Is there any way of helping a newly hatched cockatial to stay alive when the parents abandon it?

Question

I recently recieved a mated pair of cockatiels, they had 6 eggs in the cluch one egg had a hole in it so I opened it and there was a fully formed chick in it but the chick was dead.

The second one hatched out sometime in the night and fell through the bottom grate, I was able to keep it alive for a few hours by keeping it in a warmed towel but it also died.

Has anyone ever taken care of a new hatchling and gotten it to live?

Answer 1

u have to hand feed.Hand-raising baby birds is a rewarding experience. One will get a feeling of accomplishment once you have successfully raised a bird from a hatchling to an adult. Whether you are hand-raising to make a lovable pet or just rescuing a baby bird, it takes a large amount of time and energy. Although enjoyable and rewarding, hand-raising birds can be frustrating at times when things do not go right. Sometimes even when you are doing all the right things, the baby bird still dies. If you have already put a significant amount of time and effort into the bird, losing it by for any reason hurts and shakes your confidence. Most of the time the bird’s death was caused by an internal problem.Feeding new-born chicks takes a tremendous amount of time and energy
Hook-bills like Cockatiel, Budgie, and Lovebird babies have to be fed every 1 to 2 hours the first couple of days
Hand-feeding is messy and so tiring. Just like with children, everything needs to be sterilized after every use. The food cannot be too cold or too hot. The bigger the bird the easier to feed, but the bigger the bird, the longer you have to hand feed. Small babies are extremely fragile and require a lot of care during the first week. During this time, you have to have a good attitude while feeding because baby birds, like other baby animals, can sense and pick up on your moods in the bonding stage. If they feel threatened at that time or if you do not spend enough time with them, they do not bond and become that loving friend. During the first few days, you need to have a schedule of feeding times and stick with it. If you have another person who is helping, it can be adjusted so that while one sleeps the other is feeding. After the first week, the feeding rotation for both begins to lengthen and you finally get to sleep at night.

Baby birds are considered hatchlings until the eyes open and the egg tooth disappears, usually about 4 to 10 days, then they become nestlings. They stay nestlings until they leave the nest. Sometimes they are called fledglings when feathers start replacing the down. Finch and canary babies can be ready to leave the nest as early as 2½ to 3 weeks but will require feedings for another 1 to 3 weeks. Cockatiels, Budgies and Lovebirds are not ready to leave the nest until 5 to 6 weeks and will continue to require daily feedings usually for at least another month until totally weaned. Weaning is accomplished in two different ways. You can have any older birds you may have show the younger ones how to eat, or you may have to do it yourself. Birds learn by mimicking the adults, not an easy task when you have no "beak". You cut down the number of feedings per day and leave a lot of "baby" food for them to pick at until they get the hang of it. The larger the bird, the easier it is since they will mimic you eating. However, smaller finches and canaries do not normally do this. After your bird has been weaned and reached adulthood, you have a decision to make. Are you going to keep it, sell it, or if it is a wild bird, turn it free?

The great part of hand-raising is watching them grow. They sprout like weeds in a short period and you get to see the results of your hard work quickly. They recognize you as the "Mom" and you remain the Mom or headbird for the rest of the bird's life. They are great pets and become good friends who really enhance our lives. They become your children in a sense and you can become as attached to the bird as it is to you. If you have become attached to your bird, the hardest part is letting them go
go to your local petstore, tell them what you have and they should have a baby bird formula. do this right away as baby birds need food right away.
here is a site for emergency bird care
http://www.cockatielcottage.net/formula.html

Answer 2

I hope you have already gone to Petsmart and bought a hand-feeding kit, or it may be too late. At least, now, put him back in the cage where the egg was originally, and put a towel on the bottom, so they can't fall through. Hopefully, the parents will begin feeding him until you get a handfeeding syringe, and baby bird formula from a pet shop, or your local avian vet. If you don't know how, maybe the petshop manager can show you. Most places that sell birds know and can show you. but you must hurry, for the first week or so, they need to be fed every hour, or two.

Answer 3

Its not easy, but it can be done. You have to set up an incubator to keep the chick warm. You can use an aquarium with a heating pad set on warm. You can get handfeeding formula at a good pet store. You will mix the formula with boiled water, making sure its not too hot to feed. The formula will have the directions. I would recommend getting a thermometer to check the temperature, as if its too hot it can burn the babies crop (this is a horrible death for the chick) If its too cold the crop wont empty and the baby will get very sick. You will have to feed the check very often at the beginning, every half hour or so during the day. I would suggest finding a reputable breeder near you or an avian vet to advise you. Good luck!

Answer 4

The end of your life is a very permanent solution to a not so permanent problem. How old are you? You have to give us a little background info. Location, schooling/job etc. Instead of wrapping your happiness around the other people in your life, try doing things that are going to make YOU happy. If you are happy, you will attract someone who wants to be with a happy person. Nobody is interested in dealing with a project. No matter what you look like! Get your act together and get a little independance. Why are your parents unhappy with you? What is your perception of their attitude? Maybe you need a little more responsibility. Some bills to pay and some food to buy will be a real sobering event.

Answer 5

Cockatiels nest in boxes. Before you decide to breed them again put a nest box in the cage or attach it to the outside of the cage.

As for raising a baby cockatiel. They need an incubator. I made mine out of a reptile cage. They are kept in a container in an enclosed reptile cage. I monitor the temperature and keep a bowl of water the bird can't get to for humidity.

I feed a baby bird hand feeding formula. A newly hatched chick you will need to have a lot of time on your hand and have the ability to take him to work with you so he can be fed. He will also need to be kept warm. A portable incubator will due.

Answer 6

It's an old mother's tale that if you touch a baby bird, it's parents will kill it...

The first one probly wasn't dead...The chick is the one who cracks open the egg.

The parents are probly stressed out in there new area, keep most of the cage coverd and try not to let anyone talk where they can hear it. Try to let the parents do it, and remember, They take turns sitting on it, so if one of them is sleeping on his perch, he's just takeing a break!

Answer 7

the bird must be kept warm and hand fed. there are hand feeding formulas you can buy at the pet store, but handfeeding is not easy to do and is very time consuming. New born chicks need to be fed every two hours

Answer 8

please go buy a book about cockatiels and read it before your pair hatches another clutch, there is much you need to know to raise birds and you cannot get all the info here