What Mutation

[AussieBirds]

josiedownunda said:

Hi John,
I find the best time to check the chicks is around 5pm in the afternoon. I feed between 4 and 5 roughly and often the male is quite happy to leave the nest and the hen hasn't yet entered for the night sitting. I usually check them in the morning too when I feed them their greens and soft food. At the times that the parents are doing the changeover is the best. When the new feed goes in mine are happy to have a good feed while I mess with the nest.
The only time parents have abandoned the nest on me is if I have had a lice infestation and have had to spray and change bedding etc. and the nest smells and looks different to them. If everything stays the same then there is usually no reason they will leave the babies.
By the way your male is a nice looking bird. He doesn't seem to have any white patches on the back of his head. It is hard to tell from the pics though. If he doesn't then all the chicks will be whiteface and some split to pied unless the male is carrying the pearl lutino or cinnamon gene which will result in some hen chick's of those colours. If a chick appears with red eyes then it will be a lutino hen or if one has very dark reddish eyes it could be cinnamon.
I guess you will have to pull out the patience box and use some of that for a few weeks until they get their feathers. It is the hardest time of breeding for me. I just don't like to wait!LOL
Jo-Anne

Hi Jo-Anne, no he doesn't have any white on the back of his head, unlike the hen that has white patches on the back of her head. I think they are all going to be white face and it's very exciting watching the babies grow and develop,unfortunately patience is not one of my virtues .

John

[AussieBirds]

Hi everyone, I finally worked up the courage to pick up the babies today and they all have clear toenails and take about fat!!!!!!!! wow their crops were as full as a fat ladies sock and they all look like little Buddhas with their fat little bellies, they all look great. One thing I did notice was what appeared to be black patches on them, but they all look great.


John

[AussieBirds]

I have a question, at what stage do the parents leave the nest box and the babies alone. The reason I ask is this morning when I was doing my morning rounds both the parents were out of the box and at 10:30 am they have not been back inside the nest. Am i being a worry wart or should i keep an eye on things.

John

[billspets]

hello john
how old are the chicks ??
have all the eggs hatched ??
it is common for them after when the chicks are between 5 and 9 days old for both perants to come out and leave them on there own by i say around 11 to 11.30 the male will go back in and feed the chicks the biggest concerned is at night after dark if teh female is out then you have a problem in my experance
hope this helps
regards
bill

[hillcresttiels]

As the oldest is now getting on 10-11 days old both parents will leave the nest to fill their crops as the chicks become more demanding, i wouldn't be concerned as the older chicks will keep the younger warm in their huddle. keep up a good supply of soft foods like sprouts especially wheat and wholemeal bread cheers Frank

[AussieBirds]

Thanks guys the male bird was back in the nest tonight around 5 PM so everything looks fine. They get sprouts every day frank and I have noticed that they are both giving them a real going over I am also giving them whole meal bread.

John

[billspets]

hello john
is the male in with the female as well or is it the female that is in there
regards
bill

[hillcresttiels]

Hi John let us know next time you check the older chicks that have pin feathered the color of crest folices? cheers
Frank

[AussieBirds]

The male was in when i looked Bill and he was feeding the babies.

Hi John let us know next time you check the older chicks that have pin feathered the color of crest folices? cheers
Frank

Frank they all seem to have dark patches allover their bodies, like dark skin pigmentation, Ill keep a check on the pin feathers

[AussieBirds]

hillcresttiels said:

Hi John let us know next time you check the older chicks that have pin feathered the color of crest folices? cheers
Frank

The oldest baby has started to develop a crest on his head it is a dark grey the same colour as the parents body colour.

John

[josiedownunda]

Hi John,
If the crest pins are dark then they will be whiteface. Any pied chicks will have white crests. You may get some with white patches on the back of their heads like mother bird to indicate they are split pied.
The dark patches you are seeing is the gradual darkening of the skin that indicates there will be dark feathers. On a pied bird the white areas remain pink while the dark feathered areas change.
Jo-Anne

[AussieBirds]

Here they are in all their glory, my baby cockatiels, they are 11 days old and as fat as mud.







You can see the comb starting to form on the top of the heads.

John

[hillcresttiels]

Hi John the chick in your hand in the bottom photo looks like it could be a Whiteface Pearl and if so will be a hen as this trait has been passed on from dad! ;)Cheers Frank

[chickabee]

John your baby tiels are sooooo fat and healthy looking, can't wait to see them when they are feathered up more........and what little cuties they are too.......I'm a sucker for baby chicks....way too cute

[ollie]

Look pretty healthy John, they are really cute!!

[AussieBirds]

hillcresttiels said:

Hi John the chick in your hand in the bottom photo looks like it could be a Whiteface Pearl and if so will be a hen as this trait has been passed on from dad! ;)Cheers Frank

Hi Frank, If it is a white face pearl does that mean the male is split to pearl?

John

[hillcresttiels]

Hi John if it turns out Pearl then yes the male is split pearl and highly likely pied too cheers ;D
Frank

[AussieBirds]

Hello everyone, the oldest baby is 21 days old now and the three of them are doing really well, pictures to follow soon, but we are have a very cold snap here in Sydney, cold to the point that there is snow at the foot of the mountains. It was 1c not too far me this morning and I am starting to worry about the babies, I check the little ones at least twice a day now and they are fat and all have full crops, but I'm worried about the cold. I'm sure i am just being a worry wart here but has any one got any suggestions as to what I should do.

If I pull them what raising mix do you all use are there any special precautions i should be taking? Am i worrying too much? what do you all reckon.


John

[lovemytiels]

Hi John, usually by the age of 21 days they will have a lot more of their feathers so that should help them with the cold. However usually at this age is when the parents are not spending as much time in the nest box at night, so keep a close eye on the babies. Some female tiels will still spend nights in the nest box up till the babies are about 4 weeks old. I know that this is the parents first time with babies so me personally even though it is getting cold would leave the babies in with the parents. If you pulled them for h/rearing now, it might imprint on the parents & when the breed again they might think it is the norm & abandon any other babies at this age & you could be faced with h/rearing babies from this pair all the time. Not an easy decision to make John as I know you don't want to loose these babies but you must also think of the parents & they have been doing a fantastic job up to now, so let nature takes it's course & keep your fingers crossed. If they had been experienced parents I would not hesitate to advise you to take them out for h/rearing to save you worrying. We all go through this John so you are not being a worry wort. This is just my opinion & it probably hasn't helped you, so maybe someone else will be able to give you some other advise. Regards Anna.

[AussieBirds]

Thanks Anna it has helped a lot and has reinforced everything I am being told. A friend of mine was here last Wednesday and she had a good look at them and told me the same thing she said they were all healthy looking little buggers and will be fine, she also said I should handle them as often as possible from now on so thats what i am doing.

John