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Hatchlings
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It is important to feed hatchlings frequently enough to prevent the crop from emptying completely. Feed chicks that are 10 hours to four days of age 1 to 2 milliliters of watery formula prepared according to package directions about every two hours. Chicks five to seven days need 3 to 4 milliliters of a more substantial formula mix every three hours, with a six-hour period of uninterrupted sleep at night.
Monitor crop fill, or the amount of food in the bird's crop. Stop feeding when the crop has a rounded bulge, before the bulge extends up into the neck. Overfeeding can cause problems with regurgitation, which can sometimes be inhaled into the lungs. It can also cause food to sour or spoil in the crop before it can be digested, or cause crop emptying to slow or stop completely. Feed again when the crop bulge is gone.
Weight gain is a reliable indicator that your chick is getting enough food. Monitor your bird's weight daily until it is weaned.
Eight to 24 Days
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Chicks eight to 14 days old can be fed a thicker formula about every four hours, with an uninterrupted seven to eight hour night of sleep. Feed 4 to 6 milliliters of formula at each feeding, continuing to monitor crop fill.
Chicks 15 to 24 days old should be fed about every five hours with an eight to nine hour sleep at night. Each feeding should contain 7 to 10 milliliters of formula.
Twenty-Five Days to Fledgling
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When the chicks are 25 days, decrease feedings to every eight or nine hours, for a total of three feedings per day. Feed chicks 11 to 15 milliliters each feeding.
When chicks reach the fledgling stage at about 31 days, their appetite decreases and they lose weight as they prepare for flight. This does not mean the chick is weaning. Continue to formula-feed 11 to 15 milliliters twice a day, about every 12 hours.
Six Weeks to Weaning
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At six weeks, most birds will begin to explore their environment and begin to lose interest in feeding. Cockatiels wean at approximately about eight weeks of age. Weaning is the chick's transition from being fed by the breeder to feeding itself. It can take several days to a week to accomplish. During this time, feed the chick 11 to 15 milliliters of formula once in the evening. Offer a small dish of thick formula, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and millet throughout the day. Discard fresh foods after a few hours to prevent spoilage.
A bird is weaned when it refuses hand-feeding and is able to maintain its weight for at least five days without formula.
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How Often Should Hand-Fed Cockatiels Be Fed?
Hand-feeding cockatiels helps to socialize them with humans and increases their value when sold as pets. Cockatiels can be hand-fed exclusively from birth, fed by the parent birds for the first two or three weeks and then exclusively hand-fed by the breeder, or co-fed until weaning at seven or eight weeks. Hand-feeding frequency will vary depending on your system and the age of the bird. Work with a veterinarian or experienced breeder who can help you determine what feeding system is right for you, train you in the specialized care your baby bird needs and to monitor its health and development.