What to feed your Cockatiel: Seed Mix and Sprouting

There are several seeds in the bird market, my quest for the perfect mix for the cockatiel ended up in a simple word: "variety". The ratio and amount of which depends on the current need of your birds.

Millet: Eleven percent(11%) protein. Millets abound in B vitamins, folic acid, potassium, zinc, iron, magnesium and calcium.

Sun flower seeds: Contains essential fatty acids,great source of amino acids, dietary fiber, Vitamin E which is essential in breeding, folate, Thiamine and minerals: magnesium, copper, phosphorus, manganese, potassium, selenium, iron, calcium and zinc. For more info refer to SunFatter Seeds

Canary seeds: There is no definitive statistics on the nutrient content of the canary seed though isolated tests affirm that it may have one of the highest protein concentrations of the seed world.

Hulled Oats / Oat Groats: Hulled oats are semi-processed oats, where the shell has already been removed, oat groats, being raw and unprocessed, is said to have the most nutrients locked-in. Fortunately, the cockatiels beak can easily dehusk these seeds.

Hemp Seed: The multi-vitamins of the bird world. Said to contain the most complete of all the seeds mentioned, used to trigger breeding and well-being in the form of singing.

Sprouting
is an excellent fresh food that you can grow utilizing the seeds mentioned above. Sprouting presents an entirely new set of beneficial enzymes that is not unlocked in seed form. There are many complicated or tedious steps to sprout but it is quite easy, all that you need is a damp environment for the seed provided with proper organic antiseptic to prevent spoilage.

Step 1: Choose your seed mix.

Step 2: Wash and Rinse with water and organic vinegar(at least 20% vinegar,
apple cider can be a good choice), let the seed soak in it for at least 30
minutes.

Step 4: Place the seeds above a damp environment, preferably a foam with the same
mixture of water and vinegar. Place in a lighted place with no direct
sunlight.

Step 5: Make sure you check the moisture on the foam daily, depending on your local temperature. Expect to harvest and serve in no more than 4-5 days.

Cockatiel Breeding Step by Step: The Pair

Choosing your pair for breeding might be a daunting task. There are several purposes for this , one is to pair to obtain a certain type or breed, called selective breeding. You can obtain an "Albino" cockatiel (Technically a double mutation) by pairing a whiteface and a lutino. Many breeders believe (and with some scientific back-up) that letting the cockatiels "choose" their own mate produces stronger bonds and stronger chicks in effect, this is called natural pairing. These options are within your grasp but the basic requirements stay the same.

Age. Cockatiels are capable of breeding at 5-6 months of age but breeders are strongly against it. The parents are too young and most commonly irresponsible parents. They have little patience and readily abandon the clutch. Some suggests to breed Them at 18 months of age and there is no disputing that, but experience tells me that at just about 14 months of age, cockatiels are ready and capable parents. If you have all the time in the world, there is no reason not to stick to the 18 month rule.

Health Condition. breeding is a stressful, long term activity, you must prepare the pair for this. "Peak form" is the key. Provide eggfood, calcium in the form of eggshell and cuttle-bone, greens and the daily seed supply. Build up their health at least two months before breeding time. Cockatiels in captivity doesn't have a breeding season, you provide the triggers and they will respond.


Sexing your Male and Female: read this link Sexing your cockatiel

Cockatiel Breeding Step by Step (equipment)

A. The Breeding Cage.

The cockatiel is an eager breeder and is capable of breeding even in standard twin cages (17in. x 30in.). Now that is NOT recommended. Exercise and space for mobility is very important since a new batch is coming forth and they need space to fly about and test their wings. Bigger is better but a flight cage of 2ft. x 3ft. x 4ft. would be ideal. With this size, you can place the nest box higher giving the pair a safer ambiance, this may save you a lot of chicks that may fall victim to night frights.

B. The Nest Box.

The standard nest box is 1ft. x 1ft. x 1ft made of wood(preferably light and durable like "Palo Chino", used on crate boxes). The hole should have a diameter of 2.5-3 inches. The nestbox floor can be lined with nesting material usually hay, shaved wood or shredded paper to contain heat on the eggs and avoid rolling. The nest box size is large enough to accommodate both parents as they usually tend to the young simultaneously. It is also capable of holding 4-5 chicks. Once set-up it is best to leave the nest untouched unless emergencies(like mite infestation, chick death) call for major attention, thus it is a must to have a side door to peek on a daily basis.

c. Perches.

Provide enough perches near the nestbox hole as wandering chicks will jump out and need some branches to hold on to. Extra precaution must be made as common injuries occur on direct fall the first time they jump out of the hole, also provide some cushioning on the floor like hay directly beneath the nest box.

Choosing a Healthy Cockatiel

So you want to buy your first cockatiel, here is a guide.

Plumage. The plumage should have some sheen on them, overly fluffed-up birds indicates that it is probably ill, this may be common though during cold weather. The plumage should be smooth and arranged. Falling feathers may be a sign of molting, this is a extremely stressful stage to any bird and their immune system is weak during this period.

Vent. The feathers on the vent area should be devoid of dirt, it is an indication that the bird is suffering from diarrhea or sits on the floor too often.

Posture. A healthy cockatiel will have an alert posture, drooping heads and arched backs are indicators of health problems.

Eyes and skin. Eyes should be wide, full circle and alert, avoid watery or half closed, glassy eyes. Check exposed skins to avoid warts, scaling, boils and the like. These maybe an indication of mites and other bacterial or fungal infections.

Behavior. A healthy cockatiel is alert and inquisitive, the male sings when in the pink of health. Though cockatiels would rather sit and stare, it is agile when in motion, flight is also a good indicator.If you prefer a more domesticated bird, try to hand over a sunflower seed and see if its reaction.

Symmetry. Visually divide the bird vertically in halfand compare one side from the other, the better the similarities of the left to the right side, or vice versa, the better. The cockatiel should walk with complete balance, obese and ill birds would lumber about.

Age. Ask about the age of your cockatiel, purchase a bird not less than three months old. They are able to breed at the age of six(6) months but it is suggested to pair them at one(1) year of age. Cockatiels' average life span is 15-20 years.

Inspect the neighbors, aviary. Observe all the birds in the aviary. A visually healthy bird may show symptoms of illness days after they are broght home due to illness acquired from sick cage mates. Most bacterial diseases are air born so check the whole flock.

Cockatiel Care - Sour Crop on Chicks

Sour crop is quite common to cockatiel chicks, and is one of the main casuses of death to handfed cockatiel chicks. The crop isa a bird's food storage, it provides them with constant supply of energy for long flights. Sour crop is when the contents of the crop is not able to push through the digestive system and gets stuck in the crop. There may be many causes of sour crop; bacterial, yeast infection and impaction being the most common.

Impaction can be caused by irregular sized foods causing blockage in the crop. Handfed chicks rarely encounter this. It still occurs on at timeswhen the chicks ingested its nesting material. Breeders usually try the following:

- Feed a more diluted formula followed by a light crop massage
- Provide mineral oil in the food to loosen the contents and slowly massage the crop
- Saline solution to the bird and massage.

The following procedures must be done by your vet.

- Flushing the crop. A last resort, involves extracting the contents of the crop forcibly in to the mouth of the chick. Survival rate is not guaranteed, the smaller the chick, the riskier the attempt.

- Operation. cutting up the outer skin in to the crop, emptying it and sewing them back on. Depending on the size and age of the chick this should absolutely be done by your veterinarian.

Sour crop due to bacterial infection can be easily cured by administering antibiotics but can backfire to the chicks health, antibiotics kills all the bacteria in its apth, including the good ones, probiotics are applied after medication to replenish the good bacteria. Laboratory culture is used to determine sour crop due to bacterial infection. Fungi will not react on rash antibiotic treatment causing only the good bacteria to be eradicated. Unless in an emergency situation, antibiotics should be administered only by your veterinarian.

Fungus is the most common cause of sour crop in handfed chicks, the candida sp. strain is a fast growing fungus that developes a clay-like indigestible ball in the crop. It grows each feeding and your best and probably only option is to cure it through medication. feeding Nystatin ( brand name mycostatine)solution will immediately eliminate the clay ball.

Chicks fed by their parents have lesser risk of acquiring sour crop. Prevention is still the best cure.

Charcoal - Cockatiel First Aid - Cure Against Toxins

One of the most frustrating thing a cockatiel owner might encounter is an ill bird. Diagnosis is extremely difficult as symptoms are at best hidden by the bird instinctively. Administering unnecessary medication might be even more detrimental to their health.

In cases of poisoning, ingestion of toxic chemicals, plants and the like, there is one safe and natural remedy that is a miracle cure, immediately available and extremely cheap. Charcoal. This organic fuel has long been used by mankind as fuel in heating and cooking. It is also used to aid in various ailments, most commonly stomach discomforts. So powerful it can clean up cyanide poisoning as long as the chemical is still in the digestive tract. For medicinal and cleansing purposes such as water filtration, a more powerful form of charcoal is created, dubbed as "activated" charcoal or carbon. It is more efficient but any household charcoal will do, considering its a first aid solution.

Always remember that charcoal is a cure for chemical poisoning and other toxins, e.g. those which some plants produce. Ailments caused by viruses and bacteria will not have any improvement upon charcoal consumption.

The procedure is quite simple, crush the charcoal and serve it mixed with a favorite dry dish like eggfood. Also leave a solid piece inside the cage as cockatiels have a habit of nibbling through it like Cuttlebone.

Next step. Contact your veterinarian.

Charcoal indeed is a life saver, it can save your pet in emergency situations and it can also be supplied in their daily diet as it is known to have no side effect to the birds' health. It is suggested to always leave a piece of charcoal for them to nibble on.

This article is made after an in-depth research that goes beyond cockatiel sites who have only one similar solution, 'bring the bird to the vet' which can be miles or days away to some frustrated pet lovers. We cannot argue with that, but in emergency situations like poisoning, your vet is not in the house, your charcoal is.

Cockatiel Egg Fostering Basics

Abandonment of the clutch, death of a parent or both and other emergency situations will push you to save the eggs and fostering is a luxury not all of us have. But if you are one of the lucky few, read on.

You have two options to save the brood. One is to incubate them artificially then hand feed, a rewarding but expensive and sometimes heart breaking experience as chicks which are hand fed from day one are prone to most diseases, lacking the immunity usually provided by the parents.

your next option is fostering. Fostering has been used to allow some species escape extinction. Society Finches are famous foster parents , when they see a clutch, the whole "society" will usually adopt and raise them. The world of the cockatiels aren't as lucky as the finches though, fostering is only possible to those who, at the same period, are also nesting.

So option one. Foster the abandoned clutch to another nesting pair of cockatiels. Make sure the difference in age between the original clutch and the one to be fostered is no more than three(3) days old. This is to avoid any great disparity in size of the chicks. The larger ones will out compete the late comers in food and when the difference is too big the parents will most likely shift to survival mode and sacrifice the smaller clutch.

Option number two. Foster the eggs to another close, similar sized parrot specie, most commonly the Budgerigar. Same as rule number one, observe the disparity in the age of the eggs. Remember that the count starts when the incubation starts. The cockatiel and the budgerigar has the same average period of incubation, eighteen to twenty one(18-21) days.

Option three. Fostering under the African lovebirds. They are so popular and although being smaller, they are excellent foster parents. Take note though that the chicks will be larger than their foster parents in two weeks so be ready to proceed with hand feeding after this period. They will be easier to hand raise at this stage with less feeding interval and better immune system.

Fostering under species of different sized parrots such as the parakeet; No breeder reported of any luck so better proceed with hand feeding.

Fostering will save you lots of time, money and most importantly, your clutch.