How to Feed a Baby Bird by Hand
General Information 
Hand- feeding baby birds is only a substitute for parent s rais ing birds, but it does have certain advantages. H and-raised baby birds usually make better pet s , as they h ave been completely socialized with humans. 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. Hand-fed baby birds are entirely reliant on you for everything. Hand - feeding is a job best left for the experienced bird breeder or aviculturist . If you're considering hand-feeding a baby bird, y ou should contact your local bird breeder or veterinarian for help . This handout is designed to provide some basic guidelines on h ow to hand-feed .
When do I start hand-feeding a baby bird?
A 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. Older birds may prove to be more challenging in their acceptance of hand - feeding .
Where do I keep a baby bird?
Precise temperature and humidity is essential for optimum growth of newly hatched birds. Initially, relative humidity greater than 50% is required. Hatchlings ( without feathers) should be maintained at 95° - 97°F (35° - 36°C). As the chick gets older and develops feathers , it has a greater tolerance for temperature fluctuations.
Generally, the temperature can be lowered by one degree every 2 - 3 days a s feathering progresses. Chicks with new feathers (pinfeathers) should be fine at 75° -85°F (24° - 30°C) depending on the development of the feathers. Fully feathered and weaned chicks can be maintained at room temperature. If you are raising a chick, a lways monitor your bird for signs of overheating or chilling. Wings extended or drooping, and panting indicate overheating. Shivering and cuddling of chicks together indicate that they're cold.
Poor growth or poor digestion (delayed crop emptying)mayindicate 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. Good quality brooders are available that carefully regulate air circulation, temperature , and humidity. 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 . The bottom liner must be changed frequently to keep bird s clean. If the bottom texture is too smooth, chick s ' legs may splay out sideways, leadingtopermanentdeformit ies.The brooder should be carefully c hecked to ensure that it does not contain anythingforbird stogettheirwingsor legsstuckon orthat might cause injury ordeformities.
What should I feed my bird?
There are numerous commercial ly ava ilable hand-feeding formulas for baby birds . You should c hoose one formula and use it until the baby is weaned. Changes in diet may be stressful on the baby's digestion. Be sure to discuss dietary choices with your veterinarian , an experienced bird breeder , or an aviculturist .
How do I feed my baby bird?
All foodmust be prepared fresh for every feeding . Food ret a ined f rom one feeding to another is an ideal medium for the growth of harmful bacteriaandyeast . 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.F ood temperature should be at 102° - 106°F (39° - 41°C) throughout the mixture and should be measured with a thermometer . Food that is too hot may cause severe burns to the crop.
Food that is too coldmay be rejected by baby birds and may slow down digestion .Hand-feeding formulas have specific directions on the packaging and explain how they should be mixed.
Ingeneral,theyoungerthebird,thethinnerthemixtureshouldbe. A d ay - oldchickrequiresamore dilute mixture (90% water) , as it is stillutilizing the yolk sac as a source of nutrition . Chicks older than one or two days, should have food containing approximately 70 - 75%liquid.
"All food must be prepared fresh for every feeding."
Syringes are probably the preferred feeding tool, but some bird owners still prefer a spoon with the sides bent up and inward. Accurate feeding volumes can be recorded with the syringe. Charting daily feedings is important. The natural feeding response of a baby bird is to rapidly bob the head in an up and down motion. This action can be stimulated with gentle finger pressure at the corners of the mouth. During this head bobbing, the trachea is closed and large amounts of food can be given relatively quickly.
If the bird is not displaying a strong feeding response, do not attempt to feed as there is an increased chance of aspiration of food into the trachea and lungs which can lead to death. The best time to feed is when the crop is empty. When full, the crop, which is the sac that hangs over the front of the chest at the base of the neck, will be visibly distended.
How often and how much do I feed?
The amount and frequency of feeding depends on the age of the bird and the formula fed. The frequency of feeding for young birds is greater than that of older birds. The following are general guidelines. With newly hatched chicks, the yolk sac is the source of nutrients for the first 12-24 hours post-hatching. Chicks less than one week old should be fed 6-10 times per day (every 2-3 hours).
During the first week of life, some birds benefit from feeding during the night. Chicks that have not yet opened their eyes may take 5-6 feedings per day (every 3-4 hours). Once birds' eyes open, they can have 3-5 feedings (one every 5 hours). As their feathers start to grow in, they may be fed 2-3 times per day (every 6 hours). Their crops should appear full when they're done.
Feeding between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. is not necessary at that point when birds are sleeping. The best indication of a healthy, growing chick is a good, strong feeding response at every feeding, with the crop emptying between feedings, and the regular production of droppings (feces). Weight gain should be monitored and recorded at the same time each day using a scale that weighs in grams with 1-gram increments to detect subtle increases or decreases. Birds' weights may fluctuate up and down daily but should trend upward over a period of days to weeks. Birds that are not gaining weight should be checked by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
When should birds be weaned off hand-feeding formula?
Deciding when to wean a bird off of formula is often a difficult decision for both the bird owner and the bird. As a bird gets older and develops a full complement of feathers, it should be encouraged to wean off formula and to eat more on its own. Some babies start weaning themselves by refusing certain feedings.
Birds should be offered a variety of foods including formulated pelleted diets as well as fresh fruits and vegetables to encourage exploration and experimentation. As food introduction continues, hand-feeding may be withheld at certain times, often starting with the mid-day feedings. As time goes on, the morning feeding may be withheld and ultimately the evening feeding. Some birds learn quicker to eat on their own by watching other birds or older babies eat.
Should I be concerned about disinfection?
Baby birds have poorly developed immune systems and are more susceptible to developing infections. The brooder should be disinfected regularly. All feeding utensils must be cleaned, disinfected, and dried thoroughly between feedings. Using separate feeding utensils for every individual bird is recommended.
How do I know if something is wrong?
If you suspect something is wrong with your bird, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. Signs to watch for include:
- Chirping or crying all the time
- Fussing a lot and not sleeping
- Listless, droopy wings or head
- Not accepting food
- Lack of feeding response
- Slow or lack of crop emptying
- Poor weight gain
- Slow growth
- Abnormal posturing or abnormal wing and/or leg positions
- Abnormal or lack of droppings
- Wetness or food on skin over the crop (indicating a possible burn)
Source: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/hand-feeding-baby-birds
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