Cockatiel sitting on quail eggs... IT WORKED!

[ssbs]

We've had cockatiels for a while, they never did lay eggs or actually breed.. But we have friends who were getting older and who have health issues and gave us a male teil. He paired up and bred with our female, she laid 6 eggs.. The thing is, the male is over 20 years old.. The female sat on the eggs for a couple weeks, taking turns with her mate. But I think as an experienced mother she knew the eggs were no good, the male sat on them for about a week.. We took the eggs away, they never showed a sign of veining or anything. So the male is infertile. We know the female is ok because our other two birds are her offspring (we got the 3 of them from another friend after his breeder male flew away)..

The poor boy Meanie went and kept gazing into the empty next box, searching for his eggs.. My father told me to give him 3 quail eggs. I know the babies will have to be taken away after 24 hours if they actually hatch.. But has anybody ever tried anything like this? I know the teils can't actually raise the quail.. Baby quail are self-feeding road runners and cockatiel chicks sit on their butts getting fed by their parents.

 

[galanie]

As a cockatiel lover who has had them since childhood, I can't wait to see if it works!

My female lays eggs sometimes but she seems to think I'm the "baby daddy" and of course that doesn't work. I've gotten her males but she won't have a thing to do with them. Probably just as well.

 

[Terri O]

I would think it would work fine! They all incubate at the same temp so it should work if they sit for the time it takes. I was thinking about having my pigeons hatch some of my quail....

 

[ssbs]

Today is day 16.. Yesterday I did a float test for the heck of it (for some reason I was thinking this was the 3rd week, I was going to give up).. 2 eggs were translucent and didn't show any veining, so I knew they were no good.. But one egg is looking good, and it bobbed in the water!!!

No pipping or anything yet, but they didn't get religious about sitting on them until a couple of days after I added them.. So we might have a baby soon!

 

[ssbs]

I peeked into the next box and we've got a baby quail!! The thing is though, it is just sitting under the daddy bird, not even trying to act like a crazy quail chick. I know it wan't there last night so I'll just drop some feed in and let it stay a while longer

 

[Tikkajazz94]

Congrats!!!!

 

[TwoCrows]

I think male Cockatiels are great for setting on eggs. On numerous occasions I have brought in some quail eggs from my Bob's and give them to a few of my Cockateil males just for fun. My males don't have mates and they are pretty lonely for girls and nesting. They all have paper bags at the bottom of their cages where they have built nests and wait for their beloved females to join them. But I have to say that once they get setting, they do not want to get off! And I am sure my boys would set on these eggs full term, however my males get so aggressive and defend the eggs that I eventually take them away from them. Of course my hand comes out nearly bloody from their nests while trying to remove the eggs!

Oh and congats to you on the fine job your Cockateil has done!

 

[ssbs]

I actually use a kids plastic sand shovel to hold the male to the side while I reach in.. Otherwise I'd get torn up too..

The thing is SOOOOOO friggln adorable, I checked in on them a minute ago and the chick was in between his wing and breast, sticking his little head out above daddy's back trying to see what was going on

I wonder if it will grow up thinking it is a cockatiel?? I swear it is so laid back compared to my bator chicks

 

[Buugette]

Pics please... sounds adorable...

want to see please...

Congrats.

 

[Tikkajazz94]

Quote:
Agree pics!!!