Aussie Finch Forum

yes mixed with boiled egg I think it helps keep the parent birds weight up and the babies grow well with the extra protein .. my lutino girl actually screams in the morning if she doesnt get it but only when she has chicks in the nest.

with or without the egg shell
how long do tiels lay eggs after mating

my egg shells are cooked in the oven to kill germs then crushed and added to the grit , charcoal and cuttlebone mix

why does my tiel bite his own feet/nails

basically because he can ....if he isnt breaking the skin he is just grooming himself however check your perches they should be natural and clean also the floor should be clean ...check their feet for redness and swelling or cracks .

i have a pair of tiels who are not tame (the ones in the bird aviary pic), i'm just wondering that if i go to take a peek in side the nest box will they just sit there and tolerate me looking or will they hiss or will the fly at me to protect there nest? because i m just scared that if i do that they will fuss about in the box probably break any eggs they might be sitting on or they might fly at me so fast they might injure them selves or kill them selves by flying into the roof? i just need some advice cause my brother who loves finches says i m scared of looking into the box, i tell i m not because i m just looking out for my birds.

you are a great person to talk to about cockatiels apart for the local pet shop owner who thinks he knows alot about birds which he does't. thanks

Your right about them breaking the eggs , it can happen . If you really want to take a peek do it when they are out of the nest or their is just 1 bird in there ...I check mine daily once they start spending more time in there and even tough they are use to me they still have a hiss at me at times .
Quarrions are more tolerant than finches when it comes to nest inspections .

The best time to nest inspect with any type of bird is when the parents have both come out to eat. That way they will not be in to hiss at you or fly out in fright. So go in and give them their breeding food, step back and wait. Then once they are out and eating, have a peek. This is what my mother does with her tiels. But not every day. And she has been breeding them successfully for over 30 years.
LML

but the male or female is always in the nest box, one out while the other is in the box
usually the male is in the box during the day and the female is in at night

thats the things with the quarrion they are rarely ever out of the nest at the same time , They arent a hard bird to breed so you wont need a degree to successfully breed babies .
I know you are probably very curious as to whats going on in there and its all very exciting but honestly if its their and your first time I would be leaving them alone , having said that I would make sure you hang around the aviary so they get use to your presence this way if you do need to check the nest they wont be as freaked out .
You will hear babies sure enough about 21 days after the eggs are laid .