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Hi there! I am new to the Up At Six, but I read some very helpful posts last night in regards to my situation. I have a pair of cockatiels that have brooded a set of eggs for about 16 days and went off of them. I have chosen not to breed my birds voluntarily, but they did soo poorly seperated, even with cages side by side, I had to reunite them. They have always had infertile clear eggs, until this batch. I've candled every batch until the day they were long overdue to hatch to be absolutely certain, and allowed them to abandon the nests on their own. This time, they went the whole nine yards, 3 fertile eggs, and almost made it! Mom did most of the work. Dad was dedicated the first week, but more interested in people attention in the later days, off the nest more often than on. After I was certain they had been off them day and night and ignoring them' I candled them. The 1st 2 had died in the shell and had turned dark with a blood ring, no movement, the last one, is moving this morning still. I do not have an incubator, so the little egg is currently in a makeshift one on the back of my pellet stove. The temp. is constant and warm, but not hot. I have turned the egg frequently, and candled it again today, and it is moving around an much more lively than yesterday. I suspect this may be the last laid because it is day 18 and no pip mark yet, but very active moving around when candled. I did open the 2 dead eggs, they had blood pooled in the bottom of the shells and were all dark, but they had downy feathers starting on them, and started to look much more like chicks than ugly pink lizards. Also air sac has tilted. Any idea how close this peep may be from hatching? I am planning on going to get hand rearing supplies to have on hand. I feel it fought this hard it, desrves a chance! Would anybody have any suggestions, or insight as how to proceed for now? I've hand reared other little critters, so I know I'm pretty much taking on the schedule of an infant, every 2 hr. feedings, but this guy deserves a chance. Also, have momma birds taken back babies? I had budgies years ago, but they never had any trouble with chicks.

Yikes this is a tough one.. hatch date is usually 21 days but I've waited up to 30 days "just in case" for hatches. Hand feeding a new born is tricky since their first feed is crop "milk" (it's not really milk but a milky-like substance) It is doubtful the parents will care for baby since they abandoned the eggs. They can usually sense that something is 'wrong" with this batch.
Hopefully more experienced egg to fledge breeders are reading this post and can help you out

The peep in the egg is stil alive this morning. I had a 16 hr. shift last night, but was thrilled to see it has now got a faint pip mark starting. I guess only time will tell with this peep. I'll head out to get the birdie rearing formula this morning.

Having never bred birds, I don't have much to contribute.

just wondering how you are going to hand feed every two hours if you are working 16hr shifts.

Often, birds will stop sitting when one is about to hatch. Give the birds time to care for the baby, since you are working, handfeeding will not turn out well. It is extremely difficult to handfeed from day one, and dangerous for the bird. Even a small ammount of asperated formula can lead to illness, or death. Improper brooder tempratures, or changing brooder tempratures can cause infection as well.

Thanks. If I would end up hand feeding, I'd definitly share duties with my spouse. He's very good at that, having helped with some other critters we've fostered. I'm trying to locate a breeder in my area to see if possibley a foster parent could be found with a clutch near the same age. I figure that's the best shot at this point, otherwise, nature will just have to take it's course.

You are commended for your efforts to bring this little one into the world ! I've not had the problems you have experienced, and have a plethora of chicks in various stages of hatch/hatched/growing/fledging and I'm so happy that I have good parents. I was somewhat disappointed in the fact that 3 of 6 eggs my *primary* hen laid were kicked out of the nest having apparently DIS, but the remaining 3, of them, the oldest fledged today at exactly 4 weeks and is as docile as their parents, without even the hint of supplemental feeding. I also have 6 more chicks all hatched within a 3 day period from another pair, and 2 more to go which will most likely hatch, that the hen (Pixie) was the last hen I ever figured would lay eggs or raise a family. It's been a very different year for us here at the Drinkard house. To go from 14 kids to 28 kids in one season is somewhat amazing for us, and I think unsustainable in the future. Anyhow, back to your situation, I believe if that chick has the will to survive, and you can provide for it, it will make it. I've done the surrogate thing with eggs before, but never had much luck. Dunno how it would go with a chick, but with my kids, I believe they would take in one to see that it survived and grew.

Good luck..

Sam