The Escape Artist

I had to go to Marathon yesterday for a dr appt.  So I did stopped by Home Depot to get something to replace the missing flooring on the newest cage and then did some grocery shopping.  When I got home, I walked out to the street to check the mail before I started unloading the car.

Walking back to the car, my attention was captured by something fluttering in the window of my computer room.  Realizing what it was, I rushed into the house.  Sure enough, there was Doc, desperately trying to get out the window.  I caught him & put him back into the Bachelor cage.  It took a while, but I figured out how he had escaped - one of the small side doors at the top of the cage had somehow gotten open.  Luckily, it was only Doc that escaped.

I snapped the latch on the small door and didn't think about it.  Today, when I got up after my morning nap, lo & behold, who was on top of the Bachelorette cage flirting with Lady Chablis?  Yep. Doc again.  He'd made his escape the same way.  I told myself I'd have to put a zip tie on it, then got busy feeding people so I didn't do it.

After feeding everyone & spraying down the birds, something that was long overdue as last night Sinatra was trying to take a bath under the drip from his water bottle, I went to the couch to lie down for a few minutes.  AGAIN I saw Doc at the small cage after Lady Chablis.  AGAIN I netted him & dumped him in the cage. AGAIN I got distracted and didn't go out to the car to get the zip ties I just bought at Home Depot the day before.

Do you sense a pattern here??

Finally, after catching him for a FOURTH time, I said a bad word, put on shoes & walked out to the car to get the zip ties.  I put one on the door.  Just in time as one of the other boys was investigating the magic door.  Now they can investigate it to their hearts' content.  It is secured by a neon yellow zip tie.  If only Doc doesn't figure out there's an identical door on the other end of the cage.

Doc is such a bad influence.

Babies

Here is a picture of the newest baby I had to pull for handfeeding.  Tentatively named "Sonny" (or "Sunnie" if a girl), he is the only child of Rico & Mickey.  They decided that 13 days was old enough to wean, I guess.  They have been spending more & more time out of the nest box in the last week & I had noticed that the baby didn't ever seem to have a full crop.

Saturday morning, Adrian looked in the nest box &, while Mickey & Rico were in it, they were on the other side, completely ignoring Sonny.  So we set up the aquarium, which is right next to where I sit on the couch & knit, for single occupancy.  I got the stuffed chicken at the Salvation Army Thrift Store so Sonny wouldn't be alone.  He has figured out the the syringe is the bringer of food and sucks it right down now.



I'm trying to nap here!



Adrian was holding him last night after the 5 pm feeding.  Sonny fell asleep in his hands.  I leaned down to listen.  Sonny mutters in his sleep.  Little peeps and other noises.  Adrian says that means he's a he, since male cockatiels are usually more vocal than females.

Sonny

In retrospect, using Adrian's Xbox 360 magazine for a platform for the picture probably wasn't the smartest thing to do.  But you can see from the picture that Sonny is going to be a pearl. I'm hoping he isn't a he, as the males lose their pearling as they mature.

As it turns out, there was a reason Mickey & Rico were sitting on the other side of the box.  She laid another egg today.

That's What I Get...

...for not paying attention.  I check nest boxes every day to see when my mating pairs lay their eggs, usually in the morning.  But I didn't check Sinatra & Chimay's yesterday.  I realized this morning that I hadn't seen her yesterday so I peeked in the box.  There she was, valiantly protecting her egg.  First one of the new clutch.  So I wrote it on the calendar, like I always do.

Later, I checked again & lo & behold, there is a SECOND egg.  So apparently the first egg was not laid this morning.  Either yesterday or the day before, but I'm betting yesterday.

Now to see how many she lays and whether we get any more of those lovely Lutinos like Chablis.

Happy Dance

Chablis has no bald spot!!

When the Lutino color was first discovered in cockatiels, apparently in the rush to get more of this unique color, many breeders were not too picky about other characteristics.  So Lutinos ended up with a glaring genetic fault - the bald spot.  Behind their crest is bald,  You usually can't see it unless the crest is erect, but when it is, the spot is very apparent.

Chablis' maternal grandmother, Ginger, had a huge bald spot.  Her father, Sinatra (bred by Sara at Sarafim Avairy) is from a line with no bald spot anywhere.  It looks like the no bald spot genes won out.  This time.  Chablis' parents, Sinatra & Chimay, are mating again so it'll be interesting to see what the new ones look like.

So Chablis is DEFINITELY a keeper.  Of course we were going to keep her anyway, but this assures her a spot in the breeding cages.

It's been a while....Again

Still using my daughter's old clunker, but thought I'd update anyway.

Babies are growing so fast.  Bier, Sprite & Duck are now feeding themselves but not without lots of complaining on their parts.  Especially when they see us feeding Chimay & Sinatra's babies.




Cold Duck



Sprite



Bier





We lost the oldest of Chimay & Sinatra's babies.  He had what's called Sour Crop, which means his crop wasn't emptying fast enough to keep him alive.  We tried everything we could, he fought to live for a week, then finally gave up last Sunday and died in my hands.  I cried for the rest of the day and want to cry while I'm typing this.  RIP Tiny Tim.





The other 3 are fiesty and healthy.  When I discovered the sour crop, we pulled them all for hand feeding.  Luckily Adrian was on vacation last week so when I was feeding all 6 at the beginning of the week it was much easier.  The Lutino, Lady Chablis, is larger than the next youngest, Monster, who is actually only one day younger.  Sammy, the youngest, is 6 days younger than Monster but seems to hold his own just fine.

The Lady Chablis

Monster

Sammy



Only one of the eggs that Micky & Rico had hatched, but that baby is very well.  Rico fed Mickey for most of her time on the nest. She rarely came out once she finished laying.  They are both lavishing care on the baby.  I told Adrian it was going to look like a pteradactyl by the time Rico got done feeding it.



Sinny Buns & Arthur are finally mating & she's been in the nest box some.  So we're keeping our fingers crossed for that.

Sinatra & Chimay are mating again so we may see more from them this year.

Bird Photos

Here are some photos of the new adult birds.  I had put Doc in with Sinny Buns but she was totally not interested in him.  She rejected his advances for a couple of weeks so I put Doc back in the Bachelor cage & got Arthur, who was with Sinny Buns & Zorro originally.  She does let Arthur get close so she may have formed an attachment with him already.  We'll see if eggs come of this pairing.

I am not totally sure about what color to classify them as.  Sinny Buns is a Cinnamon but I'm wondering if she is a very light pied?  Arthur is a Normal Grey, but appears to have some pearling on his back so he may be a pearl also?  Can't wait so see babies to get an idea.

Left Side of Sinny Buns



Right side of Sinny Buns & Arthur back



Another view of Arthur's back.  This pix is a little light, the other is more true to color.

I'm Back...Sorta

The babies are growning so fast. I'm continually amazed at how mature they are. Bier flew around the living room yesterday.  He landed on the curtain rod very nicely.  Sprite has all her feathers in and Duck is close behind.

We started supplemental feeding Chimay & Sinatra's babies this morning.  One lutino out of 4 babies.  We're very excited.

Mickey & Rico are up to 3 eggs now.  He was actually feeding her in the nest box yesterday & today.  I've heard of that behavior but never seen it before.  Hoping it means he knows how to parent.

Babies are Fine...

...computer is not.  It died.  Again.  So it'll be a while before I can post again.  Please check back.

Handfeeding success

It looks like everyone is going to survive.  Bier is growing like a weed.  Sprite is trying his best to catch up.  Duck is holding his own in the food department.  The feedings have dropped to 4 a day, manageable even for me.

Now to float along until the next batch is ready, another 2 weeks or so.

More questions about Doc's color

Doc is the boy from Ginger & Buddy's first clutch last year.  He has always been a light grey, although I've been told repeatedly that he's a Cinnamon.  After his first adult molt, he is now pearled.  An interesting quandry as pearl males LOSE the pearling as they mature, not gain it.  However, Dominant Silvers, like Lancelot, get more pearling as they mature.  Here are pix of Doc, with the new Cinnamon girl (I want to name her Sinny Buns but Adrian protested...ALOT).  Also, here is a pic of Lancelot with his new finery.

Doc (left) & Cinnamon girl

Lancelot

Bier Update

Well, apparently Bier's appetite is just fine.  But he doesn't want baby food anymore.  I put some millet seeds on the floor of their enclosure and he tore into them.  So I guess he's just an early maturer.  Go figure.  But it makes me happy that he's OK.  His check patches are a most gorgeous shade.  I hope the color stays.

Pix of Bier, Sprite & Duck

Here are pix I took tonight of Bier, Sprite & Duck.  Bier was 3 weeks old yesterday.

Bier (+ starvin' Duck)

Duck, Sprite, Bier

More Adventures

Baby #3 for Chimay & Sinatra hatched today.  Dark eyes so it's not a lutino. But still very cute.  Mom & Dad are taking good care of them.

Also, the oldest of Spike & Uncle's babies, Bier, has decided that he's grown up enough to wean.  At 3 weeks he's way too young, but he's got all his feathers, has been flapping for about 3 days & has spent the last couple of days peeking at whatever looked edible.  He's way more advanced than his siblings, who are only a few days younger.

Strange household.

Pix of the New Babies

Here is a picture of the newest baby.  Apparently you don't have to wait until the eyes open to tell if they are lutino or not.  Baby #2 has pale, skin-pink eyes so s/he is going to be a lutino.  Just what we were looking for.

Chimay & Sinatra's Babies so far

Another New Baby

Baby #2 for Chimay and Sinatra arrived today.  Well, last night probably.  He was dry when I got them to move enough to see him.  Another fluffy little bright yellow baby.  I was told to check their eyes when they open to see what color they are.  If the eyes are red, the babies will be lutinos like their grandmother, Ginger.  Now I'm eager to see eyes.

Ginger (RIP) & Buddy, parents of Chimay

New Baby Pic

And here is the newest baby.  Chimay and Sinatra made a lovely little thing.  Keeping our fingers crossed that all hatch out so well.  This pic was taken at great danger to life & limb, especially limb, as they didn't want to vacate the eggs & baby.

Sinatra guarding diligently

Pix of the Trio

Here are pix of Uncle & Spike's remaining babies. These were taken Friday. I'll take more tomorrow as they change so much every day it's unbelievable.

Duck

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Sprite

Bier

New Baby!

Chimay and Sinatra's first ever baby hatched out today.  Beautiful little ball of yellow fluff.  I'll try to get a pic.  If Chimay doesn't rip my face off.

Names

OK.  Babies now have names.  Since they are grandbabies of Buddy & Ginger (Full names: Budweiser & Ginger Ale) they are named after drinks.

Oldest one is Bier, next is Sprite, littlest one is Duck (Cold Duck).

Still eating like little horses and gaining weight.  All have pinfeathers in some form now.

New pairings update

I really enjoy watching the new pairings work it out.  Granted Puffy & Lancelot have been together before, but they were separated for several months.  But watching Rico & Mickey has been interesting.

Rico was supposedly used by his original owner for breeding.  His has been a most aggressive suitor.  Not bad aggerssive, pushing her around, but very persistant.  He watches her most of the time, making little "lovey" noises at her.  He does his mating dance and clicks his beak.  Mickey plays hard to get of course.

When I attached the nest box to the cage, Rico was instantly interested.  The hole was a bit off the cage door (my fault) so he's been enlarging it.  Mickey has to almost turn sideways to get in, but that hasn't stopped her.  Both have spent a good deal of time in there, which is usually a good sign.

When Rico first climbed on Mickey's back to try to mate, he couldn't seem to figure out what he was doing.  He just kind of danced there.  Mickey was trying to be so flat that she would lean too far over & end up hanging face down off the perch.

One day later, he had remembered what to do.  So there may be babies in the future for them.

Lancelot acted like he wanted nothing to do with Puffy for the first day.  Now they are mating like bunnies.  They didn't get a baby last time so I'm hoping that it works out this time.

Adventures in Handfeeding - Day 7

Babies are growing so fast, right before my eyes.  All 3 have pinfeathers starting, even the youngest who's crest is about 1/4" long.  Totally cute.

They eat vigorously, but boy are they sloppy eaters.  I don't know if it's because their dad was a sloppy feeder or if that's just them.

I decided on a name for the middle one today.  S/he looks to be the only Normal Grey with no splits.  So s/he is going to be Sprite.

Now to name the others.

I have pix & will post later.  I have to go to Key West to get more formula.  Did I mention they eat like horses??

Adventures in Handfeeding - Day #5

Babies gained 10 g each yesterday.  Littlest one is so cute.  He stuffs himself full, then curls up & goes to sleep. Guess it's time to find names.

Thing 1

Thing 2

Mini Thing

Romeo & Juliet

Romeo is a Whiteface Pied.  Juliet is a Whiteface Pearl.  The people we got them from claim that they have had 3 clutches in the past. However, in the little more than a year since we've had them, they haven't laid anything.  They use the nest box for a private apartment only.

Adrian thought it might be that the living room was too busy for them.

So a couple of days ago, I put them on the porch in a small cage.  An hour or so ago I put a small cardboard box in the cage to use as a nest box. They are already scoping it out.  I hope eggs come.  They have reportedly had a pure white baby in each of their previous clutches so I'm crossing my fingers.

Juliet

Romeo

Games

The babies in the small cage - Bobbie Jo & Ulysses' first clutch of five plus Ginger's last baby.



So this morning, after feeding, I was sitting at my work table in the kitchen, eating my Pop Tarts, drinking my goat milk & reading an old Piecework magazine. I happened to look up and noticed the babies clustered together. Curious, I watched, then started laughing.




Someone had lost a tail feather and they were all playing Keep Away, a cockatial baby's favorite game. One baby would get a good grip on the feather and try to fight his/her way out of the crowd. If s/he succeeded, they'd run to a corner and chew madly, while everyone else ran behind them, trying to get the feather. The next one to grab it would repeat the performance - grab, duck and run.


Cheep amusement.

Adventures in Handfeeding - Day #4

Babies are coming along great.  Weighed them this morning and the weights looked good.  I'm still keeping my fingers crossed, but it looks like they may make it.  Now I have to figure out how to work around my dr's appointments Thursday in Key West, a 45-60 minute drive each way.

Rico Displays for Mickey's Benefit

I noticed Rico doing this interesting display when I was feeding the babies.  He was still doing it when I finished so I grabbed my camera & decided to try the video feature.  There is supposed to be sound but I cna't tell as the sound on my computer is dead.

This is my first attempt at uploading video so I hope it works OK.

Boxed Babies

Here they are.  Right after feeding. I can't get the regurgitated food off them as it's glued on, but I work at it a little more each time. 

New Pairing

Since Spike & Uncle are done for the year, I had an available breeding cage.  Who to choose??  Not much really as I only have 2 hens old enough.  So I put Mickey, a beautiful dark pearl from Buddy & Ginger's first clutch last year, in with Rico, a Normal Grey split pied (I think) that I got off Craigslist.  He's a very dark grey but looks like he may be pearl. We'll find out if & when babies appear.  Rico was instantly interested in Mickey.  So we'll see what happens. Rico is at the far left.  The right pic is Mickey.

Day 3 of hand feeding

It's day 3 of hand feeding Spike & Uncle's remaining 3 babies.  They recognize the syringe as the Giver-of-Goodies so it's not nearly as messy as the first time.  Although Baby #2 feeds so vigorously that s/he has a tendency to drop the tip so I have to gently hold his head still so he gets the food IN instead of ON.

Time to write

So much goes on with the birds that I thought it was past time to create a blog about them.  So here we are.