One of those weeks...

[jen]

Sorry I haven't been posting much this week, but its been 'one of those weeks' where everything seems to go wrong

First my pair of cockatiels killed their nest of Easter babies, then my other pair suddenly went off their nest of eggs due to hatch later this week.

My lovie Sunny, who I was so proud of with suddenly letting us pick him up, has gone mental- trying to mate everything and taking chunks out of me

My blue black masked mom, who had grown back all her belly feathers she lost/plucked while nesting suddenly has them gone again- and she started in on the babies again too- just when they were almost feathered out. They are eating on their own now- so I moved her back in with daddy. I don't know if shes moulting (dad currently is) or what.

I've not a permanent migraine from being so upset and crying I hope things settle down soon.

[linda040899]

Jen,
I'm so very sorry that you've had such a bad week! Losing a full clutch of babies is a hard thing to have happen.

Tell me about the parents that killed their babies. Have the pair been together for a while before you allowed them to breed? It's possible that they are not a good bonded pair and that's essential with Tiels! Do you suspect one or both parents are responsible?

If you had another pair of birds that were sitting on eggs when your other pair of Tiels abandoned their eggs, you could easily foster the eggs to another pair. You may have ended up hand feeding Tiel hatchlings but lovebirds make great fosters. I've done this myself several times. In fact, my 6 month old Tiel was incubated/hatched by a lovebird hen. The lovie hen couldn't feed and I knew that was going to happen so I fed the baby myself.

[Pips mom]

NOooo, not that beautiful pic of parents and babies that you posted?? Oh, I am so sorry

[jen]

My tiels that killed the babies are close to 2 yrs old. They have been together since young. They are quite bonded, and mated like crazy (like a million times a day) for about two months before I even gave them a nest box.

This is however, their first clutch.

I'd read how this can happen, but didn't see it coming. They were devoted nest sitters, and even wonderful parents up until it happened. I could hear the babies the night before...chirping away.. the next morning they were all dead. I'm a very light sleeper, so there was not a big ruckus in the night.
If I had to guess, I would say it was Spike (daddy) as he had blood on his face and chest, where mom only had a bit on the side of her wing.

I was not aware I could foster eggs under a lovie.. a good thing to know. Although right now the tiels were the only birds on eggs. (Well other than finches- lol I could maybe stick one egg under a pair of them) If fostered by a lovie,.. do you have to handfeed from hatching or will the lovie feed for a little bit?

The pair that abandoned their eggs, I didn't expect that either. Their previous owner had said they had raised young before, having 9 babies in total (i'm guessing 2-3 clutches?) They as well had been sitting well. All four of the eggs had been fertile.

I don't know what I could have done wrong. There have been no changes in the house, or in routine or food etc. We were away one night, but that was days before this all happened. ~sigh~

and yes pipsmom, it was the babies in that picture They are buried out under one of my favorite trees now.

[CompassionAk]

Oh no I'm sorry to hear this happened =(

[bbslovie]

Hi, I'm so sorry to hear the news about your little ones. You know we're all here for you. Hugs, thoughts and prayers to you and yours.


Barb

[Birkah]

Oh no!! I am so sorry to hear that this happened!!

[linda040899]

I was not aware I could foster eggs under a lovie.. a good thing to know. Although right now the tiels were the only birds on eggs. (Well other than finches- lol I could maybe stick one egg under a pair of them) If fostered by a lovie,.. do you have to handfeed from hatching or will the lovie feed for a little bit?

I had one pair of Fischer's lovebirds that actually fed a baby Tiel, along with one of their own babies. However, this is a HUGE exception, as baby lovebirds are fed on their backs and baby Tiels are fed standing up. In order to feed a baby Tiel, momma lovebird has to figure out the difference and feed accordingly. My Fischer's hen was doing very well until the baby Tiel got so big that momma had to feed from outside the box. The baby was as big as she was so I pulled the Tiel chick at age 2 weeks.

Fostering eggs is always the next best option but be prepared to hand feed from day 1. With the pair where one of the parents killed the babies, I would probably pull dad and leave the babies with mom once the last chick hatches, if not sooner. If it happened once, it could happen again.

[Chickobee]

I'm so very sorry this has happened.

This is so much more than a bad week...