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Question:

July 8, 2020

Cockatiel Parents nibbling the chick and blood come out of the skin of the chick


Cockatiel Parents are nibbling the chick may be out of love but sometimes it is so harsh that it starts bleeding and chick cries in pain. I’m worried if it is normal or its time to keep the chick aways from its parents. The parent isn’t kicking it out of nest but just scratches the chick’s skin. Should I continue the chick with parents or should separate it.
The chick is 16 days old. It is the only survivor of the first clutch of cockatiel pair


Answer:

Hi Sapna,

If you have baby bird formula and know how to hand feed it, then you can take it out of the nestbox and take over the care. The good news is your parent birds do seem to be very attentive, but with only one chick, they are over doing it. This does happen with single chick clutches. But it can also happen with several chicks. Some parent birds do this and you end up having to remove the chicks each time. The chick would still need to be kept warm, so unless you know how to care for a chick this age, it is better off with the parents. They are probably breaking the new feathers that are coming in when they are grooming it, rather than biting into the skin. If they are causing wounds on the skin, then you will have to remove it and if you can’t care for it, see if you can find a local breeder or Vet who can help you. If you do remove the chick, you also need to take the nest box away or the pair will immediately mate and lay eggs again. They should be rested for a few months before you let them breed again.

Thanks for the update,

Brenda

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