hello
i have a pair of lutino cockatiels they always look after thier eggs well and after hatching they dont feed thier chicks well and are showing less interest in thier own chicks. This happens always and i find it difficult to breed them.They last time fed thier chicks for about 4 days and the next day i found 2 of thier chicks dead. what do you think the reason is and how can i stop this bad behaviour.
Hi Jeremy,
Some birds just do not make good breeders. Breeding birds need a nutritionally balanced diet such as pellets or our foraging diets They also need fresh chopped veggies and fruits, cooked eggs and multi grain bread. A seed only diet is not adequate. They also need privacy – checking on them too much can cause them to abandon their chicks.
If your birds are on a good diet and getting plenty of privacy then I would not breed them again as they do not have the parenting instincts they need. If they are just on seeds, this is likely why the chicks are dying. Remove the nest box until you can get them eating a better diet. Do not let them breed for at least 6 months and only if they are on a good diet. If they hatch chicks, they will need to have their food replenished up to 4 times a day.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
