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24K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  MeanneyFids 
#1 · (Edited)
Sometimes we wonder such things as: is my bird healthy, is it overweight, or too thin? I found the best way to guage the birds weight/health is to hold the bird in your hand and check the flesh in either side of the keelbone. The keelbone is the center bone that is located from below the base of the neck to the bottom of the ribcage. What you want to do is part the feathers and look at the flesh on either side of the keelbone.

Tiels can range from 75 grams to 150 grams in weight. Like people the sizes and weight vary.

Allot of this weight variance is due to bone structure. A large boned bird is going to be heavier. Some birds will be long bodied and some short bodied (kinda like long and short waisted people).....and this makes a visual difference in size and a noticeable feel in weight.

I did up a simple illustration to show what to look for. Click on the thumbnail pix for a larger veiw. Feel free to print it out and save it for reference.

If you suspect your tiel is fat you can check the level of flesh on either side of the keelbone, AND also part the feathers on the abdomen to see if the skin has a semi-transparent look, which some intestines and organs may be visible Or if it is opaque as shown in the illustration below which shows fat under the skin. When this is seen it can lead to health and liver problems that need to be addressed.
 

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#3 ·
Tiels like people come in all sizes. Some have a large bone structure and some have a small, delicate bone structure. As long as the flesh is good on either side of the keel bone and the bird looks proportinate for it's size then I would not worry about the weight.
 
#4 ·
All chicks can vary in weight when young. Alot of size has to do with genetics, what the parents feed, hydration....

Yours sound normal. Aside from the above it is not the weight that is the most important to observe....it is the development for their age. This link will be helpful: http://justcockatiels.weebly.com/watch-me-grow.html
 
#5 · (Edited)
I figured this would be a good place to post this since it is a healthy weight thread.

I did a search through the forum looking for a weight tracking chart to use; I didn't find one so I made this one up for my own use. Feel free to use it and modify it if you would like to:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/81386627/Bird-Weight-Chart

Click the link to go to the scribd page, then under "Bird Weight Chart" on the right click the dowload button. This only works in microsoft word so when you download select the middle ("doc") option. Then modify it as you wish and click print. :)

If you don't have microsoft, this is a very easy chart to make. It is simply 3 columns and about 40 rows..column headings are date, time, and weight.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Bj...I also have one. It was done in a photo-editing program so it is saved in jpeg, and has to be copied and saved to a program like Windows Photo Gallery, double click on the thumbnail to get the full view, right click and save. and then it can be printed on 8.5" x 11" paper. It can be 3 hole punched and kept in a binder.

I did a trade with Seaworld FL for mousebirds, and it is adapted from their weight record sheets they keep of all their birds.

Note: It is also useful for breeders. For example a hen will gain 5-6 grams hen she is in the process of laying. When a hen is setup it is a good idea to weigh her forst. If she has signs of being 'with egg' but no egg after 48 hours, handle carefully, and monitor the weight. If the weight gain is more than a 8-10 gram increase it could be an alert to a problem. if the weight gain gradually increase daily and no egg, there is a problem going on. If the weight increase over 15-20+ grams, and no egg also check the keelbone for gradually weight loss. When weight increase 20-30 grams it is a good indication that there is peritonitis that could go septic.
 

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#8 · (Edited)
[Edit by tielfan: this post was copied from http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=32794 ]


this is an underweight bird... notice the sharpness to the chest rather than a nice round chest. this bird lost weight from illness.





Adding on to this thread... here are some more examples of weight differences in birds





 
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