I am wondering if a cardboard box with flat bottom would be better for a nest? Also, not sure if paper bedding is great as nesting material, I was using clean low dust pine shavings. It is possible that mold starts growing in the nest if the air is humid so you need to watch for it.
Because of a bowl shape, gravity pushes all the paper bedding down to a certain area which is probably not large enough for all of them.
I would definitely clean the chicks from poop using soft clean damp cloth, like maybe some larger cotton pads you can get in cosmetics department in stores.

I know it can be too early, but please start thinking what you going to do with the babies when they are older. Keeping all of them isn't a great idea, telling from my own experience.

Every time I change the bedding, I also wash the bowl so there isn't any poop left at all. I thought about it and I put paper towels around and under the bedding so there wouldn't be as much mess.



Now, why do you say it's not a good idea to keep them?

The two with white fuzz are definitely whiteface! When both parents are split to WF it's estimated that 25% of the babies will be whiteface, so you've beaten the odds in this clutch.

The babies shouldn't be covered with poop. Chicks normally back up to the edge of the nest to poop and then come back to the middle, so they stay clean and the sides of the nest are a mess. I wonder if the bedding you are using is too loose for them to move across it easily. Changing to a different type of bedding might be helpful.

It's best to clean the poop off their faces, but be careful, especially when cleaning around the nostrils. You don't want to drown the chick. Use warm water (so they don't get chilled) on a soft cloth or Q-tip. Be gentle of course, and try to avoid getting them any wetter than you have to. It can take a long time to soften up a big clump of poop, but small traces usually come off pretty easily.

The biggest problem with keeping all the babies (besides ending up with a huge number of birds) is that when they grow up they want to make babies with each other, which isn't good. Cockatiels seem to actually prefer incest over pairing up with an unrelated bird.

P.S. When you wash them, be careful that the water is not too hot. Touch your own face with the wet cloth to test the temperature. If it feels warm but not hot, it's a good temperature.

Oh, I will gladly explain.
First, they live up to 25 years. Are you ready to take responsibility for their well being for so many years (this includes providing medical care if needed)? if you think you can rehome them later - you will get attached to them, most likely, so rehoming will be more and more difficult with time. Also, other people prefer to buy younger birds (baby birds), rehoming adult birds can just be more challenging.
Second, they will want to make couples, they will want to mate but they will be related by blood, you can't allow them lay eggs and have chicks. All my cockatiels are related (now I have a father and his children, all siblings to each others). Its just unhealthy situation all around. They do get attached to each other, but they are not allowed to go any further.
Just imagine you would be stuck to live with your parents and sister all your life.

Oh, Chipper! That's priceless (esp. the last sentence).

Surprisingly, none of the children ever attempted to lay any eggs even though they mate from time to time. thanks goodness!

thanks Dianne,
Oh another drawback. Its hard to get your birds attached to you when they are in a large flock - they just ignore you. Are you thinking about second clutch to see what mutations you get the second time? This may lead to unnecessary overpopulation (make sure you can sell this chicks to good homes). There are way too many parrots already brought into this world, and they live long lives and need good care ... IMHO

I hadn't thought it through, but I was already planning on selling 2 babies from this clutch to a friend, and if they continue to lay anymore, I'll send the rest of them to trusted people. Plus, I'm gathering supplies to make a cage, it's gonna be 4 times bigger than the one they already have.



Thank you, I already did, though they keep getting poo all around the nest.