How to hand-rear cockatiels?

Question

Am hoping to hand rear two cockatiel chicks. Planning to get them from a breeder at approx 3 weeks. Am told at that age they shouldnt need extra heat and should be fed approx 4 times daily. Have contact with someone with experience but would appreciate any advice. Also, have indoor aviary with budgies - wondering how they will react and how to introduce . (Have had friends cockatiel to stay - caged - without any problem). Finally, also have 2 cats - obviously kept out of aviary but if cockatiels were in a cage at times would they hiss at cats and not be frightened in same way as budgies are?

Answer 1

http://www.flockintiels.co.uk/hand_rearing.htm

http://members.tripod.com/~Cockatiels4U/rearing.htm

http://www.kcbbs.gen.nz/lori/ar/handrear2.html

Answer 2

Ask the breeder to show you how to hand feed the babies. Improper hand feeding can easily kill baby birds.
Cockatiels and budgies are very different creatures. While both are very easy-going birds, cockatiels are much larger than budgies and could easily injure them. I would not recommend housing them together.
Birds and cats are natural enemies, for obvious reasons. Fear is a natural response in birds and can help keep them alive. A bird that is not afraid of cats may unknowingly put itself in danger. Keeping the cats well away from the birds is the only responsible thing to do.

Answer 3

You are right about the cockateils about being fed 4 times a day but why are they away from their mother anyway?

My dad has an aviary and he has always kept budgies, cockatiels and other parakeets together but with no major problems, they do occasionally fight tho.

Answer 4

Hi there at one time I had 14 cockatiels, they came from the same pair. They were kept in a separate room, I later rescued a cat, and it grew up with the cockatiels, but, the cockatiels weren't very happy to have the cat come around. When it did their combs would rise very high, and they would act very nervous.Pacing raising their wings, watching the cat very carefully.
Coming into a house with cats already there would probably be very upsetting. Do you know that cockatiels are a ground nesting bird? When my babies decided to mate, I gave them a decent nest box, I would set the nest box on a table, and I had 4in high sheets of plastic, length the size of the table, which were cut to fit into each other. That way, when the babies were born, within two days I was able to hold them with Mama and daddy near, usually on my arm. That way the babies grew up not fearing humans.The plastic would protect them from falling off the table when it was time for them to come out of the box, but wern't able to fly yet.Cockatiels and budgies don't get along very well, try keeping them near each other, but not in the same avairy. Make sure the nest box is just big enough for mama and daddy to sit on the eggs comfortably, a box too big, and an egg might roll off the nest spot, I put torn pieces of paper towel in the nest box and the birds would chew them and set then for the eggs to be on. When the babies are born check on them frequently, because the chicks do tend to roam in the box, and if they get away from mom and dad, they get very cold then they are rejected by mom and dad-what you do then is put the baby under your shirt next to your chest and get it warm, then when mom and dad aren't looking sneak it back into the nest box on the nest spot. Also, when cockatiels have raised a brood, they want to nest right away, so it is necessary to separate them from the box and not let them breed right away, let them get strong and healthy before nesting again. Also, female birds have either yellow spots or yellow stripes under their wings, males do not that is how you tell them apart. Oh yes I made sure the hole of the nest box was big enough for me to get my hand in comfortably.

Answer 5

I genuinely have experianced the substitute of body of ideas with cockatiels.....I genuinely were so busy with college and living house artwork he's stuck in my room for days at a time....untill the weekends....i'm very unhappy that my life must be so worrying...and that i ignore my poor toddler because of that.....also in the destiny in case you're to reproduce your chicken....they gained't be an same as they were even as to procure them.....they are going to be advise...and hateful...

Answer 6

well, my mother has cockatiels and budgies, and raises several different outside chickens and raises guinea chicks....I'm not good at this because I think birds taste GREAT.....especially with Heinz 57, but what i do know is that you have to watch thier.....well...food output orifices....if that gets clogged, they die. other than that, a heat lamp, whatever kind of small bird food they like, and water.

Answer 7

yes they would be frightened would you be scared if something was ready to eat you

Answer 8

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