Rainbow, Myrtle & Cockatiels

[Pajarita]

Awww, that's very good news! At least, she has a friend... they do find comfort in having a bird friend.

[liz]

I was sweeping the cockatiel room floor this morning. Seed shells collect on the floor under the door. When I started to sweep there I noticed something yellow. Tweet did it. It was a tiny cockatiel. He was cold and away from Tweet. I put him back with Tweet but then had to put him under Tweet. I checked back later and Tweet was sitting on him. I hope he is alright. I don't know how long he was separated from Tweet.

Tweet must have mated to get him but Tweet has not bonded to any other. She is a single parent and has been sitting on the nest alone all this time. After all the time Tweet spent on eggs that were not fertile I can't be sure that she even knows how to care for it. I did show the baby to Jackie before putting him under Tweet. She seemed excited. Hopefully she will help Tweet.

I tried every thing to keep them from nesting but Tweet would not give up. I did not want babies since that would take up room that could be used for a rescue but I did get excited to see the baby.

I will check his crop in the morning to see if he has been fed. I really hope so. He is so tiny I don't know if I can feed him. Keep your fingers crossed that Jackie helps.

[Pajarita]

I doubt that Tweet will allow Jackie to feed it unless she abandons him completely and Jackie takes over.

You need to get yourself some fake eggs, Liz, because it's pretty impossible to stop them from laying.

[liz]

Jackie is Tweet's mother. When Tweet pushed it out of the nest I showed Jackie. When I went back Tweet had pushed it out of the nest again.
The last time I looked Jackie was sitting on it in the middle of the room.

I just looked again. Jackie is on a perch above the little thing. The only thing I can think of is that something is wrong with it is why it was rejected.

I will order dummy eggs. I can't go through this. It breaks my heart.

[Pajarita]

Have you tried putting him on a heating pad and handfeeding him? That's what I would do. It might not work out with him been so very young but I would still try.

[liz]

He is gone. He was the tiniest baby I have ever seen. I could see he had a beak but could not see where it would open. He was really really tiny.

[Pajarita]

Ahhh, poor little thing! I am sooooo sorry you had to go through such a bad experience, Liz! It's always so hard to lose one...

[galeriagila]

Just joining this thread...

Wow. I don't blame you... I couldn't go through that...

[Wolf]

Sorry that this happened to you, Liz. Wish I could have been there to at least try and help.

[liz]

Tweet is a stubborn little thing. She has started another nest. Jackie is taking turns sitting on it with her. The nest is behind the door like the last one.

I have the dummy eggs and will investigate the nest today. I am considering leaving one fertile egg. I do not want to add another bird to the already needing a home birds. If she hatches one then she will be busy for the rest of the year and not nest again. I think since Jackie is sitting on the nest that she has decided to help Tweet with a baby this time.

The Cockatiels have selected what they want to eat. They are all into eating anything green. I was surprised when they started chewing the edges of a piece of celery. They do not want it if I chop it up. I am cutting the Romaine into strips that can be carried off to eat.

I love these little guys so much. I have been rewarded may times over with the progress they have made. I have to keep my face down while changing foods. They can be like a swarm of bees.

Maggie and Andy (as in Amos and Andy which Wolf named) are always together. She has gone years not having a mate. She is the breeder bird I got when her mate died and she would not take another. She was going to be discarded when I found out about her. I have not seen them mate but I am really glad that she allowed Andy close to her.

Jackie is sort of like doing what Sweetie did. She is investigating new things I give them and show the others what to do with them. She is the first to try a new food and teaches the others how to eat it. An ear of corn on the cob traveled a lot in the room while they were eating it. They are so funny.

Jackie came as one of a family of four. Her mate Max got away the night I got them here. I was trying to get a loose Cockatiel to come to me before I counted and realized that the Cockatiel outside was Max. He is no longer in the area. Retweet died on the nest so Jackie only has Tweet left in her family. She has adapted and sometimes even comes to me for kisses when she is in the mood. I wish she and Tommy would get together.