HELP- New baby, neglectful parents

[Kimberly9067]

My cockteils hatched an egg. When they start breeding I always check the eggs and remove the fertilized ones and let them keep the empty’s.. this time they hid an egg and it hatched.. they are extremely attentive to the eggs, taking turns, being protective.. but as soon as this one hatched about 2 hours ago I heard the peeps.. the father was sitting on an empty egg and the mother was pushing this baby away from them. I took it out and they kept sitting on the egg, I tired to put the baby back after about 30 minutes and they left the cage.. they want nothing to do with the actual baby.. just the eggs.. what do I do ??

 

[Deleted member 42416]

My cockteils hatched an egg. When they start breeding I always check the eggs and remove the fertilized ones and let them keep the empty’s.. this time they hid an egg and it hatched.. they are extremely attentive to the eggs, taking turns, being protective.. but as soon as this one hatched about 2 hours ago I heard the peeps.. the father was sitting on an empty egg and the mother was pushing this baby away from them. I took it out and they kept sitting on the egg, I tired to put the baby back after about 30 minutes and they left the cage.. they want nothing to do with the actual baby.. just the eggs.. what do I do ??

Please read my hindsight is 20/20 thread. If they are not keeping the baby warm and no feeding has occurred by 12 hrs (or less if not sitting on baby) you will need to hand feed and put baby in a brooder. Make a brooder with food container with air holes, heating pad, towels, and thermometer. I had to keep my baby conures warm initially at 92 to 96 degrees. Humidity must be >50% and if your house is dry, you can add a water cup in there to increase humidity. The temperature requirement goes down as they mature.

Pet stores carry bird formula, usually Kaytee Exact. It it will do for now, but I prefer Roudybush since it easy to mix, far less grainy, and doesn’t clog syringes. Babies don’t have to feed for several hours after hatching as the yolk still provides some nutrition. For now, use a VERY small spoon to feed the baby with a watered down formula. Watch you tube if you haven’t done this before. Later, a “tonsil irrigator” type syringe works great. Do not attempt crop feeding until you are more experienced and the babies are larger. They will lap up the formula from the spoon or syringe in their mouths. Formula should be warm (they have temp guidelines but the optimal is so close to crop-burn temp, that warm is just fine).

At this stage they require every 2 hour hand feedings so it will be rough for the first week! I am attaching Kevin’s 3 week old pic from today.

First clutch failure is very common with psittacines. Mine was supposed to be a “no clutch” as Angelo (the mom) was supposed to be a DNA sexed male. But here I am. Kevin is exactly 3 weeks old today. Hazel is 3.5 weeks. Their sibling died yesterday unexpectedly. We can only try our best and see what happens. I had experience hand feeding budgies several years ago so I already knew to have everything ready on hand, just in case. Honestly, I didn’t think I would have to go through with it!

I’ve attached a picture of the spoons/syringe, Kevin on day of hatch and today, and my homemade brooder set up. I recently did try to buy a brooder off Amazon, but the chemical smell was so bad I didn’t want to chance it.

Good luck! No matter what happens, just know you did your best and that’s all we can do.

 

[Kimberly9067]

Please read my hindsight is 20/20 thread. If they are not keeping the baby warm and no feeding has occurred by 12 hrs (or less if not sitting on baby) you will need to hand feed and put baby in a brooder. Make a brooder with food container with air holes, heating pad, towels, and thermometer. I had to keep my baby conures warm initially at 92 to 96 degrees. Humidity must be >50% and if your house is dry, you can add a water cup in there to increase humidity. The temperature requirement goes down as they mature.

Pet stores carry bird formula, usually Kaytee Exact. It it will do for now, but I prefer Roudybush since it easy to mix, far less grainy, and doesn’t clog syringes. Babies don’t have to feed for several hours after hatching as the yolk still provides some nutrition. For now, use a VERY small spoon to feed the baby with a watered down formula. Watch you tube if you haven’t done this before. Later, a “tonsil irrigator” type syringe works great. Do not attempt crop feeding until you are more experienced and the babies are larger. They will lap up the formula from the spoon or syringe in their mouths. Formula should be warm (they have temp guidelines but the optimal is so close to crop-burn temp, that warm is just fine).

At this stage they require every 2 hour hand feedings so it will be rough for the first week! I am attaching Kevin’s 3 week old pic from today.

First clutch failure is very common with psittacines. Mine was supposed to be a “no clutch” as Angelo (the mom) was supposed to be a DNA sexed male. But here I am. Kevin is exactly 3 weeks old today. Hazel is 3.5 weeks. Their sibling died yesterday unexpectedly. We can only try our best and see what happens. I had experience hand feeding budgies several years ago so I already knew to have everything ready on hand, just in case. Honestly, I didn’t think I would have to go through with it!

I’ve attached a picture of the spoons/syringe, Kevin on day of hatch and today, and my homemade brooder set up. I recently did try to buy a brooder off Amazon, but the chemical smell was so bad I didn’t want to chance it.

Good luck! No matter what happens, just know you did your best and that’s all we can do.

THANK YOU! I have hand fed before starting at 3 weeks so with a much bigger baby than a fresh out the egg hatchling! I am setting up the brooder as soon as I finish this response. I kept baby on a blanket on a heating pad while mom and dad were staying away.. - they had a baby almost 4 yrs ago and began neglecting at 3 weeks, I had to learn hand feeding at that time and have done everything to prevent further babies, they keep breeding I always remove fertilized eggs, let them keep the empties, , somehow they hid this one- since I posted in about the last 20 min dad has shown some interest which seems to have prompted mom to show interest and they have begun at least sitting on baby and keeping it warm.. I will be closely monitoring for feedings and run out for formula.. I’m so scared to try to get a syringe or spoon to this baby.. it’s so tiny and fragile..

 

[Deleted member 42416]

THANK YOU! I have hand fed before starting at 3 weeks so with a much bigger baby than a fresh out the egg hatchling! I am setting up the brooder as soon as I finish this response. I kept baby on a blanket on a heating pad while mom and dad were staying away.. - they had a baby almost 4 yrs ago and began neglecting at 3 weeks, I had to learn hand feeding at that time and have done everything to prevent further babies, they keep breeding I always remove fertilized eggs, let them keep the empties, , somehow they hid this one- since I posted in about the last 20 min dad has shown some interest which seems to have prompted mom to show interest and they have begun at least sitting on baby and keeping it warm.. I will be closely monitoring for feedings and run out for formula.. I’m so scared to try to get a syringe or spoon to this baby.. it’s so tiny and fragile..

It will be ok! Watch for feeding and/or check the baby’s crop to see if has food every couple hours. If still empty by 12 hours post-hatch, you will have to start this arduous feeding schedule. Don’t worry! Once they get a drop in their mouths they start this lapping reflex, you’ll be able to easily gauge when they’re done. Make sure when feeding to have their bottom supported on a table. Carefully hold neck up (You tube really shows this well) and let them lap food from end of spoon or tip of small syringe. Sounds like parents may step up to the task and that would be the best case!!

 

[Kimberly9067]

It will be ok! Watch for feeding and/or check the baby’s crop to see if has food every couple hours. If still empty by 12 hours post-hatch, you will have to start this arduous feeding schedule. Don’t worry! Once they get a drop in their mouths they start this lapping reflex, you’ll be able to easily gauge when their done. Make sure when feeding to have their bottom supported on a table. Carefully hold neck up (You tube really shows this well) and let them lap from food or tip of small syringe. Sounds like parents may step up to the task and that would be the best case!!

Thank you!!! I’m hoping this baby makes it.. the one I hand fed 4 years ago is now my favorite little person.. he’s a monster munchkin.. spoiled in a way I didn’t know birds could be!! Lol.. he’s my little turkey!!
since my dogs have passed recently.. I really don’t want to lose anyone else! This is one of those you didn’t even want it until it’s here!! I’ll check back with updates!! Thank you so much for the advice!

 

[Kimberly9067]

Thank you!!! I’m hoping this baby makes it.. the one I hand fed 4 years ago is now my favorite little person.. he’s a monster munchkin.. spoiled in a way I didn’t know birds could be!! Lol.. he’s my little turkey!!
since my dogs have passed recently.. I really don’t want to lose anyone else! This is one of those you didn’t even want it until it’s here!! I’ll check back with updates!! Thank you so much for the advice!

We made it through night one! Baby is officially 24 hours old and seems strong! Mom kept baby warm overnight and fed through the night! This morning mom and dad left baby alone so baby is in brooder with me (thank you for teaching me how to make it).. I hand fed baby a couple drops of formula and it was so amazing how this little one just knew and started opening beak and took the formula.. Baby is sleeping peacefully now and next feeding in about 30 minutes!! Baby is Chirping softly!

 

[Deleted member 42416]

We made it through night one! Baby is officially 24 hours old and seems strong! Mom kept baby warm overnight and fed through the night! This morning mom and dad left baby alone so baby is in brooder with me (thank you for teaching me how to make it).. I hand fed baby a couple drops of formula and it was so amazing how this little one just knew and started opening beak and took the formula.. Baby is sleeping peacefully now and next feeding in about 30 minutes!! Baby is Chirping softly!

So glad! Good job!! The only other thing I can add is to put a non-slick substrate for the brooder floor. This prevents leg splaying. Now a soft towel will do. When his nails grow it can get caught in the loops so a quilted paper towel over the towel will do. Many people use dust-free bedding over tacky shelf liner as well.

So happy for you and your strong baby!!

 

[Kimberly9067]

Please read my hindsight is 20/20 thread. If they are not keeping the baby warm and no feeding has occurred by 12 hrs (or less if not sitting on baby) you will need to hand feed and put baby in a brooder. Make a brooder with food container with air holes, heating pad, towels, and thermometer. I had to keep my baby conures warm initially at 92 to 96 degrees. Humidity must be >50% and if your house is dry, you can add a water cup in there to increase humidity. The temperature requirement goes down as they mature.

Pet stores carry bird formula, usually Kaytee Exact. It it will do for now, but I prefer Roudybush since it easy to mix, far less grainy, and doesn’t clog syringes. Babies don’t have to feed for several hours after hatching as the yolk still provides some nutrition. For now, use a VERY small spoon to feed the baby with a watered down formula. Watch you tube if you haven’t done this before. Later, a “tonsil irrigator” type syringe works great. Do not attempt crop feeding until you are more experienced and the babies are larger. They will lap up the formula from the spoon or syringe in their mouths. Formula should be warm (they have temp guidelines but the optimal is so close to crop-burn temp, that warm is just fine).

At this stage they require every 2 hour hand feedings so it will be rough for the first week! I am attaching Kevin’s 3 week old pic from today.

First clutch failure is very common with psittacines. Mine was supposed to be a “no clutch” as Angelo (the mom) was supposed to be a DNA sexed male. But here I am. Kevin is exactly 3 weeks old today. Hazel is 3.5 weeks. Their sibling died yesterday unexpectedly. We can only try our best and see what happens. I had experience hand feeding budgies several years ago so I already knew to have everything ready on hand, just in case. Honestly, I didn’t think I would have to go through with it!

I’ve attached a picture of the spoons/syringe, Kevin on day of hatch and today, and my homemade brooder set up. I recently did try to buy a brooder off Amazon, but the chemical smell was so bad I didn’t want to chance it.

Good luck! No matter what happens, just know you did your best and that’s all we can do.

Baby passed away after about 36 hours. She tried, we both did! I watched a few feeding videos just to be sure I was doing it correctly on such a tiny tiny baby.. and seeing those I think she was very underdeveloped .. she was no where near the size, strength or viability or the 1 day babies in videos.. I guess I can understand why the parents abandoned her.. at the end of the day nature knows best. If she was able to know or feel love she was given it for her tiny short time here. The parents already started mating again yesterday morning.. I’ll be checking further and more closely and removing all eggs!! I am not a breeder and have zero intention of being one! Thank you so much for all the advice!! We tried!

 

[Deleted member 42416]

I am so sorry baby passed away! Honestly, to curb chronic laying it is best to either leave the eggs or replace them with “dummy” eggs so it stops the need to keep laying. If moms don’t get the tactile pressure of the eggs against their abdomen, they will keep laying to complete a full clutch.

I have had to put Angelo and Zazu is separate cages, but adjoining so they can still communicate. When out, they have together time, but no mating. Removing nest boxes and covering for 14 hours per night will also help prevent broody/mating behavior.

Ironically, Angelo seems happier in her own cage and having that personal time! (I was surprised but she doesn’t have any urge to stay in their old cage together!)

Laying and incubating eggs is very physiologically taxing, especially for the hen. They are at risk for egg binding and cloacal prolapse (I’ve had both happen in my years with budgies) and it is soooo heart breaking if that happens. It’s amazing, no matter how much bird experience I gain, there is always more to learn

I wish you and your flock the best!
God Bless you and thank you for trying to save the little chick.

 

[Kimberly9067]

I am so sorry baby passed away! Honestly, to curb chronic laying it is best to either leave the eggs or replace them with “dummy” eggs so it stops the need to keep laying. If moms don’t get the tactile pressure of the eggs against their abdomen, they will keep laying to complete a full clutch.

I have had to put Angelo and Zazu is separate cages, but adjoining so they can still communicate. When out, they have together time, but no mating. Removing nest boxes and covering for 14 hours per night will also help prevent broody/mating behavior.

Ironically, Angelo seems happier in her own cage and having that personal time! (I was surprised but she doesn’t have any urge to stay in their old cage together!)

Laying and incubating eggs is very physiologically taxing, especially for the hen. They are at risk for egg binding and cloacal prolapse (I’ve had both happen in my years with budgies) and it is soooo heart breaking if that happens. It’s amazing, no matter how much bird experience I gain, there is always more to learn

I wish you and your flock the best!
God Bless you and thank you for trying to save the little chick.

They don’t have a nest box! I learned that 4 years ago! After our first “accident” named Hades and will be 4 in February! .. I have tried the separate next to each other cages but all they both do is scream for each other non stop! They scream for each other constantly if they can’t see each other for any reason.. any separation at all - screaming until they have nothing between them and visually see each other! I will let her keep non fertilized eggs if she has more.. and just do closer checks! Gosh I certainly hope nothing bad happens to her…. I try to prevent them from mating and I interrupt any time I catch them.. Thank you so much for teaching me so much!! I’ll keep a closer eye! I can say they do both have very healthy diets.. I’ve been reading the healthier the birds the more they breed???? They eat seed, vegetables, fruits.. a wide variety of very healthy food.. and they free fly all day put themselves to bed at night! Hhhmmm.. I’ll keep trying!

 

[Deleted member 42416]

They don’t have a nest box! I learned that 4 years ago! After our first “accident” named Hades and will be 4 in February! .. I have tried the separate next to each other cages but all they both do is scream for each other non stop! They scream for each other constantly if they can’t see each other for any reason.. any separation at all - screaming until they have nothing between them and visually see each other! I will let her keep non fertilized eggs if she has more.. and just do closer checks! Gosh I certainly hope nothing bad happens to her…. I try to prevent them from mating and I interrupt any time I catch them.. Thank you so much for teaching me so much!! I’ll keep a closer eye! I can say they do both have very healthy diets.. I’ve been reading the healthier the birds the more they breed???? They eat seed, vegetables, fruits.. a wide variety of very healthy food.. and they free fly all day put themselves to bed at night! Hhhmmm.. I’ll keep trying!

Wow, they really do have idyllic lives! I don’t think I could separate 2 birds that were pining for each other that much!

 

[Kimberly9067]

Wow, they really do have idyllic lives! I don’t think I could separate 2 birds that were pining for each other that much!

She is super dependent on him.. she follows him around, does everything he does and won’t do anything until after he does it first.. new toys, exploring anything new…. New foods.. new treats.. he’s the leader and she follows! Can I ask you.. is that behavior normal?? Are they supposed to be like that?

 

[Deleted member 42416]

She is super dependent on him.. she follows him around, does everything he does and won’t do anything until after he does it first.. new toys, exploring anything new…. New foods.. new treats.. he’s the leader and she follows! Can I ask you.. is that behavior normal?? Are they supposed to be like that?

Hi, I don’t know about cockatiel behavior specifically, but parrots in general are so intelligent and seem to have as many personality traits as people do! We have the leaders, the cautious thinkers, the apathetic, the fearless, the anxious, and of course the “sheeple” that find it difficult to make any decisions on their own.

Funny story: I actually learned a lot about myself while reading a book on Quaker parrots several years ago. The statement that “Quaker parrots always need an enemy to be thwarted” resonated with me. It was a “Holy Crap” moment when I realized I was like that. I have since changed my attitude in how I deal with conflict.

I’ve never read an self help book, but that Quaker parrot book was the best one ever!

 

[Kimberly9067]

Hi, I don’t know about cockatiel behavior specifically, but parrots in general are so intelligent and seem to have as many personality traits as people do! We have the leaders, the cautious thinkers, the apathetic, the fearless, the anxious, and of course the “sheeple” that find it difficult to make any decisions on their own.

Funny story: I actually learned a lot about myself while reading a book on Quaker parrots several years ago. The statement that “Quaker parrots always need an enemy to be thwarted” resonated with me. It was a “Holy Crap” moment when I realized I was like that. I have since changed my attitude in how I deal with conflict.

I’ve never read an self help book, but that Quaker parrot book was the best one ever!

Very interesting!!! I may have to read that! And for sure my 3 have very different personalities.. Venus is a very girly girl (she’s the only one of them that loves to bathe and be pretty on a regular basis) the boys have the same access to the bath and just bypass it clean themselves without the water. She’s dependent on her man Jupiter who is very self assured and confident, he’s the boss and not scared of anything.. my little man Hades is “The Baby”.. he spent his whole life so far up to 2 months ago being best friends with a dog.. I sometimes thought he thought he was a dog, spent more time walking than flying, following the dog everywhere copying everything the dog did.. he’s extremely spoiled and every bit the tantrums when he doesn’t like something.. so yes now thinking of it that way I guess there wouldn’t be any predictable behavior..