Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:30 pm Post subject: Hand rearing feeds
Hi,
A bird newbie here.... (we've always been a cat family); just bought a Kakariki yesterday - our first bird - 3 weeks old, I think (wing and tail feathers are fully grown, body only has pin feathers).
My question is; how much formula should I be feeding him each time? He seems to be taking about 2.5 - 3 mL each feeding (3 feeds a day), but he is quite happily having a go at the seeds and fruit which I have in his nesting box.
Also, I can't seem to make out his crop after feeding. Should the bulge be easy to see?
Ok, I'm having a bit more success now - I found that he is more comfortable and less squirmy when I wrap him in a towel - he just took 9mL, and his crop looks much fuller.
I think he just took a while to get used to the idea of hand feeding.
A bird newbie here.... (we've always been a cat family); just bought a Kakariki yesterday - our first bird - 3 weeks old, I think (wing and tail feathers are fully grown, body only has pin feathers).
It is my understanding, in Aussie, and several other countries, it is illegal to sell birds/pets before they have been weened off....
Kakariki should not be sold untill about 2 to 3 weeks out of the nest and the iris has formed.
A reputable breeder will not sell a bird out of the nest, unless they Know the buyer is experianced in hand feeding
An inexperianced person has very little chance of having the bird survive, or maturing into a heathy adult that will not have problems later on....regardless of the 'instructions' given.
I am sry to be so blunt and do wish you the best of luck _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Kakariki should not be sold untill about 2 to 3 weeks out of the nest and the iris has formed.
I'm not 100% sure exactly how old he is - attached is a photo of him; how old do you think?
Steptoe wrote:
An inexperianced person has very little chance of having the bird survive, or maturing into a heathy adult that will not have problems later on....regardless of the 'instructions' given.
Well, I'll certainly try my best...
The main issue I have now, is whether he should have seeds or not, and if so, should they be softened? I have read conflicting reports from various different sites (and it's not helped by my gf, who won't listen to anyone but the girl we bought from, who said seed is ok ).
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news BUT the bird in the picture has been badly plucked by it's parents and probably why the original owner was so keen to sell an unweaned bird. Breeders like that need a good kick up the butt as they have left you in a very difficult situation in trying to rear a bird of this age.
My suggestion would be to keep feeding the bird at least 3 times a day. Place a small bowl of canary seed in the bottom of the cage and observe when the bird is "picking" at the seed. You can cut back the feeds to twice a day once you are confident the bird is eating. Eventually it will reject being fed and able to fend for itself.
You can also put some endive, spinach and small chopped up pieces of apple in the cage. The bird will explore these new tastes and learn to eat fresh foods from a young age which is beneficial later on. Make sure you have a small bowl of water as well so the bird can stay hydrated once it starts eating seed.
As for the person who sold you the bird. I would be telling them to give up on breeding if they are only in it to rip off unsuspecting people such as yourself. Please dont talke any more "advice" from them as they clearly have no regard for the welfare of their birds. The RSPCA would have some VERY CLEAR advice for breeders such as these.
Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject: yuk
well here is a perfect sample of so called breeders doing the dirty on unsuspecting people. i agree with steps and kakariki, and this bird is no baby ,and when i say that i mean before you got him ,he was at the stage to get out of the box and be weaned of the parents ,so still young but not baby baby. you will probley find because kakas breed quite well the parent birds wanted him out of the nest so they can go down again and that is why he looks like this,the people who you got him off obviously didnt put another clean nest box in when the young start to exit the box.
i allways watch my birds and say i have 6 babies in the box ready to fledge,after the first baby comes out of the box ,in goes my next clean box,i place it about a foot away from the other ,by the time the 3rd baby is out the parents are matting again and by the time the last baby is out the hen is allready siting again in the new clean box and the dirty old box is distroyed. but i have had one pair when i first started breeding that plucked there babies for this reson.
Thanks for your advice, Steptoe & Kaka-riki - I'm keen to learn more about rearing and keeping parrots; I'll keep you posted on his progress. (I'll get the camera out tonight, and get a closer view of that feather-plucking)
kaka.riki and other breeders are far more quified than I re rearing your chick...I follow their advice...if it was me, its them I would listen to, and I do.
Dont get us wrong,we are not hammering you, but bloody breeders who do this sort of thing to unsuspecting newbies...this is not the 1st instance we have had to tell new members here that they have been sold something that is not...ie a hybrid, or bird in poor condition, badly raised etc.
What we expess in these forums doesnt even come close to what we actually feel ...against the actions of these breeders, and understanding the disappointment of the member here.
We have in the past banned a 'psduo breeder from this site for similar actions.
But lets move on, you and your pet are what is now important.
Steps _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Kakariki seem to pluck their young for a variety of reasons. Many breeders believe it is because the hen wants to go back to nest but we have tested that theory over the past few years and dont believe it to be true. All of our pairs now only have the one nest box and we have no problems with hens plucking their young.
I believe the problem may in fact be a lack of protein in the diet. We have a cock bird here that was very aggressive toward any young birds that reached oin feather stage in the nest. He would literally tear them apart. When Steptoe visited our aviaries he mentioned feeding his birds chop bones from the table scraps. I mentioned that to our vet and he suggested we feed these to this particular pair while there were young in the nest. To date the pair has had 3 clutches and no babies have been harmed. The vet seems to think a lack of protein in the diet of some birds will make them aggressive. Some type of hormone inbalance which to be honest I dont understand other than to say it has worked in the case of this pair of birds.
Your young fella will refeather without too many problems. Remember to keep him inside in the short term as bare skin will burn in the hot sun very quickly and may damage the feather folicles.
Many breeders believe it is because the hen wants to go back to nest but we have tested that theory over the past few years and dont believe it to be true. All of our pairs now only have the one nest box and we have no problems with hens plucking their young
I agree, we have had 1 pair pluck chicks and that is this season.
There where 2 nesting boxes, She laid in the 2nd.
The 2nd laying takes place after the pin feathers
Plucking takes place before/during the devalopement of pin feathers.
Quote:
I believe the problem may in fact be a lack of protein in the diet.
And Or the correct form of Calcuim??
The avaiary this occured in is the most remote from the house, hence distubution of chop, chicken bones, and diced up left over roast
meat/steak etc, tended to run out before getting to them.
Kakariki in the wild, coming up to breeding and during, have a dramatic increse in meat protein, foraging for grubs on the forest floor, even feeding on road kill and dead carrion....Red crowns far more so than yellows.
We have breed with 1 and 2 nesting boxes, very sucessfully and failure...about 50/50..in all cases a meat and bone suppliment was supplied. Sometimes female and/or male can get aggressive to the previous clutch, I believe a stong terriortal thing. The behavour tends to be if it is their 1st clutch only.
Every kakariki has their own personality, we have had pairs that simply are very terrortorial and dont get over it.
Our Vist to Kakariki and his wife while in Aussie was most enjoyable....My wife and Kakariki are mad nuts on NASCAR... Shame we doidnt have the time to catch up with Catscapes in Sydney...next time. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
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