i have 2 baby cockatiels from my two pets, they are currently 6 and 8 days old. i am wanting to hand rear them but i do not have nearly enough time to feed them. is there a way for me to rear them just by being with them? and if so when should i start holding and being with them?
Hi,
Allowing the parents to feed them is a much healthier way for the chicks to be raised. You don’t want to stress the parents out too much, but start checking the nest box once or twice a day to see how well they tolerate you. If they get too upset, wait a few days and try again. Once the chicks’ eyes start to open, you can gently remove one chick at a time and hold it for a few minutes and talk to it. Do not handle the chicks if they have just been fed, and again stop if the parents are too upset. If they are attacking from inside the box you have to stop or they will hurt the chicks. Hopefully they will tolerate you if you keep sessions short. As the chicks get older, you can keep them out for longer periods, again depending on how the parents react. And once the chicks are weaned, move them to a different cage and handle them several times a day to keep them used to being handled.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
