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Many people have posed the question of what am I supposed to do with the baby birds. This is not the professional answer, but it is the method that many cockatiel breeders use.
At this moment, 31 December 1998, we have 12 eggs under 2 birds. So I am going to do a pictorial progression of how we do the brooder/nursery thing.
The babies should start hatching in about one week. We do not remove the babies from the parent birds till the baby is at least one week old (7 days). The brooder nursery should be set up at least 3 days prior to the day the first baby is put in. This is to ensure the temperature has equalized throughout the brooder/nursery.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
An old aquarium - we are using a 40 gallon, but any smaller size will do. That is all we what had at the time. But a 5, 10, or 20 gallon will do. The reason we like the large aquarium is because it allows the babies to explore as they grow.
Heating pads - as many to ensure heat under most of the aquarium. Ensure there is space for the babies to go where the heating pad isn't, about ¼ the area of the floor space. This is so the babies have a place to go to cool off. These are the heating pads you get at the stores that you put on sprains or whatever. Nothing fancy just 3 temperatures and a cover that is all you need.
Thermometers - we use swimming pool thermometers because they are easy to clean.
A 1 cup hot plate - this is for those places that don't have enough humidity. *NOTE* if this is used you are going to have to block off one end of the aquarium. Humidity should be at least 60%.
Mesh type laundry bag - this is placed on top of the aquarium to make sure nothing is accidentally dropped on a baby.
Newspaper - placed on the bottom of the aquarium.
Wood chips - pine chips. About 1 ½ to 2 inch layer. *NOTE* we don't like these a great deal but they work. We had a baby die from trying to ingest a wood chip. But that is one baby out of many babies 100+. The best thing about the wood chips is they are great insulation and they also conduct the heat evenly throughout the aquarium.
Paper towels - this is to cover the wood chips. Make sure you cover all access to the wood chips. Also make a removable layer to ease the cleaning process. When the top layer becomes soiled remove and replace it with new paper toweling.
There might be one or two other things you might need, and we will catch them hopefully. Right now the 11th of Jan. 99, we have 3 babies. We are expecting 14 more eggs under 3 pairs of parents to hatch. Oh, boy what a lot of work but we find it very rewarding when the babies take their first solo flight around the room.
This is the plans for the brooder, but we are going to do a picture thing on hand raising the babies as well. We will start that with the first baby hatching of the next clutch that starts hatching.
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