# Help Please....egg just hatched



## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

Hi, my cockatiel pair have been laying eggs on and off for about the last year. Never have they hade a successful clutch until last night when very unexpectedly one hatched. The baby is stlll alive this morning, but the parents don't seem to know what to do. I don't really want to leave it in the cage if it is going to starve but I have never hand reared a bird before and haven't got a clue what to do.


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## kellystewart (Jun 15, 2009)

You need egg food and an incubator to keep the chick warm,

feed it with a spoon with the edges bent up make sure it is not too hot though and feed very small amounts at a time you will need to feed him/her every 2-3 hours even through the night and you can decrease this as the chick gets older....if possible though get a nest box and see if mum will enter the box and feed her chick


they are very good at rearing their own young and hand rearing should be a last ditch attempt


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## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

Thank you for your reply. We monitored the parents and baby all Sunday and decided to contact a vet because we were concerned the baby might get cold as the parents weren't nestling it or feeding it. The vet was brilliant and offered us some fantastic advise and we left it as long as we dared before removing the baby from the cage. We made a brooder type box to keep it warm and have been feeding it every two hours since then. Little peanut (we have named him/her) is doing well so far as is the correct weight. We are making sure to sterilize everything as well as I understand from the vet that they are most vunerable to infection at the moment.


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## kellystewart (Jun 15, 2009)

Yeah they are indeed...especially at such a young age. Once they get to about 3 weeks they are a LOT easier to feed and you will start to see a personality shining through.

Its very hard hand rearing small parrots like budgies and cockatiels although very rewarding. I have hand reared many small and larger parrots and believe me it's knackering but worth it in the end.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like any advice. I have kept and bred parrots (although don't breed at the moment due to lack of space and only have a cockatiel and 4 budgies lol and ironically enough am looking for a hr cockatiel for a mate for mine) for over 15 years.

Kelly


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## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

Hi... I just thought I would give you a quick update. 5 days in and so far little Peanut is doing well. S/he is putting on weight and getting stonger by the day. I have bought a heating pad now because we have been using a warm hot water bottle to warm the underneath of the box and I was concerned that the temperature wasn't remaining constant enough. Hopefully that will arrive today:smile5:
I still can't get over how fluffy s/he is:laugh:


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## Angel44 (Feb 11, 2008)

Hi Sally, whereabouts are you? I have a brooder you could borrow. You need to make sure you supply some form of humidity for the baby - a small tub or cup with water in it (with a lid on as baby gets a bit bigger!). You've done really well to get Peanut to this stage as cockatiels really aren't the easiest to rear. It's easier to rear an african grey or macaw than a tiny little cockatiel! The right temperature and humidity is vital for the crop to function properly. As is the food being the correct temperature. 

There's nothing quite like rearing your first baby. If you need any help or advice please feel free to contact me, and if you are close enough you are more than welcome to borrow my brooder. Good luck xx


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## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

Hi, I'm in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
Peanut has been taking food really well. We have been feeding about every two hours from day 1.
I fed at 10pm last night but when I went back to do the midnight feed, I saw that the crop was empty but inflated (like a balloon). He did beg a bit for food so I gave him a small amount and his crop filled fine. This morning the crop appeared normal for his first feed and it went down well. However, I have just phoned my husband for an update and he said when he went to give Peanut his 8am feed, his crop was empty but inflated again. Is it that Peanut is ingesting air (I try to look for air bubbles during each feed) or is this a sign of a more serious problem?


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## kellystewart (Jun 15, 2009)

It is air yes....its not necessarily a problem but if he isnt getting enough at each feed because he is taking in air you'd need to feed more often. 

it can be difficult to feed without getting too much air in their crops...what are you using to feed him with?

you could try using a syringe but you must be very careful as if he is not ready for his food oorrr you press the plunger too quickly the food can go down his wind pipe.


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## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

The vet did give us some syringes but I was finding them awkward to use so I got a small pipette dropper which has proved a lot easier. I&#8217;m quite worried now as I have just phoned my husband for another update and he said the crop is still inflated so he is reluctant to give the chick any food incase he hurts it.


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## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

The heated hood has arrived now so s/he is loads happier in the box as it is a nice constant temperature now.:smile5:


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## Angel44 (Feb 11, 2008)

It sounds very much like your chick's crop has started to slow down. A trip to the vet whilst the crop is up is advisable as chances are he needs some antibiotics. The causes of sour crop or crop stasis as it is known are the food is too cold (needs to be between 38 and 42 degrees celsius, anything lower will cause the crop to slow down and anything higher will cause burning and possible death), the chick's environment is too cold or not constant and the humidity is too low.

It is very, very important not to top us feed until the crop is completely empty. All you do then is cause the food to sour in the baby's crop making the problem worse. A lot of people swear by giving a little apple juice when the crop is up as this is said to neutralise the crop. Your vet may want to flush out the old fermented food out of the crop and administer medication directly in the crop. Sadly it appears that once a chick starts with crop stasis chances are it will be an ongoing problem. If left untreated it is fatal.

Try reading this as I found it very helpful Winged Wisdom Pet Bird Magazine - Sour Crop in Cockatiel Chicks

Keep baby warm and seek veterinary advice. Good luck x


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## Angel44 (Feb 11, 2008)

Just checked and you are about 70 miles away. If you wanted to borrow the brooder I could always meet you half way. Send me a pm if you want me to call you.


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## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

That would be fantasic. I don't drive but my husband does and he is at home at the moment. I can check with him if he is happy to come over and get back to you later this morning with an answer. You are a life saver.


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## Angel44 (Feb 11, 2008)

Haven't heard from you for a few days. How is baby Peanut doing?


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## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

Peanut is still alive and kicking. I had to go away for a few days so I left my husband in charge. I can't believe how mush s/he has changed since Saturday. The eyes have started to open and s/he is very vocal when it is feeding times and hoping about the place.


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## Rainbowlover (Aug 10, 2009)

I know I am enquiring a little late in the day, but as I just joined, How is Peanut. Hope he did ok, if the crop seems to not be emptying fully a little warm water and massage the crop can help; if sour crop is suspected a warm water flush can help providing you catch it very early on in the problems life. then it flushes and feeding can continue normally, ( if I am wrong plz tell me someone, never too late to learn)


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## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

Hi. Peanut is doing really well thanks. She will be 9 weeks old this weekend and is a real little character. The problem with her crop was just air and was probably a result of my inexperienced feeding as I have never had to hand rear before and I was not dispensing the formula quickly enough, however I soon learnt and she thrived.


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## Rainbowlover (Aug 10, 2009)

oh I am so glad for you. I feel quite overwhelmed that little peanut is doing so well. I hated loosing babies. congratulations x
see my baby photos if you can x


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## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

I've just had a look at your pics. You have some gorgeous cockatiels


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## Rainbowlover (Aug 10, 2009)

unfortunately, i dont have them anymore ,but I put a deposit down on my new baby whiteface pied cockateil today now i gotta wait a nail biting 4-6 weeks for my next cuddle, getting really excited, am tempted to get two!! this little one is a light pied I'd like to get another whiteface cinamon pearl, like magnum in my photos. she was my darling x


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## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

Your new baby sounds lovely. I bet you can't wait to get it home


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## Rainbowlover (Aug 10, 2009)

yeah, he/she is lovely, i had a lovely cuddle yesterday, strange how you know which one is yours. there are 3 more whiteface babies from another clutch. i may have to have another one too!! lol

I'm going to try to upload a photo of him for you to see x


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## sallybrunskill (Jun 14, 2009)

Ooooo a picture would be lovely. It is nice that you are getting to bond with it whilst it is still so young


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## Lovely World (Jan 19, 2010)

Kellystewat is absolutely right.


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