Starting out breeder

[Abby]

"Chicks are fed every 1 1/2 - 2 hours for the first 3 days except through the night, when they are fed at midnight, 3.00am and 6.00am. the two hour schedule then continues. On the fourth night, the 3.00am feed is excluded. As the food thickens and the crop increases in capacity, feedings can be spread further apart. Chicks should be fed when at least three quarters of teh crop contents have been digested." pg 63 A Guide to ....Cockatiels and their Mutations as Pet and Aviary Birds, ABK Publications 2007. Author-Dr Terry Martin BVSc & Diana Anderson

ABK = Australian Bird Keeper

 

[tammie]

To the newbies reading this thread: Many of us have different ways of doing things, regarding feeding babies - in this thread, during the 1st week of life especially. I know it is confusing sometimes as to which method you should adopt. That is why I suggest that you not take my way of doing things as the best way or the way others do things as the best way. Before getting into breeding/handfeeding babies, do the most responsible thing and that is to purchase numerous books on breeding and handfeeding and study them all. Then you will have to choose whose advice to follow = one or more of the so called "experts" or one of the members of this board. Good luck.
The above quote by Prince Toasty Buns is the best piece of advice I've read so far!!
Please, research, research, research and research some more.
Remember you'll need money when problems arise! And they will, hopefully later than sooner, but you never know. Also, will you have buyers for your weaned babies? What will happen if you decide to go on a trip, visit with friends, etc. when you have babies. Your life as you now know it will come to a fast stop when you have babies. Plus you still have the parents to look after, feed and care for. I'm definitely not trying to talk you out of breeding, just be sure you can do it before you take the plunge.
Right now I'm feeding 6 babies that are 12 days old. Last night I was up every 2 hours checking on them, feeding every 4 hours, cleaning containers, syringes, etc. Something came up and hubby had to go to FL for a few days, and guess who couldn't go with him? Yep, I'm here looking after babies.
It's a big step; just be sure you are ready. And if you decide you are I wish you the best of luck and I'm sure if you need help that the people here will do whatever they can.

 

[Birdlover]

FWIW, I always did the 2 hours through the night on the babies under 2 weeks. What a nightmare. One group had me up for 6 weeks straight because of the timing the babies were brought to me for feeding. It was near impossible to do without help but I managed. I dont ever wish to repeat it. Probably one of the reasons I stopped handfeeding for other breeders and dont breed my own pairs. That and not enough time anymore Those day 1 babies I had were a mix of scarlet macaws, eleonora cockatoos (Lancelot my girl being one) and lilac crowned amazons. I only had cockatiel babies once and had actually co-parented those babies and they turned out wonderful.

One other thing to stress is that the crop is empty or nearly empty before you feed. It should empty fully once every 24 hours. Its important not to feed just based on time, as if you pile new food on top of old, there is a greater chance of bacterial/fungal/yeast infections. Also, alwyas make fresh formula, never save and reheat a previously mixed batch.

Its very time consuming, so unless you have very flexible hours (primarily at home), or someone else to help share the handfeeding duties it can be very tough.

 

[srtiels]

One other thing to stress is that the crop is empty or nearly empty before you feed. It should empty fully once every 24 hours. Its important not to feed just based on time, as if you pile new food on top of old, there is a greater chance of bacterial/fungal/yeast infections. Also, alwyas make fresh formula, never save and reheat a previously mixed batch.
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EXCELLENT advice. As to myself I have learned to let the crop fully empty completely prior to the next feeding. Thickness of the formula for the age of the chick, amount, and maintaining the right temp for the species feeding is a must.

 

[Willzilla]

Ok it does sound like hard work! I am really considering breeding now but I think I should put the effort and money into because it would be great to do. later this year I will try to go to a bird club meeting and see what I can learn or any other information about them. Also I think that I should buy a already breeding pair of cockatiels so that I know they will breed ok or should. Im going to buy or build a brooder and for the the sort of thing I would do is add extra things like when there is noise in the brooder I light flashes or something or something so that it could wake my up if im asleep. Another thing is would it be ok to have budgies and cockatiels in the bigger flight if none were breeding? I know people will say not to mix species but I see it all the time and most people that I have meet in my town say it should be ok. If I had none breeding I could separate them for some time to sell them or something.

Also thank you guys so much for all the advice!

 

[Prince Toasty Buns]

"...........EXCELLENT advice. As to myself I have learned to let the crop fully empty completely prior to the next feeding. Thickness of the formula for the age of the chick, amount, and maintaining the right temp for the species feeding is a must."

Yeah Susanne, I too prefer to let the crop completely empty before refilling, although sometimes that is just not practical - like when you just have to be somewhere at a certain time and you won't be home before the next feeding is due. Also, I have taken babies from the parents and found that the crop was overstretched from the parents packing it too full (rarely happens IME but it can happen). Therefore once I started feeding formula, the crop would not empty totally before another feeding was more than due.

William, that was one case when one really needs to know how to empty a crop safely. I have even had some cases (far & few in between, thank goodness) where the crop needed to be emptied & rinsed before EVERY feeding, for many days, before things were right again. So do learn these techniques before you get started into breeding. Also learn how to make a crop bra to hold the crop in place when it is overstretched. Best though to make sure you are not the one to overstretch the crop by packing too full.

 

[robin's my baby]

Ok it does sound like hard work!Another thing is would it be ok to have budgies and cockatiels in the bigger flight if none were breeding?

1. it is 2. no and just because other people do it dosnt mean its a good ideal. one of my teils gets pick on by the budgies and one of the tiel bit the budgies foot hard anuf to make it bleed