

Hi guys!

I am terribly sorry if this is in the wrong spot or if this is a common question, but I really need some help.

I have a 7 day old Cockatiel chick that the parents have abandoned. Luna (whiteface cinnamon pearl) laid 3 eggs (dad is Odie, pied), two of which hatched. The 3rd was not viable. Both viable chicks hatched in the 24 hours of March 14th.

The chicks were doing okay until yesterday, for some reason Odie and Luna just abandoned them. I don't know why, and I let them go as long as I could before I intervened so they could resume their parenting, but they didn't. Last night I pulled both chicks out and they were quite cold (not freezing, but their little bodies were not warm), so I set them up in my makeshift brooder with a heating pad and a bunch of warm bedding. I put a digital thermometer in the box and it has maintained a temperature of 30 to 32 degrees, which I was told is acceptable.

The chick that hatched 2nd didn't make it through the night. He/she was a fair bit smaller than the first chick although not ABNORMALLY small, so i'm figuring he/she just didn't get fed enough and last night was the final straw.

The First chick is doing really well. I've fed him every 3 hours since 7am this morning, and while the first feed was a bit fumbly for both of us, he got the hang of it by the 2nd feeding and took formula from the bent spoon like a pro.

My question is, how much should I be feeding him? Everything i've read says 2-4 cc's and that's great, but to keep my accuracy and ratios right when i'm making formula I just make 1tbsp of formula at a time and just discard the leftovers. I tried a syringe that has ml/cc marked on it, but it was too awkward for the both of us, and I have experience feeding young Cockatiels with a spoon, just not THIS young. I pull my babies at 2 to 2.5 weeks usually.

So, is anyone able to show me a photo of a sufficiently full crop for a Cockatiel chick around this age? I have been going on how it looks, not too full and protruding, but just plump. I will upload a photo after his next feeding (in around an hour) so you can see how full his crop gets when I feed, but in the meantime any help or pictures would be great 

Thanks in advance!


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## shaenne

Here are a couple of photos from his last feed. Could someone tell me if he looks full enough? Too full? Not enough? Any advice would be great


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## Haimovfids

Here are pics of my chicks at 7 days old





Here is a feeding chart



Here is a chart for the brooder temperature 



Here is a link to the charts with more information on Handfeeding and chick brooders. http://www.cockatiel.org/articles/handfeeding.html


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## Haimovfids

I am seeing some air at the top of the chicks crop. This can be prevented by feeding the chicks with a steady rate. Try to gently massage the chicks crop to get rid of that air. 

In the first picture the chick looks a bit red. I don't know if he is really red or if it's just the lighting. If the chicks skin is really red, it means it's dehydrated. Use coconut water instead of water when your making the formula to hydrate the chick. 

Keep us posted on the little guy.


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## vampiric_conure

I'm soooo glad I'm reading this thread. I'm learning a lot  (wish I had something substantial to donate info wise  Alas I am not _*THAT*_ experienced. )


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## shaenne

Thank you! He was a little red but not as red as the picture showed, it must have been the lighting. I've done a buttload of research over the past couple days and he really looks under developed/stunted a little bit. Today he is 9 days, and he now looks like your 7 day old chicks. I noticed that his head is a little odd shaped compared to other chicks i've raised, and I read that dehydration contributes to that. I bought some coconut water today and have started mixing his formula with it instead of regular water and I feel like he's doing a little better already.

I'm not sure how well stunted chicks catch up, i've never experienced this before (the parents are first-timers), but this little guy seems to be doing really well so far. 

& no problem at all, vampric! I'm glad this is helpful for you too


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## Haimovfids

He is a bit stunted. The oversized head, the dry and red skin, and the small wings and feet are all signs of being stunted. But don't worry, the chick can still grow up to be healthy and big as a regular cockatiel but at a later growth pace. As long as he's getting the proper care and hydration like he is getting right now. 

Keep his brooder temperature at 93-95 F. That is 33 in Celsius.


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## Phoenix2010

thanks for this post and the info. I have a hen who just left her nest yesterday with one new hatched chick and the rest of her eggs, and decided to sleep out with her mate. I waited until late last night and decided to pull the chick rather than let it die as it was quite cold.
I dont know if I will succeed raising this baby but thanks to this forum It has a fighting chance


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## Haimovfids

Keep the chick warm and feed it fluids. You don't feed newly hatched chicks anything but coconut water (or regular water) for the first 16 hours because it still has yolk in the abandoned that he hasn't finished absorbing. You would want to follow the feeding instructions in the chart I posted. 

What handfeeding formula are you using?


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## Phoenix2010

I have passwell hand rearing mix


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## Haimovfids

PS you can also try putting the chick back in the nest tomorrow morning and see if the parents will take him back or not. Was there anything that got them out of their breeding mode? Any cage distribution or loud noises or heavy activity can cause them to lose interest. Were the birds getting longer nights? That can also contribute to abandoning nest.


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## Haimovfids

Phoenix2010 said:


> I have passwell hand rearing mix


I never heard of that Handfeeding formula. I'm not sure if you have heard of Kaytee Exact Handfeeding Formula before but I highly recommend it. Ill do my research on the Passwell hand reeding mix and see if it's a good switch to make or not.


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## Phoenix2010

The hen had been behaving a bit odd. They are in a quiet room with no changes that I am aware of. The cage is by a window with the blinds open so just the natural ligt here in West Australia. She started laying on march 1st and hasn't stopped. She is a first timer (2 years old) with a young mate. I was becoming concerned at the number of eggs, 10, and on the verge of asking for advice.


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## Phoenix2010

We only have passwell and wombaroo brand locally and I believe vetafarm is available in the metro area but I have not seen it


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## Haimovfids

When was her last egg laid? Are you in the US?


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## Phoenix2010

No I am in Australia, she laid an egg two days ago and I noticed her mating again


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## Haimovfids

That's what I thought was happening. A possible reason the hen abandoned her chicks and eggs is because she wants to make a second clutch. It is your choice whether you want her to have another clutch or not. 

I found Kaytees bird formula online. I don't know if they ship to the UK or not. http://m.petsolutions.com/Default.a...ula&CategoryId=Bird-Handfeeding-Food-Supplies


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## Phoenix2010

Ahhh ****. Well it looks like I have a challenge on my hands. I will start a thread if baby survives tonight and thanks for your advice. I have learned such a lot from people like you on this forum


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## shaenne

I'm in Australia too and I can't find Kaytee's anywhere, although I did look for it. I am using Joy nutrition ProStart hand rearing formula.









My little guy seems to be doing well. His skin is no longer red and dry so i'm taking that as a really good sign. What should he be weighing around now? He is 10 days old today.

His little eyes are just starting to open, I think they'll be fully open by tomorrow. He is strong, has a healthy appetite and everything is going well.

Phoenix, good luck with your wee baby! I really hope everything works out for you! Keep us updated


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## Phoenix2010

Thanks Shaenne and sorry to hijack your thread! I am also interested in an average age/weight chart


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## Haimovfids

That's a great sign that he isn't red and dry anymore. You can try to look for Kaytee's formula online. Here is a weight chart. I'll try to find one that's more specific.


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## shaenne

No problem at all! I noticed similar behaviour from Odie & Luna after they abandoned their nest, so it was helpful for me too LOL.
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I'm thinking he still looks a bit red, or it might just be me overthinking. He's definitely not as red and dry as he was a couple days ago and the lights in this house are kind of awful. He's gaining weight, although very slowly. He's not losing weight though so that's a plus.
I've already involuntarily become attached to this little guy and I really just want him to be OK lol!

Thanks for that! I think I have that page bookmarked on my husbands computer.
As of right now he weighs only 17 grams. And he was fed 20 minutes or so ago, too. He's so little D:


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## Phoenix2010

Aww his little eyes are opening! I am trying to distance myself as I feel it's a big ask for our little fluffy to survive


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## shaenne

I know! It's so cute!
I tried to distance myself but it didn't really work lol


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## Haimovfids

Your baby is a male lutino! He does not look red or dehydrated. That's the normal skin color of a normal baby cockatiel. 

The only issue we really have is the underweight but I that's normal for stunted chicks. I'm going to find out on what you can do to get him to gain more. Your doing great with the little guy so far! He looks so much better since the last picture we got of him.


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## ParrotletsRock

How is it a male? I thought if mom was not a lutino then all her lutino baby's would be female... Is that wrong??


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## Vickitiel

He's so cute! Such a little dinosaur! :excited: 

I hope he continues to improve.


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## Haimovfids

Oh, I'm sorry. I meant female. My head wasn't working. I knew it was female but I got mixed up when I typed it. I'm sorry.


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## shaenne

Thank you so much, Haimovfids, that's really nice to hear. I've been working my butt off to keep this little guy above water and it's great to know that it's paying off! And thank you so much for all of your help!

I've been searching and searching for ideas on how to get him to gain a little more weight, without much luck, so if you find anything I will love you forever lol! Everything else is going really well and i'd be super super happy if I could get him to gain more weight!

Also, I figured from the start my baby is probably female, because of this;








But wasn't sure how reliable it was haha. The 2nd baby to hatch had white down, so i'm guessing that would have been a male had he survived.


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## Haimovfids

The dad is split to whiteface and lutino. You will have to put that in as well to see the more accurate results.


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## Haimovfids

I asked on another forum about your chick and I got a response. I'm going to quote it because I didn't say it. 



> Stunting and underweight is usually a feeding issue. Either they aren't getting enough food or they aren't digesting it properly. When they aren't digesting it properly, it's generally because the food itself isn't appropriate (too hard or not moist enough, and in the case of handfeeding it might not be warm enough) or because there's a yeast infection or bacterial infection causing problems. The key to solving the problem is to figure out what's causing it and then do something to solve that problem.


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## shaenne

Thank you!

After inspecting her probably more than she'd like, and after some over-the-phone guidance from the avian vet 3 hours away, i've concluded that she has a small yeast infection. I was going to use the remedy on JustCockatiels (coconut water, baking soda, lemon juice & cayenne pepper) but I don't have any cayenne pepper and i'm not going to be able to get to the store to get some until tomorrow morning when hubby comes back with my car.

Is there anything I could replace it with?


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## Haimovfids

I'm glad you were able to speak to a vet. I emailed Susanne (the lady who wrote and created the Just Cockatiels site) about your question. I'll tell you her answer once she emails me back. 

Did the vet say any treatment options?


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## shaenne

Thanks for that!

Vet actually recommended the remedy on JustCockatiels but I didn't realize I didn't have any cayenne so I didn't ask if I could substitute haha.
She also recommended emptying and flushing the crop after to remove dead yeast from the crop.
She didn't give me much more than that, but she was super busy so I didn't pester her too much


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## Haimovfids

Susanne replied back. She said you can replace cayenne pepper with paprika. 

Flushing the crop is very important when we are dealing with a yeast infection. Good luck!


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## shaenne

Oh excellent! I love paprika and always have some in my cupboard! Thank you again for all of your help! I'll let you know how we are going


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## shaenne

Now that my phone is cooperating, this is what her crop looked like this morning after a 6 hour break between feeds.

















And her poop a few minutes ago worries me.
http://i.imgur.com/dwZxRx8.jpg

I've been trying to find an avian vet somewhere closer than 3.5 hours away but so far no luck.


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## Haimovfids

The baby should have had a 4 hour break. I'm just glad to see the crop is not stuck or impacted. That proves that the baby is digesting her food properly. What consistency is the formula for the chick? How many parts of formula to water?


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## shaenne

She normally only gets a 4 hour break between feeds but this morning I had to help hubby get ready for work as his car broke down and after all the rushing around he had to take mine, so we were all a bit behind this morning 

The packet says 1 part formula to 1-2 parts water, and 1:1 seemed too far too thick so i've been doing 1:2. I've never used this formula before and I have had success raising chicks with a different brand but they were out of stock, so do you think it might be worth going to see if they've got it tomorrow? I know changing formula isn't ideal, but she doesn't seem to be getting anywhere on this stuff.


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## Haimovfids

I recommend either Kaytees or Lafebers formula. I'm pretty sure Lafebers helps with chick weight gain so I would look into it. The reason I asked was because the same person that I quoted earlier said that when the formula is too thin it can make them not gain enough calories. I would try to do 1 part of formula to 1 1/2 part of water and see how she reacts to that. I'm thinking she needs it a bit more thicker.


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## shaenne

Okay, I will give that a go! And I will definitely look into both of those and see what I can get sent here.


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## Haimovfids

Thats great! Im really excited for this chick for some reason. I feel really connected to her.


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## nassrah

Fingers crossed for the little guy! X x


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## shaenne

I am accumulating quite a long list of possible names that have a fighter/survivor meaning behind them haha!

I really hope thickening her formula does the trick. She really is fine other than being a bit behind in development. She is plenty strong and lets the world know it when she's hungry. She takes her feeds like a pro, and after a feed she fusses for maybe a minute, if that, and then nods off and sleeps soundly until her next feed.

I tried not to get attached in case things don't work out, but I failed miserably lol


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## Phoenix2010

I keep reading your posts for inspiration!


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## shaenne

She hit 20 grams! Small achievement but yay! She's been lingering around 17 grams for the past couple days.


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## Phoenix2010

That's great news, well done mum lol


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## Haimovfids

That's a huge achievement! I think making the formula thicker made a contribution to it.


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## shaenne

Thanks guys!
Yes, I definitely think changing it to 1:1.5 definitely helped. Her poops appear more solid too, now, which is also a relief. I am stoked! And it's so much more encouraging when you can see progress like that haha. 

The packet says 1:1-2 from 5 days until weaning, so i'm not really sure. I guess i'll adjust it again when she's a little bigger. It's been a while since I raised babies, and my last clutch was as textbook as they come, so it's all kind of trial and error with her at the moment and just figuring out what works.


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## Haimovfids

Yes, you will need to adjust it when the baby is older but this ratio is perfect for now. I'm glad the poops are more solid too. Is she starting to grow pin feathers?


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## shaenne

I can see pin feathers starting to come through, so hopefully that will happen soon!

I've been having trouble keeping her box at an adequate temperature. I only have a small heat pad and it isn't working as well as it should, and I cannot find a good one ANYWHERE. I'm going to order one from eBay but it's from the UK and it'll take a week or two to get here. So in the mean time i've put a hot water bottle with a soft cover on it in the box for her and she snuggles right up to it. The digital thermometer I have in the box says 33 degrees celcius, so now it's just about keeping it there. I know people don't recommend hot water bottles but at this point i'm running out of options 

Anywho, she's up to 22 grams now, and her poops are solid and normal again. Fingers crossed we go up from here!


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## Phoenix2010

Great to hear your good news again! I have an electric blanket that is meant to go over you in bed and I am using that wrapped around a large box with the chicks in an icecream container inside. At night I am also putting a wheat bag in to keep the temp as stable as possible. I have also been looking at heat pads for any future hand rearing. Which one are you buying?


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## Haimovfids

The temperature is perfect actually. It sounds really sweet how she's snuggling to the water bottle. It's also great news she's continuing to gain weight and is starting to grow pin feathers. She's doing really well and is catching up quick for a stunted baby.


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## shaenne

The little pins where her crest will be are coming through now, so cute!


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## Phoenix2010

Your baby is two weeks old now, well done!!


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## nassrah

Well done! You are doing a marvelous job ! Sending the best of vibes grom Brazil X x Teresa


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## shaenne

Thanks guys.

I had a family emergency come up and had to drive 9 hours to deal with it, and I didn't know anyone capable of caring for her so I had to take her with me. I'm not sure how well she handled the trip.

Also, the hot water bottles just aren't keeping her box warm enough consistently, and I searched high and low for a heat pad while I was away and still nothing, so hubby bought a heat lamp for her. I know those aren't recommended either but at this point I have no choice but to try it. I just got home and i'm going to set it up and keep her in a separate box with the hot water bottles and the heated light of the bathroom to keep her warm while I get the positioning of the heat lamp right to keep her box temperature stable.

I really hope she continues progressing. I feel like the trip and the heating issues have taken a serious toll on her and I just hope she has the strength to keep fighting.


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## shaenne

Also, this is a terrible photo so apologies for that, but does this look like sour crop to you?










She is eating fine and appears to be digesting well, but I just noticed those red veins around the bottom of her crop and i'm a little worried.

She is a strooong baby. She's taken to clinging on to my fingers with her feet when she eats and boy she has a beefy grip for such a tiny baby haha.


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## Haimovfids

It doesn't look like a sour crop in my opinion. Veins can be prominent in stunted chicks. Sour crops will be bloated with gas with the solids of the food more at the bottom. The crop will be overstretched as well. 

The chick got really big since the last update. She is also standing on her feet. She looks good!


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## shaenne

Thank you! I will get a proper photo of her at her next feed so you can see her properly 

She emptied out completely between her last feed yesterday and first feed this morning which I was extremely happy to see! I think i'm just paranoid at the moment lol.

The heat lamp has kept her box at 32 degrees celcius consistently all night (I was up every hour to make sure lol I am tiiiired) so FINALLY we have a reliable heat source. However the humidity is only at 20% and I read that it needs to be between 50% and 75% to prevent dehydration, so i'm a little concerned about that. I have a container of water in there but it doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot. Is there anything else I can do to raise it?


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## Haimovfids

It's a good sign that she's emptying her crop between feedings. 

The humidity is more of an issue with eggs. I haven't heard of chicks needing humidity of 50%-75%. You can spray the walls of her brooder to keep things more humid. The water bowl is a really good idea. You can put some more bowls around the brooder. Humidity isn't really an issue but if it will give you a peace of mind than its something I would do. Your already exhausted from having broken sleep and it won't be good to have things to worry about. 

I'm really excited about seeing pics of her.


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## shaenne

16 days old today










Her little personality (and attitude) are starting to come out now. She does not like to be woken up from a nap  Also, she is very quick on her feet. I used to be able to plop her in the little teacup plate I have on her scales while I prep her formula and she would just sit there and beg for food. Now as soon as she spots her feeding spoon she's off that plate like a rocket and yelling at me while following my hands around lol.


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## nassrah

She is adorable !!! Sooooo cute !! Fingers crossed but she looks a really strong little fighter! She will get there !Best of vibes and Congrats on the excellent job ! Love and kisses from Brazil X x Teresa


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## Haimovfids

Awe! She's adorable. I love that dark yellow crest! She is reaching the little baby dinosaur stage. The way you described her passion for food reminds me of this video of my baby chicks last year. Here is the video.


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## Phoenix2010

She is just adorable, a miracle xx


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## shaenne

Omg Haimovfids, that is the most adorable video ever!

I adore the little baby dinosaur stage. I'll be much happier when she's covered in pin feathers and putting on more weight though


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## shaenne

Hmmmm. Confused.

This morning when I got up to feed baby, I noticed a small, doughy ball in her crop when usually it is empty first thing in the morning. Because I love to overreact and assume the worst, I automatically assumed yeast and hopped on to JustCockatiels to revise all of the information i'd read about this so I could get ready to treat it.
In the 15 minutes it took me to ready myself, the doughy ball had disappeared. Did her crop just take longer than usual to empty? I may have made her formula a little TOO thick at her last feeding last night, so i'm hoping that's all it was. There are no other signs of yeast at all.

I made her formula thinner this time around and only fed 3/4 what I usually do and i'm keeping an eye on her. I also added a pinch of JustCockatiels spice remedy to her formula (garlic powder, cinnamon & ginger - smells good!). Has this happened to anyone else before?


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## Haimovfids

I wouldn't worry about it. She seems healthy. It was probably just thick for her and it took more time for her to digest. 

I wouldn't make the formula too thin either because she won't gain weight and grow as much.


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## Haimovfids

Just a reminder:

You are supposed to feed her 7-10cc's at 7:00am, 12:00pm, 5:00pm, and 11:00pm.


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## shaenne

Thanks! Yeah i'm not worried about it anymore. She is digesting fine, I just made it a little too thick for her last night lol. I'm excellent at being paranoid 

After reading an old topic on here about someone's stunted baby, I got in touch with Susanne and she has instructed me to feed the baby 10% of her bodyweight each time her crop empties, and that should help her with her weight gain, and the amount she eats will steadily increase with her weight. I did think that feeding her a bit more would help, but I could actually be making it worse by making her little body work harder to digest extra food.

I remember with my previous chicks a few years ago, they were eating 7-8cc's per feeding at this time, but I think if I tried to feed this wee baby 7-10cc's she would burst haha.


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## Haimovfids

thats a great plan!


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## nassrah

Hang on there little chick ! Youre a fighter youre going to grow into a beautiful bird ! Kisses and cuddles from Brazil X x


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## shaenne

I think she'll be okay. She's made it this far, and she is super strong. She's definitely a fighter!


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## shaenne

Okay, i'm really concerned about this.. There is bubbles in her poop, and according to everything i've read, that indicates gas or infection. I don't have an avian vet here, and the closest one is in Sydney which is 3.5 hours from me, so all i've got is google, you guys, Susanne and the phone (I call the vet in sydney if I have concerns).

Picture link: http://i.imgur.com/4L9ikG7.jpg (posted as a link so you guys don't have poo shoved in your face when you open the thread )

I called sydney vet and she didn't seem very concerned with it, but should I be worried? I've heard that most bacterial type infections generally smell bad, and it doesn't have an odor at all really, so I don't know if that helps.

Any ideas?


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## Haimovfids

I'm going to find out on another forum since I don't have expirenced on this.


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## shaenne

Thank you!

The bubbles are gone now, so i'm not sure what the dealio is there. She is fine in all other aspects - she's eating and digesting well, getting plenty of rest and doesn't appear to be in any sort of distress. Silly baby making me worry =/


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## shaenne

Well bah. She has a respiratory issue now. Closest avian vet is 3.5 hours away and I have no way of getting there, and none of the local vets are comfortable prescribing antibiotic medication to such a young bird, particularly when their experience with birds is minimal.

I think I may have accidentally aspirated her a little during her 3rd feed today. She got a little over excited and I lost my grip on her and formula went in all directions and I think a little may have went down the wrong hole.

She's settled and quiet when she's asleep, but when she's awake she has been making a click/tick kind of sound and every now and then she stretches her neck out as if trying to clear her airway and/or get some more air.

I don't know what to do. The vet recommended that I buy a jar of beta-carotene and add the contents of a capsule to 8-10ml of water and give her some of that. She said something about it helping the respiratory tract. So I ordered some online because nobody here had it, and it should be here either tomorrow or Friday (it's 6pm Wednesday here right now).

Gah. I don't know what else I could do for her. I know how touch and go it can be with birds and respiratory problems. Sigh.


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## shaenne

She's still ticking/clicking a little but it's not as bad as it was earlier, and she isn't stretching her neck out as much as she was earlier either. Fingers crossed she does OK until the beta-carotene arrives =/


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## Phoenix2010

I hope she is better in the morning. It has been such a roller coaster journey for you


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## Haimovfids

I hope things get better.


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## shaenne

She seems a lot better this morning. She isn't ticking or extending her neck at all. I'm hoping it was only a little bit of food and it got coughed up during the night.


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## nassrah

I think I know how you feel It happened once to one of ours. He did the same with the neck and after he managed to sort it out and clear his airway it went. I still remember how stressful it was. Hope she will be OK . Kisses and cuddles from Brazil X x Teresa


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## shaenne

Thanks  It's very stressful, and I hated seeing my baby so uncomfortable 

On a happier note, last night when she started feeling better, she started flapping and stretching out her wings. That was a very cute sight


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## nassrah

Oh! That s lovely ! X x


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## Phoenix2010

It's such a special experience for you having this tiny bird in your life xx


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## shaenne

It really is haha. I've raised cockatiel chicks before, but my last clutch was years ago now and was as textbook straight forward as they come. Raising this tiny little thing is a whole other world compared to raising a "normal" chick.

How is your baby doing?!


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## Phoenix2010

Alive lol this last chick is now 6 days old and doing ok. Gaining weight and very active. I am being oh so careful to feed until the crop is nearly full and no chance of aspirating this little one. I am nearly to the stage where I can sleep through the night which is a big deal for me now! What weight was your little fluffy friend at one week? Oh and just loving your pictures!


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## shaenne

At 7 days my wee baby was 12 grams. It has been really slow since then and as of now she is 26 grams. I'm honestly quite concerned about it because if she doesn't start gaining some steady weight she is going to be in trouble. I am feeding her around the clock right now, each time her crop empties, and she is gaining more steadily. 

Other than the weight she is going well. I just hope I can get her through.

I am glad to hear your baby is still with us! I can't wait to see pictures of him/her growing up


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## shaenne

I just switched her formula. I really don't think the stuff I had her on is doing her any favours so I asked around and I have been advised to put her on Vetafarm which is apparently REALLY good stuff that breeders of show quality Cockatiels here use.

So I bought some and allowed her to empty completely out and started her on the new stuff. Fingers crossed this stuff helps her.


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## shaenne

Okay.. I know this is very early days and I wasn't going to post an update until tomorrow, but i'm seeing progress already. She has only had one feed of the new formula today, and she has already put on and kept on 2 grams. Normally she'd be lucky to put 2 grams on in an entirely day. And this might sound gross, but she just did the prettiest poop i've ever seen. Lmao. 100% normal. No bubbles, good colour, everything is perfect. I HAVE to attribute these positive changes to the new formula, and I am really, really happy so far. I feel like we're actually going to get somewhere! So keep your fingers and toes crossed for us!


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## nassrah

I am sure to have fingers and toes crossed for her So glad she is putting weight on. By the way, we know Vetafarm , we have got their catalogue because we used to buy a product to keep the birds water clean. Their products are good it did work for us, until we started using cider vinegar.I am a fan of VETAFARM


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## nassrah

Oh ! And all the best X x


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## Phoenix2010

That's good to hear, I am waiting for some vetafarm handrearing mix to arrive.


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## shaenne

Thank you guys!

The lady that owns the little feed store down the road from me breed and shows Cockatiels and Conures, and she makes sure she always has Vetafarm in stock as she highly recommends it to anyone who is hand raising little ones. I only wish i'd put my baby on it sooner, but better late than never I guess. I hope lol.

I didn't want to give her an official name until she started getting better, because I didn't want to get too attached to her. But that ship sailed not long after I started hand feeding her lol so I have been searching for appropriate names. I think I have settled on Zoe: "The name Zoe is a Greek baby name. In Greek the meaning of the name Zoe is: Life; alive."


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## shaenne

Also here's a photo from just now. Excuse the red colouring, it's from her heat lamp lol.










Her little cheek feathers are growing longer, and she can move her tiny little crest up and down!


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## vampiric_conure

Aren't they darling when their crests start coming in and their stumpy little feathers are finally able to move? Makes me squeeeee from cuteness overload, LOL!


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## shaenne

It is so freaking cute! Also, she is at 28 grams now. 4 grams total for the day so far and she is nowhere near done. I am so freaking happy!


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## Phoenix2010

Awwwwwww she is so special and you are amazing for what you have done


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## Leaflyn

She is so adorable and this thread is such an inspiration!! earl:


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## shaenne

Aww thank you Leaflyn, that really means a lot to me!

I am super happy with her progress so far. The Vetafarm formula instructions say when starting babies on it, to mix it quite thin (and gives instructions for that plus includes a double sided measuring spoon) and thicken it to the baby's usual thickness over 48 hours, so her progress on this stuff isn't even at its full potential yet. I can't even wait to compare the difference in a week.


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## nassrah

Aww Zoe is adorable ! She looks so happy in the picture ! Lovely name . Well done ! I am pretty sure little Zoe will grow fast and stronger than ever - She is a surviver ! My husband and I are following your progress closely and sending our most positive vibes . Go Zoe !!! X x Philandteresa


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## dianne

Love, love the baby picture. She's so cute cute cute!


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## nassrah

So Hows little Zoe doing?I hope everything is fine. Looking forward to news X x Teresa


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## shaenne

She's doing okay. Her weight is kind of stuck around 30-31 grams, but i'm thickening her formula more now which is already helping, and her beta-carotene arrived today which will hopefully get her respiratory problem under control and free up her energy so she can finally just be free to gain some freaking weight lol.


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## nassrah

Excellent nees ! Thanks for the update X x Teresa


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## shaenne

I'm taking a new approach. Feeding less & more often isn't working, and she should be eating a lot more than what she is, especially for her age. So i'm feeding her at 6, 10, 2, 6 and 10 and feeding her as much as possible per feed. Obviously i'm taking care not to overfeed and stretch her crop too much, but her body is never going to learn to accept more food if its never given the chance, so i'm changing that.

Everywhere I look I see pictures of Cockatiel chicks, both parent raised and hand fed, that have big, full crops and these birds are happy and healthy and growing perfectly. I think i've been so afraid of feeding Zoe too much and causing problems for her that i've been holding back, and i'm at the point now where I have to step out of my own comfort zone for her sake, otherwise she's not going to make it. I've stuffed her as full as possible at her 6am, 10am and 2pm feeds today and she is doing just fine. She is digesting well and she is also a lot more settled after these big feeds than she has been with all of the smaller ones.

This is basically our last hope. If she doesn't start gaining some good weight now, I don't know what else i'm going to be able to do. But i'm seeing positive results so far so keep your fingers crossed for us!


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## shaenne

Her last weigh in for the day is 37 grams! We should break 40 tomorrow, and i'm hoping for 50 by the end of the weekend. I'd love her at minimum 80 by next Saturday.


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## Haimovfids

Good luck.


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## nassrah

I am so glad Zoe is growing steadly and fast She is so cute and desreves the best. Please update us with pictures if you have the tome . The last one made my heart melt ! Thanks and all the best Hugs and kisses from Brazil X x Teresa


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## shaenne

Little miss Zoe finished up on 43 grams tonight! We will definitely crack 50 grams by the end of the weekend at this rate. I am so stoked. She emptied out perfectly overnight and this is working amazingly for her. Now she even tells me when she's had enough to eat because she pulls back and isn't as interested in the spoon. It's great!

Here's a picture from this morning










She still has a lot of work to do, but she's got big girl feathers coming through now! And she has been stretching and flapping her wings a lot more over the past couple days, and tonight before her last feed, she was nibbling on the bedding in her brooder (don't worry, she can't ingest it). She's getting adventurous!


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## ParrotletsRock

How old is she now? She looks great!


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## shaenne

She turns 4 weeks today!


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## Phoenix2010

Ohhh how about a four week birthday photo??


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## shaenne

I'll get a photo later on after i've cleaned her face. I try to be thorough after feeds to clean off all of the formula but apparently I missed some. She's not going to like it lol.

Also her breathing seems to be getting better - she isn't ticking/clicking as much. Yay!


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## shaenne

Here's a photo from earlier when we were chilling on the couch. It's from before I cleaned her face but oh well lol (her face is formula free now btw )










Also.. 49 grams! And she still has her 10pm feed left today. So happy!


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## han93

I've been following you're thread and I just wanted to say that Zoe is beautiful and I'm so happy that everything is working out for you now!


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## shaenne

Thank you! I'm really happy  She finished up on 51 grams tonight!! I was aiming to have her at 50 grams by her last feed tomorrow night, so the fact that she made it there tonight makes me REALLY happy


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## nassrah

Congrats You are doing an amazing job with little Zoe ! She is so cute ! X x Teresa


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## Haimovfids

OMG!! She grew SOOO much. And she gained so much weight. I'm so shocked!


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## CloudySkies

She is so cute! I see her eyes are red and she seems to have mostly yellow feathers, is she a lutino? If so, why are some of her pin feathers greyish on her back? I'm just asking out of curiosity.

Congrats on your success!


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## shaenne

Honestly i'm not sure LOL, the birds in my signature are her parents. She has some cinnamon poking through here and there also.

I'm not sure how long the beta-carotene should take to start helping, but if her breathing doesn't improve in a week i'm gonna drive her to Sydney to see the avian vet about it. She's been through SO SO much, I can't lose her to a respiratory infection of all things lol.

She's getting stronger and stronger every day. It won't be long before i'll have to change her living arrangements because she's getting to the point where she's learning to climb on stuff and she's figured out that flapping her wings is great to get that extra bit of help up 

Thank you guys for the kind words! I have been working my butt off to get her through and I really didn't expect her to get this far with all of the struggles she's had. She definitely does not give up easily! So proud of her!


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## Vickitiel

She's grown into such a beautiful big chick! Awesome! :excited:


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## shaenne

Here's a picture from tonight. We're on the floor because it's the only place I can relax and take photos of her and not have to stress about her sprinting off the edge LOL.










She is going to be so pretty in a few weeks!


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## Haimovfids

She looks so big! I think she's a lutino pearl. I'm really not sure about the grey on her back. I always thought it was just a grey wash. I'm going to find out.


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## CloudySkies

Well now she looks like a heavy pied (which means she could be a he?) but I'm confused by the pics that show red eyes. Maybe it's just the red eye effect from the camera? Anywho, she is just gorgeous and I hope her breathing gets better and she continues to thrive!


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## shaenne

I really hope she is a she, just because i've been saying she for so long it would feel kind of wrong to change to he LOL. She's either a normal 'she' or a very sassy 'he' hahaha.


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## Haimovfids

There actually might be a chance that the bird is not a lutino after all. It could be the normal red wine eye color that cinnamons have. I'm not sure yet.


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## Haimovfids

Here is a quote from Tielfan about this chick. 



> It looks like cinnamon pied to me, and the baby could be either sex since it looks like mom is cinnamon. The eyes don't look red but maybe that's due to the camera angle.
> 
> Cinnamon chicks can be born with red eyes that look like a lutino, but this usually changes to a darker color after a few days. But this chick is also pied, which could throw a monkey wrench into the situation. It's usually thought that the pied mutation doesn't affect eye color, but there's some convincing evidence that this isn't completely true and the pied mutation can remove some but not all of the melanin from the eye. This usually isn't noticeable but there have been some rare cases where "pied removed some of the melanin" was the best explanation for the bird's eye color.
> 
> Another possibility is that the chick is fallow pied - fallows are a pale color and have bright pink/red eyes all their life. Recessive silver also has red eyes, and their grey coloring can be dark or light. But cinnamon pied is more likely than any of these.
> 
> The baby is feathering out nicely so it looks like the stunting/underdevelopment problem was solved.


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## CloudySkies

Yep, I'm sticking with cinnamon pied and she/he is going to be gorgeous once she/he is all feathered out! Those red eyes and the clear face feathers really made her look lutino at first but those darker feathers are throwing that idea out. Go baby go!


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## shaenne

Thanks Haimovfids!

I can't wait to see her fully feathered. She's going to be such a pretty girl <3 I am going to get her DNA tested, too, just to be sure lol.

Also.. 61 grams!


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## Phoenix2010

Gosh her weight has really come on, that has to be a good sign!


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## shaenne

I just noticed this about her beak; it's like it's a tiny bit misaligned or there's a tiny piece missing on one side lol










We were cuddling on the couch and I was looking at her and it looked like she was breathing with her mouth open, and I was like "oh no D:" and then she turned her head and the other side was closed lmfao. I think it's cute! It doesn't seem to affect her in the slightest and she's able to nibble on millet just fine, but i'll keep an eye on her.

My adorable tiny funny looking baby <3


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## shaenne

Here's a better look from her last feed when she was yelling at me because I stopped feeding her 










Also here's one of her pretty self for good measure;


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## nassrah

The older Zoe gets the cutest !I am so happy Zoe is improving so fast ! He/she will be a gorgeous baby bird and carry on bringing loads of happiness into your life shaenne- you can count on that !Lots of love from the Walters flock ( William, Sydney, Maxwell , Frances Rose , Baby chick George and their humans Phil and Teresa )


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## ParrotletsRock

Are you syringe feeding her from that side?? Could be from that.


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## CloudySkies

I see some discoloration in her mouth where her beak is lopsided open, like little black or brown spots. Does she (he? I'll just use she from here on out until you know for sure) have anything going on in that spot that you can see with a flashlight, like something fungal or yeasty? Or is it just a trick of the light/camera angle?

Man, she just gets cuter every day though. I love her obviously spunky attitude and her coloring is just so pretty.


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## nassrah

You always mention spoon feeding isnt it ? I dont remember anything written by you about syringe feeding . Anyway , Zoe is my little hero/heroine X x Teresa


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## shaenne

Yeah i've always spoon fed, syringes have always been awkward for me lmao. I had a good look in there with a flash light and I couldn't see anything of concern, I think it was just the lighting/camera.

I've been contacting all of the vets in my town and a couple say they deal with birds, so i'm going to call them in the morning and ask if they would be able to take a look at her. If that fails, I found a vet in the next town over (40-50 mins) that say they specialize in birds, so we may be taking a trip over there.

Other than her breathing/respiratory issue she's coming along perfectly so I want to get that seen to asap. Like I said, after everything she's overcome, i'd hate to lose her to a respiratory infection. 

She's at the point now where she wants to be with me for the sake of being with me rather than just food LOL. I don't give in to her ALL the time, but it sure is cute when I pick her up for a cuddle and she falls right to sleep


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## nassrah

It is the best thing to do after all she has been through Well done the two of you ! X x Teresa


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## shaenne

The cheeky brat has started trying to run away the second she's done eating because she doesn't like it when I clean her face afterwards LOL.


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## nassrah

WOW! Attitude ! So cute ! X x


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## ParrotletsRock

Oh gosh, I am feeding 5 chicks around 5 weeks old, they HATE having their faces washed after eating...lol just like human babies!!


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## shaenne

Oh man, I couldn't imagine doing 5!! You're a superstar!

Here's little miss "i'm a real bird now" trying to avoid me after breakfast this morning










She gets an 8 hour break between meals overnight, and I LOVE getting up in the morning to see much she's changed lol. It literally happens overnight and every morning i'm like YOU'RE SO PRETTY NOW ZOE hahaha.


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## Haimovfids

I'm in love with her! She's going to be so cute as a cockatiel. She's growing really fast now!


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## shaenne

My husband said she looks like a banana split hahaha XD


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## ParrotletsRock

Mine were parent fed with me supplementing up until a week ago, then Mom went back to nest (fake eggs this time) and dad was trying to mount the babies so I pulled them and and totally hand feeding them... And yes the did literally change overnight... Now they look like regular cockatiels and have already taken their first flights!


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## Vickitiel

Well done!  She's looking so gorgeous! I want her! Haha


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## shaenne

I just love that she's got her mum's cinnamon and her dads pied. Hahaha


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## shaenne

She finished up tonight on 69 grams. Ugh 1 gram shy of 70!


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## nassrah

My husband said she is picking up lovely ! Congrats X x Teresa


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## ParrotletsRock

Thought you might like this video... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GHGL8qZa5_w


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## shaenne

hahaha "just sampling to make sure it's up to scratch"

Also.. 71 grams!

I gave her a small plate of seeds and a millet spray, and she's been messing around with those a lot lately. She mainly just licks the seeds, but she's getting more adventurous with the millet.


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## nassrah

Thats how weaning starts - good progress X x


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## ParrotletsRock

Yes mine have budgie seed, finch size supreme fruit pellets, egg food, millet and treats all available as well as fresh green beans ( they love to chew on those) and cooked rices, pastas and grains in the morning. Mine range from just over 5 weeks to just under 6 weeks.


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## han93

She's so beautiful!


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## shaenne

My pretty baby turns 5 weeks tomorrow!










She is refusing formula quite early into her feeds now so I think she's preparing herself for her first flight. My tiny princess is growing up!


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## ParrotletsRock

She's getting there... This is one of my chicks... He turned 5 weeks old yesterday so is 2 days older than yours. He has flown and is in the process of weaning, ( trying millet spray, budgie seed, finch sized pellets, green beans, cooked broccoli, and cooked rices, pastas and grains) he is willing to try anything..lol
He was a tad behind his siblings when feathering up because at 3 days old he got lost in the shuffle at feeding time. The other 4 babies hogged all the food and he didn't get fed. When I decided to step in and try to feed him he was already weak and lethargic. He could not even hold his head up and had quit begging for food. He was nice and warm cuz he was at the bottom of the baby pile. I fed him a bit of a powdered oatmeal, egg food slurry and he perked right up immediately. He lifted his little head and cried for food. When put back in the nest he gained enough strength to beg from his parents and he was kept full after that, however it did seem to stunt him a bit compared to his siblings, he is still quite a bit smaller than them... The point to this long story is that once he got to the stage of feathering that your baby is now.. It seemed like I just blinked and he was all feathered out like the rest... She will feather out quite quickly now... She is sooo cute!


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## shaenne

Your baby is gorgeous! And he's done so well after a rough start! This gives me a lot of hope. I mean i'm pretty confident Zoe will be fine, she's made it this far and other than her respiratory problem she is coming along beautifully, but for some reason it's always in the back of my mind that I might lose her. It's like my brain has mentally prepared me for it lol.

On her respiratory thing.. Her breathing is almost 100% normal. We're still going in for a checkup next week, but it appears the beta-carotene has really helped her along. I'm very happy with that.

Also.. 79 grams!! She turned 5 weeks today and her 5 week goal was 80 grams so she has missed it by 1 gram. Close enough right? XD


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## Phoenix2010

She has really come on well and,I love her colouring!


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## nassrah

Baby George our chick went through a stage during weaning when he would only care about flapping his wings incredinbly fast like a fan and trying to fly . That caused him to loose weight We were a bit concerned but he turned out fine and soon started eating everything along with flying. Looks like Zoe is heading in this direction . She is a doll ! X x


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## nassrah

Parrotletsrock Sorry i forgot to say - Your chick is really cute| Such a sweet look !Beautiful ! X x


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## shaenne

Picture from tonight










Zoe has been moved to a cage! She has some low perches which she has been experimenting with today. She is getting more and more adventurous with solid foods, too


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## ParrotletsRock

She sure has feathered a lot since the last picture!! Such a pretty baby!


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## shaenne

She's getting big, too! She's not much smaller than my green cheek conure haha


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## Phoenix2010

She looks like she is smiling - with contentment with that big full crop haha


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## ParrotletsRock

She got huge feet...lol


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## shaenne

LOL I know! I love her big clown feet <3 Gives her something to grow into I guess lmao


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## ParrotletsRock

And she will, but yeah she is so tiny and petite then you look down and her feet are as big as she is... It's just cuz she's behind a bit... She will catch up to them.


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## CloudySkies

She just gets prettier and prettier!


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## phronima

So cute with a full crop!


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## shaenne

Finally after spending a bunch of time on the phone to a bunch of different vets, we have an appointment at 11:15am on Saturday to have Zoe's respiratory infection seen to! We have to take her 2 hours out of town, but that's okay lol. 

After hearing me get all upset about having no avian vets in this stupid town, my husband was even prepared to take her 3-5 hours away to have her seen  But! I found a little exotic and avian specialist 2 hours away, and they have a bunch of excellent client reviews. I AM SO HAPPY.


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## nassrah

Zoe gets prettier and prettier It is a real pleasure to follow her improvement on this thread.Thanks for the constant update and sharing . She sure smiles in the last picture- well,she has been looked after properly,received a lot of love and attention,it could not be any different . You and your husband have been marvelous looking after this lovely baby.Hope everything goes well regarding the Vet appointment . X x Teresa


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## shaenne

Thanks Teresa!

Here are a few photos of Zoe from just now. She's such a pretty little thing!


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## shaenne

Little miss just took her first flight! From the coffee table to the couch where I was sitting. So proud of her!


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## Vickitiel

She's growing so fast that she changes with every update! She's so adorable! 

Best of luck with the vet appointment!


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## ParrotletsRock

She sure feathered out!!


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## nassrah

Well done Zoe ! The chick is flyiiiingg !!! X x Teresa


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## shaenne

Vet visit went well!
Vet listened to her chest from all angles with the stethoscope and said she sounded clear! Then she said it may be an upper respiratory infection and swabbed her throat and said that was clear as well. She took a poop sample and ran some tests and said there was nothing to be concerned about!

She gave me some antibiotics for zoe anyway and said because i'm so concerned about the clicking/ticking that the antibiotics should clear up any mild infection she may have. So she gets 0.2ml of Clavulox twice a day for 7 days 

Vet was thrilled with zoe's physical exam, especially considering she was stunted and I had so much trouble putting weight on her to begin with. 

Everyone loved her and the vets. So many awwwww's haha


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## ParrotletsRock

That's awesome, you have done a great job with her!


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## shaenne

Thanks! I'm pretty proud of myself haha and Zoe of course. There's been a bunch of bumps in the road but it looks like its clear sailing ahead which is amazing! I mean other than the ticking/clicking and raspy-ness there really isn't anything else wrong with her. She eats well (very well, especially now that she's eating seeds and veggies and fruit and millet... lmao) and she is always alert and active when she's awake. We're going through the notorious stage of her begging her little heart out for food and then taking 2 mouthfuls and deciding she'd rather go fly around  She does sleep a fair bit but I just put that down to her being a growing baby. She is awake for longer periods of time now that she's getting older.

The vet was like "oh she is so pretty! I haven't seen many cockatiels with colours like hers before" haha. Ahhh I love her so much!


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## shaenne

I just gave Zoe her 2nd dose of medicine for today (the vet did the first dose to show me how to do it) and I was so nervous! lol. It went well though. She took it like a pro! Which is amazing because it probably tastes gross


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## Seraph

Hi shaenne, I am in a similar situation to what yours was. Your posts have given me ideas and hope. Its been nice reading your progress. Keep up the great work.


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## nassrah

It couldnt have been any different,after all Zoe is a precious little baby . I am not surprised everybody loved her at the Vets , she is so cute ! Very happy to read that everything is fine with Zoe , hope the medicine goes down nicely and soon the treatment will be over . Well done you ! What a marvelous job both you and your husband have done , giving this cockatiel baby a big chance in life ! Lots of love from sunny Brazil X x Teresa


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## shaenne

Here's a video of her making the ticking sound i've been talking about (she first does it at 0:08 and the second most noticable one is at 0:18). The vet said her chest and upper respiratory tract were clear, so i'm not sure what the deal is. Naturally she didn't do it at all while at the vets and I completely forgot that I have a sound recording of it on my phone, so the vet didn't get to hear it. What do you guys think?

Video link


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