July 18, 2023
Newly Hatched Cockatiel
It’s my second batch of eggs and one hatched just recently, normally they sit on eggs but this time they are not even sitting on the eggs nor feeding, what should I do?
Question:
Answer:
Hi,
The best thing to do is hope the parents start caring for the chick. Trying to feed a chick from day 1 rarely works. Even the most experienced hand feeders almost always lose young chicks like this. As for why the parents have done this, they may be exhausted from the previous clutch. Did you rest them for 6 months before you let them breed again? You must remove the nest box each time, as soon as the chicks leave the box, to prevent the parents from nesting again too soon. They only have one clutch per year in the wild, and then the seasons change and they don’t breed again until the next year. In captivity, the owner must force the pair to rest because they do not get the environmental signals to stop. A pair will literally breed until they die if you don’t make them rest. It’s best to limit a pair to 2 clutches per year, with a 6 month rest in between. If these chicks do not make it, remove the box and rest your pair. Of once the chicks leave the nest, remove it and rest the pair. They will be more likely to do better after a good rest. Another reason they might do this is if they aren’t on a good diet. If you only feed seeds, for example. They need a pelleted diet with leafy greens, veggies and an egg food. If the parents do not feel they have enough food or if they are malnourished, they will not feed the chicks.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
