URGENT: First-time cockatiel parents attacked newborn chick, currently keeping it in incubator — need feeding advice
My cockatiel chick hatched today at around 13:04. The parents are around 5–6 years old but this is their first baby ever.
The eggs were originally laid on the bottom grate of the cage instead of inside the nest box. The chick hatched successfully, but it actually fell through/into the grate area, so I added newspaper and paper towels over the grate to stop the baby from getting hurt.
After adding the paper towels, the parents became very agitated and seemed stressed/confused by the unfamiliar setup. They were pacing, acting nervous, and not properly brooding the chick. The mother later attacked the chick, so I removed it for safety.
Right now the chick is in a chicken egg incubator at around 35.5–36°C on paper towels. The chick is alive, peeping occasionally, and seems okay for now.
Problem:
I do NOT currently have hand-feeding formula and I may not be able to get anything until tomorrow.
Questions:
• How long can a newly hatched cockatiel chick safely go before first feeding?
• What emergency food can I safely use tonight if I absolutely cannot get formula?
• Is the incubator setup okay for now?
• Should I continue trying to reintroduce the chick to the parents later or keep it separated?
Any urgent advice from experienced breeders or hand-raisers would help a lot.