The Why And How Of Hand Feeding A Baby Bird

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THE WHY AND HOW
OF HAND FEEDING
A BABY BIRD
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Adopting a baby bird is a huge responsibility and
hand feeding is often done out of necessity when
the bird is removed from its parents before it
is weaned.
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While feeding a bird every few hours is a major
commitment, your efforts will pay off as you bond
with your pet.
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Experienced bird lovers also find that feeding a
baby bird by hand helps it to grow up without
fear of humans and other animals in the home.
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• It is important, however, to know how to feed a
  baby bird correctly since improper feedings can
  lead to illness and death.

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As you get to know the newest addition to your
bird family, use these strategies to get the
most out of your hand-feeding sessions.
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WHEN TO START
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A baby bird can begin hand feeding as soon as it
is removed from its parents.
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However, most bird breeders prefer to keep a baby
chick with its parents until it is two to three
weeks old.
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It is important to choose your timing carefully
because waiting too long could lead an older bird
to resist hand feeding.
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In some instances, hand feeding is started after
weaning if a bird demonstrates poor eating habits
when it feeds independently.
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TALK TO THE BREEDER
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It is always important to begin hand feeding
using the same methods and formula as the birds
current owner or breeder.
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Ask the breeder to show you how to tell when a
birds crop is full and when it is empty and use
the same positioning of the bird for feedings as
the breeder has been using.
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Keeping the hand-feeding strategies consistent
will ensure that the baby bird gets the
nutrition they need while protecting their
delicate body from too many sudden changes.
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PRACTICE FOOD SAFETY
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Similar to infant formula, you will need to
prepare fresh food for each one of your baby
birds meals.
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Reusing formula or allowing it to sit out will
allow bacteria to grow that your baby birds
developing immune system may not be able to fight
off.
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Serving formula at the proper temperature is also
critical since food that is too hot can burn
your baby birds crop.
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Yet, food that is too cold may be refused or
cause poor digestion.
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Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the
formula at every feeding, and strive to stay
within the breeders recommended guidelines.
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DEVELOP A FEEDING SCHEDULE
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Your birds age, growth rate and diet all
influence how often they need to be fed.
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As a general rule, birds under six weeks of age
should be fed every two to three hours and the
time between feedings gradually increases as the
bird matures.
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Make sure to chart each feeding so you never
have to second guess when they ate last and
remember that you may have to feed more
frequently if they eat less at a feeding.
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OBSERVE FOR HEALTH CHANGES
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There are several ways to make sure your baby
bird is eating enough during your hand-feeding
sessions.
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A full crop is always a good sign and you can
also weigh your baby bird before and after
feedings.
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Finally, you should be able to see fecal matter
in their droppings.
If it is all liquid or completely white, then
your bird may not be taking in enough food.
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Hand feeding your baby bird is an amazing
experience that allows you to form a strong bond
in the earliest days of your birds life.
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While hand feeding can be done by anyone, you
will need to ensure you do it properly so that
your bird stays healthy.
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By taking your birds feedings literally into
your own hands, you can simultaneously socialize
them while providing the nutrition needed for
optimal health.
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