Newborn Green Cheek

[pacoparrot]

Yesterday one of my green cheeks eggs hatched. How can I make sure it's being fed? It's making peeping sounds but I haven't heard feeding yet. Also I'd like some information on the differences in handfeeding newly hatched babies, should a problem arise. I've handfed older conures, cockatiels, and an eclectus parrot before with success. Is it more difficult with 2-3 week old babies? I have a heating pad, syringes, and a bag of formula on hand. I however still need to get a thermometer. I have a laser thermometer but I don't know how accurate it is.

My plan for the babies is I'm keeping one for my Dad's cinnamon green cheek Bella to have a friend and the rest will be sold at $150 each to the knowledgeable and/or experienced bird lovers in my area in an attempt to build a bigger parrot community around here. If the babies don't find homes I am fully equipped to keep all of the potential five of them.

 

[crimson]

here is a link about pipping:

it explains why the parents don't feed their chicks for the first 8-12 hours.

Before an egg hatches, the chick inside starts peeping. The chick uses a special egg tooth to peck around the circumference of the egg. It takes from a few hours to two days to peck all the way around it, depending on the strength of the chick and the thickness of the egg. This process is called "pipping." Once a chick has pipped most of the way around its egg, it turns inside the shell and breaks out of the egg.

After the exhausting hatching, the chicks can often be seen resting on their backs. During these first few hours of its life, the chick's main requirement is warmth provided by their parents. For the next 8 to 12 hours, the parents will not feed the chick, as it receives nourishment from absorbing its yolk sac. This is a very crucial step. If the yolk sac isn't properly absorbed, the chick isn't likely to survive. Only after process that is completed, the parents should commence feeding.

you should be able to hear the parents feeding the chicks without disturbing or looking inside the box.
you can get a regular small thermometer to put inside your brooder when the time comes.

there is a difference between hand feeding chicks that are 2-3 weeks of age, and 1-2 weeks of age. when they are that young, sterilization is VERY IMPORTANT, I can't stress that enough. everything you place your utensils on must be clean and free of any bacteria, as with any thing else you use.
place everything on paper towel, or a freshly washed towel.
they need to be fed more frequently, and it's a slower process, they don't each much, so make sure you don't over stuff their crop.
wash your hands before handling them.

here are some more links., they are for other type birds, but it's all the same process

http://www.cockatielcottage.net/

http://www.flyinggems.com/Lovebirds/handfeeding.htm

good luck....how exciting!!