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COCKATIELS - ADVICE FROM A BREEDER Page 6
by Linda Greeson of BlueQuaker.com
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WEANING
The weaning of baby birds who are being hand fed can be a frustrating experience. Common
sense, patience and considerable work are required.
We have found that a very early start is helpful. As soon as the chicks start moving around in
their brooder box we suspend a spray of millet from the cover for them to pick on. Little is really
ingested but the idea is presented to them that those little beaks are intended for something
other than to be held open to beg.
As soon as the chicks are promoted to life in a cage, even though handfeeding is continued at
regular intervals, efforts to wean are started. Spray millet, soft whole wheat bread, oats, cooked
corn, sunflower seed, crumbled corn muffins, oats, pelleted food - all are offered in low shallow
dishes at various times. A variety of food is kept before them as our objective is that as adults
they will accept and enjoy a many different foods. Often foods ignored at first will be accepted on
subsequent trys. Constant attention must be given to the removal of uneaten foods before they
have a chance to spoil.
At an early age the birds experience a "slimming down" period. At this stage in their
development instinct tells them that in order to fly it is necessary to shrink their crops and lose
some weight. The faster they become convinced that they are able to use their wings, the faster
they get down to the business of eating. For this reason, whenever safety permits, we delay the
clipping of wings until this slimming down stage is completed.
During this time, observing the drastic reduction in the amount of feedings the birds will accept,
even the experienced breeder becomes anxious. It is best not to force feedings on them. If the
bird seems to be becoming too thin we offer small feedings more frequently. They will usually
accept a few cc's before the determination to stick to their diet reasserts itself.
We fond it helpful to put an older bird in the cage with the youngsters to act as a teacher. Select
a hen for this purpose - the male may decide to teach them more than how to eat! The teacher
bird has a tendency to become too fat, feasting on all the goodies offered the babies,so may
need to be replaced at frequent intervals.
It is not possible to establish a rigid schedule to decide when weaning should be completed.
Cockatiels of the same age, often from the same clutch,can vary widely. As a general rule they
are weaned at eight or nine weeks, but exceptions either way are the norm. Close observation of
the birds is necessary. Begging noisily at the sight of the accustomed feeder will continue even
though crops are full and round. Some determination needs to be made as to whether the food
missing from the dish has been eaten or merely scattered about the cage. We usually make a
final check on the fullness of the crops of our weaning birds in the late evening. If necessary we
continue one feeding at this time for some weeks until a plump, healthy bird is the result of our
efforts.
SEXING
Determining the sex of the young cockatiel is not always easy; it often consists of an educated
guess. The males and females of the normal greys and cinnamons are identical when young.
They show little or no yellow on the face and both have large spots under the wings on the long
flight feathers. As the males approach maturity and molt into adult plumage, usually at six
months to a year, they lose their under wing spots and the facial area becomes mostly yellow.
The orange cheek patch stands out clearly against the light colored head. The females continue
to look like the young birds after molting. They retain their under wing spots and have very little
yellow in the facial areas. They have the orange cheek patch but against the darkness of the
surrounding plumage it is less obvious.
The pearl males lose their pearling with the first molt but the females retain their pearling for life.
As immature birds they are identical. The pieds are the most difficult to sex. Both males and
females retain the same under wing markings in maturity.
In all cockatiels the males are more vocal. When the mating song is heard, you can be sure that
your bird is a cock.
Palpation of the space between the pelvic bones is another method of determining the sex of
the bird. The bones of the male are pointed and close together while the females' are dull,
rounded, and further apart. The females are usually wider across the chest and the males
longer and slimmer. The male often has a larger and fuller crest. None of these are completely
reliable indicators but serve as contributors to that educated guess.
For the past year I have been trying a simple method of determining sex which so far has proved
surprisingly accurate. In the greys, cinnamons, and pearls the under wing spots or bars extend
only half way up the extended wing on the males. In the hens, these extend up the full length of
the wing to the body of the bird.
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