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I believe we are at 5 eggs well at last count we were, my hen has not left her nest that i have seen in the last 2 days. I have looked inside to check on her and she has been a good momma she is on her eggs. But i wonder if she is getting food as i do not see her getting out of the nest box... can i place food in there or would this make her want to leave it and not return to it. I just want to make sure she is staying healthy and strong

I would not be putting any food inside the box for multiple reasons. Try not to look in there too much either. She has a mate, doesn't she? Tiels usually sit in shifts, the female usually at night and the male in the days or parts of.

I assume it is warm enough wherever you are keeping this Momma? If so, she may come out more often to eat. Also she may be coming out while you are not in the area? How many birds are in her cage/flight? Do you see any food on the bottom of the cage, under the grate, etc.? Do you see husks of seeds remaining? Is food missing? Do you have hand-feeding formula ready in case needed? A brooder ready if needed? Local assistance feeding the babies if needed?

No food in the nestbox, I agree. F8 is correct, tiels sit in shifts of about 12 hours each. At that point they change spots, giving the siting parent a chance to eat, drink, and rest.

I'm assuming like F8 is that this tiel is part of a pair.

Thank you both for the advice yes they are a pair , there is also 1 other pair in the flight with them. I never see her come out. As you said she must be when im not seeing her than. Thank you again for the advice i was worried she was not getting her food ot the fresh fruit and veggies that are in there

IME, Tiels are not big on fruit, mine hardly ever eat any of it so I rarely give it anymore. They do love their veggies though, most of them.

I am assuming you have a quality seed mix in there also with sunflower in it and some spray millet, cuttlebone, add some broccoli and leafy greens, some corn on cob and some peas are enjoyed by my guys and gals also. My Tiels love Zupreem fruit blend pellets but in warm weather I prefer to hold those back until the babies get about a few weeks old, along with a good quality full grain bread after a few weeks. Also I suggest giving them a little scrambled egg both for themselves and for their babies, well done but no salt and take out any remaining egg if still in there after an hr. or so.

Sprouted seeds are great at this time too. I don't allow my tiels to have sunflower seeds, but the other things they love! I also will cook pasta, brown rice, and oatmeal for them.

The only fruit I've had my tiels eat is sliced tart apple. The favorite is baking apples.

Yes they have a good Quality seed mix as well as sunflower in it as well as a extra food bowl with seeds in it. I have a couple Cuttlebones and mineral blocks in there and I always make sure there is Millet. I have never tried the corn on the cob but I will give that a try for sure.. Now on the Scrambled eggs I have heard of people also mixing in the shells, I have never done that as it sounds a little strange but can you really do that ??. I have some brown rice cooking as I type this so I hope they like that..

Thank you all for the advice

christie wrote:Sprouted seeds are great at this time too. I don't allow my tiels to have sunflower seeds, but the other things they love! I also will cook pasta, brown rice, and oatmeal for them.

The only fruit I've had my tiels eat is sliced tart apple. The favorite is baking apples.

Thanks for the tip on the baking apples, I have not tried those yet with my own Tiel flock.

Why don't you allow your Tiels sunflower? Is it because of possible toxins on the shell like one has to worry about by using peanuts in the shell or do you have other reasons?

my4turtles wrote:Yes they have a good Quality seed mix as well as sunflower in it as well as a extra food bowl with seeds in it. I have a couple Cuttlebones and mineral blocks in there and I always make sure there is Millet. I have never tried the corn on the cob but I will give that a try for sure.. Now on the Scrambled eggs I have heard of people also mixing in the shells, I have never done that as it sounds a little strange but can you really do that ??. I have some brown rice cooking as I type this so I hope they like that..

Thank you all for the advice

You are welcome, that is what these bird boards should mainly be always about = sharing knowledge with each other, knowledge that each of us has learned over the yrs., for the benefits of all of our birds.

Regarding the spray millet, best not to give them too much of that and best to make sure it is always really fresh and always a good quality spray millet.

I myself have never given or cooked egg shells in with scrambled eggs. What I used to do, was after I boil eggs for 10 minutes, then I take the shells and dry them off, then nuke in the microwave for a couple minutes on high. Then I would crumble them up and then feed. For canaries I crumbled them up really fine before feeding. I hardly ever use egg shells anymore though.

Now I have read or heard somewhere that it is not a good idea to feed chicken eggs shells to birds but I can't remember where or why at the moment. Maybe someone else can chime in on that subject. Maybe it had something to do with assembly line eggs vs. free-range eggs? I'll have to remember to look into that myself when I get a chance.

F8 wrote:Thanks for the tip on the baking apples, I have not tried those yet with my own Tiel flock.

Why don't you allow your Tiels sunflower? Is it because of possible toxins on the shell like one has to worry about by using peanuts in the shell or do you have other reasons?

I just take a slice of apple and wedge it in the cage bars, they seem to love it. My parents had a tree so that was one of the woods that I would use for branches too.

My tiels will eat only sunflower seeds if given the chance. They will hold out until you change the food just for sunflower. I took the sunflower seeds away and they are more willing to eat other foods.

My birds aren't big on eggs, but when I offer, I do crush the shells in with the egg. I also purchase crushed steralized egg shell (chicken) for my tiels and lady gouldian finches as another source of calcium. Remember though, that calcium isn't readily absorbed without vitamin D. I try to take the cages outside when I can for natural vitamin D from the sun, and if I can't, I do have liquid calcium + vitamin D that I can add to the water if need be in addition to the bird lamp I have.

F8 wrote: I have read or heard somewhere that it is not a good idea to feed chicken eggs shells to birds but I can't remember where or why at the moment. Maybe someone else can chime in on that subject...

I heard that studies have shown egg shells are not as good a calcium source as was long thought. Re sunflower seed, I also deliberately buy mixes w/o them. I've heard they are SOOO good that birds will fill up on them, eating every one of them before moving on to other seed in the mix, if they still have any appetite. Many mixes are safflower seed based instead because they aren't as tasty, yet provide the same nutrition.