Hand-Feeding

• 1). Wash and sanitize your hands. Prepare the formula before removing the chick from the brooder. Use the chart on the formula container to determine the amount of formula and water needed for your bird based on its age and weight. Combine the formula powder with hot water and stir thoroughly. Let the mixture sit until the formula temperature is between 104 and 107 degrees Fahrenheit. If the formula is too cold, it will inhibit digestion. If it is too hot, it will burn the bird's crop, or food pouch, causing injury.
  
  
• 2). Fill the syringe with food. Remove the chick from the nest or brooder. Weigh the chick on the gram scale and record the weight.
  
  
• 3). Gently hold the sides of the chick's head between your thumb and index finger, cradling the top of the head with the edge of your palm. Insert the syringe tip into the left side of the chick's beak. Point it towards the back of the right side of the chick's mouth, into the esophagus. Do not squirt the food into the left side of the mouth, because it will go into the chick's trachea, or windpipe, causing the chick to choke.
  
  It is essential to perform this step correctly.
  
  
• 4). Slowly dispense the food from the syringe as the chick rhythmically bobs its head up and down, called the feeding response. If the chick does not respond to the syringe in its mouth, don't attempt to feed it.
  
  
• 5). Continue feeding until the chick refuses more food. The crop should be rounded and bulging on the front of the bird's chest.
  
  
• 6). Wipe any formula off the chick's beak and body with a warm, wet paper towel. Return the chick to its nest immediately after feeding, if it is not yet feathered. Very young birds cannot regulate their body temperatures and must be kept warm at all times. If the bird is feathered, you can gently hold and pet the bird for a few minutes of socialization before returning it to the brooder.
  
  
• 7). Record the amount of food the bird ate. Very young cockatiel chicks should eat about 15 percent of their body weight per feeding. Dispose of any uneaten formula immediately. Wash and sanitize all equipment and surfaces.
  
  

Weaning

• 1). Begin weaning the chicks at 4 weeks of age. Offer soft foods such as soaked seeds, cooked brown rice, cooked oatmeal, and a small amount of vegetables and fruits. Prepare fruits and vegetables by washing them thoroughly to remove pesticide residue. Steam vegetables to soften.
  
  
• 2). Place weaning foods on the brooder or cage bottom in food dishes. Remove after 1 hour to prevent bacterial growth. Add a bit of formula to the dishes to encourage the chicks to eat if they are wary of the new food.
  
  
• 3). Continue to hand-feed formula until the chicks are no longer interested in eating it. Continue to monitor and record their food intake and weight to ensure the chicks are getting enough to eat.