Help_ Baby Tiels getting Plucked.

[pjcurran]

Hi there
5 of my baby tiels left the nest in the last 2-3 days. I have noticed that the two cock birds are pulling/plucking feathers from the babys head and back so much so that 1 has a totally bald spot about 1 inch by 2 inches on its back and it is totally bare. Any ideas WHY? What to do? and is this in anyway normal? Thanks

[Roly]

pj barry was aving da same prob. wif 1 of his daddy birds.males.....whod ave dem.

[hagan]

they are trying to get the chicks out to start breeding again pj, can you remove the chicks and start hand rearing????

[pjcurran]

They are all in the outdoor flight 8' x 4'. 4 pairs of tielsin there with 4 nest boxes and the babies are from two pairs. Would they not breed again in the boxes with the tiels in the flights. I cant hand feed at the minute.

[Tracy.C]

PJ, If the tiels are looking to go down again which is not un-common with a fit & active cock bird.They are looking to use the nest box.In some cases he will see any male babies as a threat in his pursuit of his hen.It is common in many species that the cock will attack his male offspring once they have fledged.
Barry had the same experience, my advice was to remove the babies to prevent further attacks.
The feathers will grow back on the babies.Maybe Mark or Robin may be able to advise more.

Here is the other thread ..

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1987

[Robin.V]

Fortunalty i havent had this problem yet with tiels, but it does happen from time to time with my other birds like the doves and canaries.
If the chicks arent fully weaned then i would remove the cock until the young birds are independant and can be removed.
Fingers crossed they all settle down for you.

[birdman]

PJ i would suggest taking the babys and placing them in a cage away from the others for now as they have fledged the nest they should be able to eat at the eggfood and millet by themselves and a good feed in the morning and last thing at night should do the trick
get out of the pit earlier in the day and go to bed later that should do the trick and once mum and dad settle down in the nest again the young shouldn't pose as any problem ,even if they were placed in a cage for a fortnight then put back in the aviary and see how things go PJ
but as Robin said i have never had this problem myself
hope ya get it sorted

[barry]

Hi same thing is happen to me.I put the cock in a cage away from the babies

[Ruta]

If only the male is plucking the babies, separate the male. The female will rear them alone. If both parents are plucking, then you should take the babies from the parents and handfeed them. Leaving them with the plucling parents is not a good idea, because if they are being for long time, they will most likely pluck their chicks when they grow up.