During this head bobbing, the trachea is closed and large amounts of food can be given relatively quickly. This action can be stimulated with gentle finger pressure at the corners of the mouth. The natural feeding response of a baby bird is to rapidly bob the head in an up and down motion.
Accurate feeding volumes can be recorded with the syringe. Syringes are probably the preferred feeding tool, but some bird owners still prefer a spoon with the sides bent up and inward.
"All food must be prepared fresh for every feeding." Chicks older than one or two days, should have food containing approximately 70 - 75% liquid. A d ay - old chick requires a more dilute mixture (90% water), as it is still utilizing the yolk sac as a source of nutrition. In general, the younger the bird, the thinner the mixture should be. Hand-feeding formulas have specific directions on the packaging and explain how they should be mixed. Food that is too hot may cause severe burns to the crop.įood that is too cold may be rejected by baby birds and may slow down digestion. F ood temperature should be at 102° - 106☏ (39° - 41☌) throughout the mixture and should be measured with a thermometer. Any food prepared or heated in a microwave oven must be mixed thoroughly to ensure that the food’s temperature is unifo rm and that there are no hot or cold spots. Food ret a ined f rom one feeding to another is an ideal medium for the growth of harmful bacteria and yeast. How do I feed my baby bird?Īll food must be prepared fresh for every feeding. Be sure to discuss dietary choices with your veterinarian, an experienced bird breeder, or an aviculturist. Changes in diet may be stressful on the baby's digestion. You should c hoose one formula and use it until the baby is weaned. There are numerous commercial ly ava ilable hand-feeding formulas for baby birds. The brooder should be carefully c hecked to ensure that it does not contain anything for bird s to get their wings or legs stuck on or that might cause injury or deformities. If the bottom texture is too smooth, chick s ’ legs may splay out sideways, leading to permanent deformit ies. The bottom liner must be changed frequently to keep bird s clean. Paper towel, diapers, hand towels, or other soft, disposable products can be used to line the bottom of the brooder and provide secure, clean, dry footing for bird s. Good quality brooders are available that carefully regulate air circulation, temperature, and humidity. Poor growth or poor digestion (delayed crop emptying) may indicate poor health ( including presence of gastrointestinal tract infections ), improper consistency/mixing of hand feeding formula, improper temperature of formula, or improper environmental temperature and humidity. Shivering and cuddling of chicks together indicate that they’re cold. Wings extended or drooping, and panting indicate overheating. If you are raising a chick, a lways monitor your bird for signs of overheating or chilling. Fully feathered and weaned chicks can be maintained at room temperature. Chicks with new feathers (pinfeathers) should be fine at 75° -85☏ (24° - 30☌) depending on the development of the feathers.
Generally, the temperature can be lowered by one degree every 2 - 3 days a s feathering progresses. As the chick gets older and develops feathers, it has a greater tolerance for temperature fluctuations. Hatchlings ( without feathers) should be maintained at 95° - 97☏ (35° - 36☌). Initially, r elative humidity greater than 50% is required. Precise temperature and humidity is essential for optimum growth of newly hatched birds. Older birds may prove to be more challenging in their acceptance of hand - feeding. When do I start hand-feeding a baby bird?Ī chick may be removed from its parents any time before weaning, but many suggest leaving the babies with the parents for up to 3 weeks. This handout is designed to provide some basic guidelines on h ow to hand-feed. If you’re considering hand-feeding a baby bird, y ou should contact your local bird breeder or veterinarian for help. Hand - feeding is a job best left for the experienced bird breeder or aviculturist. Hand-fed baby birds are entirely reliant on you for everything. Hand-raised babies grow up with less fear of humans or other potential dangers such as cats, dogs and young children. Hand - f eeding is a huge responsibility and requires time, patience, and commitment. H and-raised baby birds usually make better pet s, as they h ave been completely socialized with humans. Hand - feeding baby birds is only a substitute for parent s rais ing birds, but it does have certain advantages.
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