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How to tame cockatiel chicks with untamed parents?

Raptor40

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Hello everyone!

I have two cockatiels, both of which I had bought as aviary birds from a pet store. The female laid eggs a few weeks ago and when i checked up on them this morning, I noticed a tiny chick beneath the male. I've never raised cockatiel chicks before, so I'm just looking for a bit of advice from some people who have.
Also, as the two cockatiels were aviary birds, they are not particularly tame. The female is very hissy, even though we have tried to tame her in the past and the male is slightly less afraid, but seems to fly around like crazy every time I open the aviary door. I also find it very difficult to get a proper look at the eggs or chicks as the male is constantly sitting on top of them (a good thing in the long run) and hisses or jumps up at me every time I open the nesting box.
I would like to try and tame the chicks, as I have a lot of patients and think it would be a good thing to experiment with, but I also don't want to just take them off the parents, as I know they would be the best ones to raise their chicks. I have heard a lot of people tend to handle chicks each day to try and get them used to it, but I know I would get bitten if i stuck my hand in and I'm not sure if it would be a very good idea to stress the parents out by trying to move them out of the way.
The chick, however, is very still. Should I open take it out to make sure it's still alive, or leave it for the parents to care for?
Does anybody else have any experience with this? I would've liked to have asked earlier, i just genuinely didn't expect the eggs to hatch as the current male is quite young (I thought) and the previous male, who was at breeding age (but unfortunately flew away on a windy day before we were able to properly bolt down the aviary) had been gone for about three weeks before the eggs were laid.

Thank you!

PS. I have attached pictures of the aviary, the female (yellow) and the male (grey) and chick inside the nesting box. Will have to put something over that screw though to make sure nobody loses an eye.
 

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Ripshod

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Don't remove the chicks from the nest until 5-6 weeks if you're experienced enough and have the equipment to rear them yourself from that point (unless a chick is starving). If you're not experienced wait until they leave the nest for the first time before you take them.
For now spend some time sat in the enclosure well away from the nest and their food, they should learn soon enough you're not a threat.
Did you have the parents vet checked before putting them to breed? If not you'll need to get all the chicks vetted as soon as you can.
What experience do you have?
 

Monica

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It sounds like your best bet is to leave the chick(s) with the parents. Even if you were to start handling the chick before the chick leaves the nest, they do go through a time where they'll refuse any intrusion upon the nest. This is the chicks I am speaking of, not the parents. They just naturally become fearful when with parents. Once they leave the nest and start learning how to eat solids foods, then you can try interacting with them. I would say the best way to start is to offer them food/millet by hand and allowing them to come to you.


Are the parents on a healthy, varied diet including pellets and fresh foods?
 

Raptor40

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Don't remove the chicks from the nest until 5-6 weeks if you're experienced enough and have the equipment to rear them yourself from that point (unless a chick is starving). If you're not experienced wait until they leave the nest for the first time before you take them.
For now spend some time sat in the enclosure well away from the nest and their food, they should learn soon enough you're not a threat.
Did you have the parents vet checked before putting them to breed? If not you'll need to get all the chicks vetted as soon as you can.
What experience do you have?
Hey!

I haven't personally had any experience breeding, but I am currently living with my parents who have, although it was budgies they were breeding for a while. I haven't had them vet checked at the moment, but I'm not sure if they may have been vet checked at the pet store we adopted them from, as they have a veterinary nurse at the store who checks over the animals (not sure how thorough it would be though).
I actually haven't taken birds to the vet before on account of breeding, as I had never really considered it before. How often would you recommend getting them checked up on? Should it be a seasonal thing (eg. get them checked up on each breeding season)?
Would I also need to wait about a week before moving the chicks for vet checking? I have heard that you shouldn't pick them up until they're about 10 days old or they'll be too fragile.
Also - sorry for asking so many questions - did you happen to have any advice around keeping chicks safe in the heat? I live in Australia and I know it's going to be pretty hot over the next few days (40 degrees Celsius or 104 degrees fahrenheit). I'm pretty worried about leaving them out in that weather, as they are in a tin aviary outside. Is it just a matter of continuously spraying the cage over with cool water and laying a wet towel on the nesting box or should I try to move the nesting box indoors somehow (it's screwed onto the aviary at the moment)?
Thank you so much for the advice! I might wait for the chicks to move out of the nest before I start handling them, as I dont want to disturb them or the parents.
 

Raptor40

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It sounds like your best bet is to leave the chick(s) with the parents. Even if you were to start handling the chick before the chick leaves the nest, they do go through a time where they'll refuse any intrusion upon the nest. This is the chicks I am speaking of, not the parents. They just naturally become fearful when with parents. Once they leave the nest and start learning how to eat solids foods, then you can try interacting with them. I would say the best way to start is to offer them food/millet by hand and allowing them to come to you.


Are the parents on a healthy, varied diet including pellets and fresh foods?
Hey!

Thank you so much for the advice! I think I might just leave the parents to do the work then and try and tame them when they eventually come out and explore.
I have tried feeding the fresh fruit and vegetables before - there is actually some apricot out there for them at the moment - but they don't seem to take to it. I'm not sure if maybe they've never been exposed to it in their previous homes. I also haven't considered pellets before. What type of pellets would you recommend?
Also, are the chicks ready to eat solid foods as soon as they venture out of the nesting box? Just wondering, as I certainly don't want them to choke or anything like that.
Thanks again!
 

Monica

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The chicks will learn to eat solid food from the parents. Try to feed primarily vegetables as cockatiels generally aren't big fruit eaters. They might prefer broccoli florets, finely chopped carrots, carrot tops, kale, spinach, etc.


As far as the heat, you could always look into an automatic misting system that turns on whenever it reaches a certain temperature? This could be installed in the aviary, but only have the mist going to a part of it, so if they want to keep out of the mist, they can... or they can go under it to cool off.
 

fashionfobie

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I have nothing new to contribute, but I just wanted to say how adorable dad is with his little chick. What a lovely little family! Those chicks are going to be well loved :)
 
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