# are my cockatiels nesting?



## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

hello all again.

ive got a mixed aviary with few pairs of finch and one pair of cockatiels. i bought a cockatiel nestbox about 10 days ago and since then the pair have been in there of a night together and of day they take it in turns to stay in it. when one is out the other is in there. ive put about an inch of the aspen bedding in there. i checked today but there is no eggs? is this nesting behaivior or are they just curious of the box. i dont know the age of them but they seem to be a strong pair together. if so how long before they start laying??


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

I should think you will have eggs faily soon.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

Found an egg in the nest box this morning 
do they start incubating from when the 1st egg is laid or wait untill they have a few. What's the average clutch size for a cockatiel? I felt the egg and it was warm so they have either started to incubate or it was just laid. I've been giving the soft food emp in a seperate dish in the aviary, will they benefit more from it if I mix it with there seed? Sorry for the 101 questions lol. These are my first cockatiels


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

They should lay between three and seven eggs, one every other day. Usually they will start to incubate when the second or third egg is layed. Incubation will take eighteen to twentyone days from when they first start to sit. Before you check the nest box let the parents know you are comming and tap on the nest box before you open it. Feed the egg food seperately and change it twice a day.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

hello again. thanks for your help. i thought id add a pic of my cockatiel nest.









thats the male one. they swap duties around 3-4 times a day. ive only checked the nest box about 3 times as i dont want to disturb them. there are 3 eggs i think, i cant get a good look in there as they just sit there and dont move when i try look in lol. the male one sits on the entrance to the inside aviary were the nestbox is guarding it.


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

Nice pic, soon be hatching now


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

i havnt kept track of the days when the eggs were laid so im just hoping that i see little heads popping up soon lol.


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## JANICE199 (Feb 1, 2008)

*Oh this brings back lovely memories of when i had averies.I had budgies and cockatiels and use to love watching them.Good luck for when the babies come along.*


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

some bad news 

woke up this morning to see both cockatiels not in the nest box??? 
i checked the 3 eggs and they were a litte cold, as if they had been off them around an hour. they didnt even looked interested in them. i waited there about 25mins with no luck of them returning to the nest. i have a incubator with quail eggs in so ive put them in there to warm up an see if any are alive. not holding up much hope tho. so depressing. i tried this with a finch egg a while ago that was abandond, and to my suprise that hatched. i will check for movement in the eggs later. they looked like they were doing such a great job aswell?


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

Any news, have you candlded them


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

Hello. 
Yeah I candled them and I've seen movement in two but can't in the other. I've now got to get everything ready for when they arrive. Has anyone had any experience with hand rearing cockatiels? What sort of brooder can I use. I've just ordered the kaytee rearing food and I've got bottled water which I will be mixing it with.


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

I'll have a look and see if I have any books I can scan and send to you. You still need to boil the bottled water and make sure you sterilize all your mixing bowls ect.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

that would be great thanks. ive got the sterilising fluid which needs changing every 24hrs which i'll just leave the utensils in when ive rinsed them untill i need them again. i hand reared a finch so ive got a little knowledge but im just stuck with what to use as a brooder. i used a heat mat with the finch but dont know what to use with the cockatiels with them being bigger as its only a small mat. 
i think ive got the food and feeding times covered but its just the brooder im stuck with.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

i think ive got an idea on what to use as a brooder. i was going to get a decent sized storage box with a lid and drill some air holes in it. ive just bought a heat pad which is moisture and splash proof and i can put it on half the box and going up a little on one of the sides. ive read to put the heat pad on the floor of the box and then cover with a towl and add an inch of sawdust and then paper towels. just gonna look for a thermometer now.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

I am officialy panicing. Just went to the incubator and I can hear little chirps. I thought it was the few quail eggs in there but on a closer listen it's one of the cockatiel eggs! I candled them last night and it looked like I had about another 5-7 days before anything?? I'm going by what my quails are like before hatching as if the egg inside looks like it's about to burst but the cockatiel eggs had lots of space in them? Also I didn't know that they could use there voice from day 1? I raised s finch and that took at least 4 days before I heard anything. I'm off to do shop for the stuff I need. Heat mat comes in a few dYs and havnt got the box yet!


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

one of my cockatiel eggs hatched this morning. 
ive used a ceramic heater of my lizard tank untill my heat pad arrives. it doesnt give off any light so i can have it warm and dark still. gonna try to start feeding soon. every 2 hours it says. 
i'll upload some pics soon.


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## JANICE199 (Feb 1, 2008)

christianj04 said:


> one of my cockatiel eggs hatched this morning.
> ive used a ceramic heater of my lizard tank untill my heat pad arrives. it doesnt give off any light so i can have it warm and dark still. gonna try to start feeding soon. every 2 hours it says.
> i'll upload some pics soon.


*oh good, hope al goes well and look forward to seeing the pics.*


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

If you have done finches you will be ok with cockatiels. Make sure you clean their beaks after feeding.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

I've just tried the 1st feeding. On a website I've been looking at it says 1-2 ml of food for a 1-2 days old cockatiel but I've given around half a ml and it's crop looks full?? And it says feed every 2 hours but don't know if that's to long to wait ? With the finchs it was every half hr. I've been trying to look for some info on feeding a 1 day old cockatiel but every site I've been on only shows from 7-10 days. It seems harder than feeding finchs


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

If its crop looks full leave it at that. Time it to see how long it takes to go down and make sure it empties fully once a day.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

I've found one of those pippete things what holds about half a ml and it fits into the side of the beak fine so I'm using that untill the syringes fit. I just hope it makes it. Havnt heard of many people rearing from day one. Am I supposed to add something to the bird formula? I've heard people add supplements and vitamins but unsure as to what ones and what age from?


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

For now I would just use the formula mixed to their recomendations


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

here are some pics of baby cockatiel. still got 2 eggs to hatch yet.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

wahay.
made it through the night and things seem to be going well now. was worried at 1st cause there wanst much of a feeding responce and just seemed still. but since yesterday the feeding responce has improved and more movement. still keeps it head down a little so dont know wether theres a problem or it just hasnt built up muscle yet.


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## xxwelshcrazyxx (Jul 3, 2009)

christianj04 said:


> here are some pics of baby cockatiel. still got 2 eggs to hatch yet.
> 
> View attachment 42401
> 
> ...


I havent had a cockateil for years and years, but just come into this thread and saw your pics, how cute is that baby bird. beautifull bird.:thumbup:


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

Thanks. That was just out the egg I think. All of it's yellow down has dried now and it just looks like a fluffy baby dinosaur lol. I will try get some more pics up tomorrow to see if it's grown any.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

got some more pics here. one cockatiel is 7 days old and the other is almost 3 days old lol. didnt want to get too attatched to them at this age incase something happened to them but i couldnt help it lol. there right next to my bed so i can hear them scream (literaly lol) one is starting to open his eyes now.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)




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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

Looking good.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

Thanks. The only problem I have now is getting the consistency of the food right. For the younger one it says to do it a little more watery then for the older one.


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

When there is a few days between them like that I mix the formula for the oldest and feed that and then add a little more water to thin it down and feed the younger one


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

today i noticed that the younger one has 1 leg that goes out instead of in. i think its called splayed legs? just googled it and it says to use a brace like object to hold the leg in place by the body,seen that someone was using a sponge so ive cut up a sponge to a little rectangle and put two holes in it were the legs go and am gonna leave it on for a week to see if it fixes.


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## JANICE199 (Feb 1, 2008)

*The pictures are great, thankyou for sharing.Looks like your doing a fine job, well done you.*


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

Lovely Thread  Well Done! x


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## HorseyGirly (Apr 23, 2010)

Hi

Is the female making a funny noise if you go by her? i got a hen that was sitting on 21 eggs down by the road!. Try putting a torch to the bottom of the egg when the cockatiels have gone out the nesting box. I think your cockatiels are nesting so i hope you get some chicks soon!.

Best Hope 

HorseyGirly


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

he has chicks already


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

yes sorry, my cockatiels left the eggs and didnt go back in the nest box. ive had to hatch them and look after them. so far so good apart from the splayed leg on the younger one but that seems to have been corrected now. the cast thing i made must of came of between feedings but the leg looks normal now so ive left it off to see how it goes. there going longer between feedings now so i can actually have a 4 hour sleep lol


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

just a few updated pics.

the older one is 17days old and the younger one is 14 days old























this is the younger one now. it looks a different colour to the other one. no yellow, just grey and white.


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

OMG!!!! They are sooooooooooooooo cute!!!! Well Done!!!   x

EDIT: any chance you were watching Glee when you took them pictures?  x


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

Well done it's not easy doing them from the egg.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

Sure was haha. Can't wait untill there eating by themselves, still got a fair few weeks untill then


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

Cant wait to see pictures when their feathers come through better!  x


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## Nicky10 (Jan 11, 2010)

Well done they're very cute


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

has anyone on here had experience hand feeding cockatiels? my older one is almost 4 weeks old and has started to slow down on his feeding? there getting fed 4 times a day still but the older one has around 6-8 ml of food per feedings. but before he was having around 15ml and even screamed for more? i know they go through a dieting period so they can fly but dont know what age they do this? is 4 weeks too young for them to be going through the dieting stage?? ive put some soft food and some chopped apple and bannana in there so he gets used to different foods. havnt seen him eat it yet though. just a little worried.


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

Don't worry he is coming up to fledging time now and needs to lose some weight. Try some finely chopped carrot, corn and dandelions they will take a while before they eat them, just keep feeding whatever formula he will take. He should be spending some time in a cage now with some low perches, willow branches would be good.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

Phew . . . . . Was gettin worried. Won't he starve by not eating? He's still having a little food at each feeding but not as much as the other one. He's starting to try pick stuff up with his beak now so I'm gonna start putting some food and millet on floor. I don't have a cage yet. I was just gonna set some perches up on the wardrobe so he can have the whole room. Is it more practical to have a cage? He hasn't actually flown yet but he's flapping his wings more each day.


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

He will let you know when he is hungry and wants hand feeding. A cage would be safer for him when he is left alone. His first few flights are going to end in crash landings so try to make sure there is nothing he can land on and knock over and keeping the curtains closed will stop him crashing into windows.


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

ive just seen my older cockatiel baby pecking at the seeds. he keeps going back to it and keeps pecking at it. he even went over to the water and had a drink lol. cant believe its been 4 weeks already.


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## Zayna (Apr 19, 2009)

wow... just read this whole thread and you have done a great job!

Well done!! We had a hand reared tiel and she was the best, they make such lovely pets when they are hand reared


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

Thanks lol. The younger one is still a little unfeathered so I can't keep him out of the brooder for long but the older one goes everywere round the house with me now. I just stick him on me shoulder an he jus sits there watching and tweeting lol. He's an unusual coulour. Like a mottled grey yellowish. I will upload some pics of him tomorrow


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## Zayna (Apr 19, 2009)

christianj04 said:


> Thanks lol. The younger one is still a little unfeathered so I can't keep him out of the brooder for long but the older one goes everywere round the house with me now. I just stick him on me shoulder an he jus sits there watching and tweeting lol. He's an unusual coulour. Like a mottled grey yellowish. I will upload some pics of him tomorrow


aww i used to do that with my spongebob. she would sit on my shoulder while i ironed, watched tv, made the dinner, ate my dinner, lol.
Miss her


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

got some more photos here. ive been converting my aquarium to marine so i havnt been on the computer with updated pics for a while sorry
there growing loads and the older one just likes flying to the highest point in the room then landing on my head! lol


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

Are they feeding alright now


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## christianj04 (Jan 20, 2010)

There not feeding by themselves yet, I'm still doing 3 feedings a day with smaller one and 2 a day on bigger one. I've seen the bigger one eating seeds but not very often and only a little amount


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## esox (May 27, 2010)

christianj04 said:


> There not feeding by themselves yet, I'm still doing 3 feedings a day with smaller one and 2 a day on bigger one. I've seen the bigger one eating seeds but not very often and only a little amount


its been many yrs since i bred and handreared numerous cockateils that after seeing ur pics im considering doing it again:thumbup:


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## GSDlover4ever (Feb 21, 2009)

awwwww brings back memories for me, when i bred my cockateils.

they are lovely!


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

Aw you're doing so well!!!  They are beautiful! The older one sounds like you have a friend for life there  My cockatiel use to sit on my sholder and i could go anywhere in the house and she would stay with me  Just wait until he starts preening your hair  x


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