Ask Lafeber

Baby Cockatiel Not Eating

I have a baby cockatiel about 1 month old
It’s parents have stopped feeding it since last night
Today i tried handfeeding it, but it spits out more food than it eats

And also its legs have some problem, due to which it cannot walk like normal baby cockatiels
This is a little different from splayed leggs which goes side ways of the body
It’s legs are more fronted, while it should be straight under it
Please advice what I can do for the only baby who survived..

Hi Sherry,

I’m sorry to hear about the poor little guy. The best thing to do is take him to an Avian Vet to have his health checked and see what can be done for the legs.

Did you rest the parents after their last clutch? Some owners do not realize that it is necessary to remove the nest box as soon as the chicks leave it, and rest the parents from breeding for 6 months after every clutch. If a pair is allowed to breed too often, this type thing tends to happen. Their health isn’t 100%, and the chicks end up having issues. If a pair isn’t eating the right diet, this can happen, too. They need a nutritionally balanced diet like pellets, with fresh greens, fruits and veggies. A seed diet does not provide the nutrients they need. If a pair is too young, issues with chicks is common. A pair needs to be at least 2 years old. And sometimes you can do everything right, but the parents have unknown genetic issues. Definitely rest this pair now. Hopefully something can be done for the chick. As for hand feeding it, give a few drops at a time and eventually it will catch on and take the formula better.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda