# Hand Raised Chick - always crying for food...



## AnjTaylor (Apr 11, 2009)

Thanks in advance for taking the time to look at my post...

I have a 22 day old Tiel, that was attacked not once, but twice by my nestie budgies - the last time being fatal to the other chicks in the clutch and almost fatal to the above Teil...

He was 14 days old at the time of the attack, and his eye was damaged, as was his head, and beak...

But the great news is that his eye is perfect now, apart from being slightly mis-shapen - he can see out of it, and it works perfectly now...

His beak had a little crack in the base of it, but it's almost completely healed... 

His head is completely bald and scabbed over, but I can see the pin feathers starting to come through, so I'm sure the feathers will eventually cover up his bald spot!!

So... My actual question...

He crys for food when ever he see's me... His formula is the perfect consistency, temp etc... His crop empties well... 
His feathers have come through on his wings and chest, but the pin feathers haven't opened on his back yet... His weight is on target...

But still - he always crys for food...

The brooder he is in, has a red bulb - do you think I need to try and cover the bulb so he gets more darkness? I read that not enough darkness (12 hours) can be causing his neediness?

He is on 10ml of Formula... Should I increase it to 12 ml and see how he goes? 

I've never had a chick constantly begging for food.. Whenever I handle him, he grabs at my fingers and head bobs...

Help... What do I do?


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

I can answer your first question

You could feed an extra one or two cc's and see how he goes, but make sure you check to insure that he is not being overfed.


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## SweetSimmy (Sep 1, 2008)

budgies are known to attack other birds. sometimes each other
you should separate the tiels and the budgies. the babies will be safer


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

My tiels are almost 2 months old, and every time i walk in the room they cry for food even when sitting at the food dish eating  

I think its a tiel thing to be honest, mine would do it right after i fed them and I couldn't feed them or it would of been too much 

but you can try feeding a few more cc's id do it small amounts first though


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I have heard not to feed more than 10% of his empty crop weight. I would separate your tiels and budgies, as you know budgies can be bullies. When I first go Spike I would bring him out to play and he would do his static cry for food. He did it non stop for a while, even though he was weaned. He did not head bob though or do it when in his cage alone.


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## AnjTaylor (Apr 11, 2009)

'Chopper' (which is the 23day old Tiel's name) is such a chronic crier... 

I was just trying to wipe some of the blood etc. from around his nares, and he was head bobbing on the cotton bud... He does it to fingers too...

I've increase his food one ml, but he still crys out the second I have finished feeding him... I've hand rared a lot of other Tiels, but I've never had one that cries like 'Chopper'...

I think I might have to accept that it's a personality trait of Chopper, and hope that he grows out of it!!

As for budgies and Tiels - I've successful breed them in the same aviary for more than 20 years, this is the first year I've ever had a problem, and it's mainly related to my budgie hen constantly trying to lay!! She has had two clutches back to back, and I removed her nest box - sadly the Adult Tiels both left their nest at the same time, and opportunity knock, so she when right in!! 

Thanks for all the advice...


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

With him, you are going to have to work the opposite and feed less. If you have a grams scales weigh him, and 10% of body weight is the approx amount to feed him per feeding. NEVER go over 10 cc. Many times adding a small amount of yogurt to each fedding for several days can help. And with my cry babies I add a light sprinkling of garlic powder. (Not garlic salt) I now make it a practice on any babies I pull to add garlic powder to the formula for the first week.

Normally they can beg/cry for a full minute or more after the crop is full. The reason why is the crop is a holding pouch. Think of the crop as a sink, with the drain closed. When food is in the crop muscles churned it and it is slowly delivered into the opening into the body. It has a few more areas/organs to pass thru before the food gets to the intestines. When the food is in the intestines nutrient absorption begins. When this happens the tiel then realizes it has food. If it is a constant begging several minutes after being fed then it could possibly be a slight problem with yeast. The yogurt and the garlic, don't treat yeast, but they give the body the tools to balance the intestinal flors, aid in nutrient absorption, and back off any yeast and/or bacteria to normal proportions.


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