Examine the Keelbone, and Importance of a Scale
The following are some guidelines I’ve used to help determine good weight and health.
Sometimes we wonder such things as: Is my bird healthy? Is it overweight, or too thin? Cockatiels can range from 65 grams to 150+ grams in weight. Like people the sizes and weight vary.
A lot 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 (kind of like people with a long and short waist). This makes a visual difference in overall length and a noticeable feel in weight. Many times females will be wider through the shoulders and have a bulkier looking chest. Each of these differences per bird will account for the differences in weight.
I found the best way to gauge 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.
If you suspect your cockatiel 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.
I did up a simple illustration to show what to look for.
Sometimes we wonder such things as: Is my bird healthy? Is it overweight, or too thin? Cockatiels can range from 65 grams to 150+ grams in weight. Like people the sizes and weight vary.
A lot 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 (kind of like people with a long and short waist). This makes a visual difference in overall length and a noticeable feel in weight. Many times females will be wider through the shoulders and have a bulkier looking chest. Each of these differences per bird will account for the differences in weight.
I found the best way to gauge 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.
If you suspect your cockatiel 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.
I did up a simple illustration to show what to look for.
Feel the breast area. If the keelbone feels like it is sunk into the flesh then they are overweight. Ideally you want the tissue flush even with the edge of the keelbone. If the flesh is good on either side of the keel bone and the bird looks proportionate for its size then I would not worry about the weight.
I would suggest you to have/invest in a scale that weighs in grams. Many may overlook the importance of a scales. A scale will allow you to keep regular records of your birds weight. Many times a sudden drop or increase could be your first alert to a problem. Just visually looking/watching the bird you may not notice this. Birds will try to hide it if something is wrong and they endanger themselves by doing so, to the point of weakness.
You can find scales at an office supply, Walmart or Amazon.
I would suggest you to have/invest in a scale that weighs in grams. Many may overlook the importance of a scales. A scale will allow you to keep regular records of your birds weight. Many times a sudden drop or increase could be your first alert to a problem. Just visually looking/watching the bird you may not notice this. Birds will try to hide it if something is wrong and they endanger themselves by doing so, to the point of weakness.
You can find scales at an office supply, Walmart or Amazon.
You can save and print this out
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 first. 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 an 8-10 gram increase it could be an alert to a problem. If the weight gain gradually increases daily and no egg, there is a problem going on. If the weight increases over 15-20+ grams, and no egg also check the Keelbone for gradual weight loss. When weight increases 20-30 grams it is a good indication that there is peritonitis that could go septic.
Note: I will be doing an article about this because many deaths of hens are assumed to be from egg binding.
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 first. 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 an 8-10 gram increase it could be an alert to a problem. If the weight gain gradually increases daily and no egg, there is a problem going on. If the weight increases over 15-20+ grams, and no egg also check the Keelbone for gradual weight loss. When weight increases 20-30 grams it is a good indication that there is peritonitis that could go septic.
Note: I will be doing an article about this because many deaths of hens are assumed to be from egg binding.
A scale is also an essential tool for babies in the nest. Again, weight loss may not visually be detected until the baby shows other alerts to a problem. All chicks can vary in weight when young. A lot of size has to do with genetics, what the parents feed, and hydration. With babies it is not the weight that is the most important to observe, it is the development for their age.
In summary, it is our job to use the tools and gained knowledge to keep the birds in our care healthy and safe.
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