[Video] Set-up & technique for hand-raising baby finches

[afinch]

Being finch crazies, we always seem to be one blink away from an abandoned baby in need of our care. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to take care of a neonate, and you choose to step in and not let nature take its course, don't panic! Granted, it IS incredibly difficult to rear these tiny babies (nobody forget that!). BUT, with sufficient research, a good set up, and lots and lots practice, it is doable (be warned - extremely time intensive).

I have put together a little video that outlines my entire set up and hand-feeding technique, with which I've had great success keeping babies alive and carrying them over to weaning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PceYcep0F_E

Now...

There are lots and lots of instruction pages all around which I encourage you to look up and read (all of them if possible - that's what I did). The recommendations for feeding times vary, but the consensus seems to be that you should feed these babies every hour, or every other hour. I will say, however, that I've had no problems whatsoever on 4-5 feedings per day. When I'm caring for babies, I get up early and give a feeding at around 6 AM. I top it off before I leave at ~8:30 AM. I come at noon during my lunch break and give a big feeding. Then another big feeding after work at ~ 5. Then another medium feeding after gym at ~ 7 PM. Then another big feeding at ~ 10 PM - after which I allow the crop to empty overnight. I don't think it's realistic for most people to feed every hour, or even every two hours. For whatever it's worth, my program seems to work JUST FINE. So don't feel like you need to choose between saving abandoned babies and having a day job. You do need, however, to be able to give that feeding at lunch time (no way around that one).

Good luck!

[KarenB]

Curious, on your incubator what is the purpose of having that grate on the bottom, for air circulation underneath the babies?

[afinch]

Curious, on your incubator what is the purpose of having that grate on the bottom, for air circulation underneath the babies?

I put it there to make sure no chick ever lands on that heating pad (it can get hot!). It's not an issue now, but it becomes a real risk when they are about to fledge. Having the grate gives me one less thing to worry about, while allowing the warm air to circulate freely. These babies will learn your voice and will jump out in their eagerness every time they hear you speak! It used to happen a lot with Messi (who is still a little piglette by the way).

[KarenB]

So the heating pad is your source of heat? How do you regulate the heating pad? Is that what that gizmo on the right side is?

[afinch]

So the heating pad is your source of heat? How do you regulate the heating pad? Is that what that gizmo on the right side is?

lol yep. It's a digital thermostat/switch that I got off ebay. It has a sensor which I extend into the incubation "chamber". Maybe you can see it, taped to the sensor of the digital thermometer that I have next to the "nest". Both sensors are positioned to sit at nest top level. I set a temp on the thermostat as a threshold, with a one degree differential. The switch will allow current to the heating pad so long as the air temp at the sensor is below the threshold temp (say 89F). Once the threshold temp is reached, the switch will cut off power to the pad. Eventually the temp equilibrates (at about 0.5 degrees higher, the starts inching back down). As soon as the temp hits one degree below the threshold temp, the switch returns power to the pad, and the chamber warms back up. This way, the temp within the chamber oscillates around the threshold temp +/- 1.5 degrees C. The digital thermostate that's inside the incubation chamber is just there for independent validation (it stores the max and min temps over any given period, so I make sure that I'm not getting any spikes - which would indicate a problem with the set up). It also allows me to monitor the humidity. I also got that off ebay. I got the tupperware from Publix, the piece of foam/separator from office depot, and the heating pad from CVS.

I gradually decrease the threshold temp as the babies get older and feather out. Eventually, when they're fully feathered, the incubator becomes a mechanism to simply counteract the AC

[oomiedog]

how many ccs do you feed a 3 week old baby?

[afinch]

Frankly, I don't follow charts very closely, because birds can differ immensely on an individual basis. Some babies can be extremely behind on their development (ex those that get neglected in the nest) and you can't expect to feed them as much as birds that are well ahead. So I treat each case on its own merits. I keep an eye on the crop as I feed and stop when it looks full, regardless of the age and size of the chick (except for the first two days, where I feed very little and more frequently - using the blunt end of a toothpick. And there I use Lafebers formula, which is somewhat "slimier" and sticks better to the toothpick). You can have two chicks of the same age and size, but that still doesn't mean both can take in the same without problems. It would also depend on how much each has been used to getting. A sudden increase can probably cause the crop muscles to sag. So there's a "training" factor in all of this. If you've been feeding this chick for some time, you don't want to suddenly change things up.

On average, I can usually feed ~2-3 mls comfortably to a 3 week old chick, given a slow gradual increase to that amount. But I've had a piglette that would very happily take more if I let it, a lot more. He's ~5 months now and extremely healthy.

This of course pertains specifically to my experience with zebras. Other species might be different - but there's a lot of people here that are experienced with many different species and will be able to give you better advice.

[afinch]

And a sight only a parent (currently yours truly) might find adorably cute...
From left to right, n# 1,2,3 and 5. Egg n# 4 was infertile.

[JBO]

Hello Sir afinch, where can I buy the syringe that you used in the video. Did you start feeding on day one? Because, I have heard different things. There was one guy who said not feed them for first 2 days then there's one site said to only feed some Pedialyte the first day. Also, when do you introduce them to eating seeds? Thank you!

[lovezebs]

JBO

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

The thread you posted on is an old one, and I don't believe afinch is on the Forum any longer.

I am not sure where they purchaced this particular syringe, I have never seen one quite like it.

There is this one on amazon.ca

https://www.amazon.ca/Lixit-Hand-Feedin ... S2ZE3JZ4CW

[JBO]

Hello Elana,

Thank you so much for letting me know about afinch and for also providing the link for the syringe. I am really appreciated for your good and kind heart. Thanks again, James.

[lovezebs]

JBO

You are very welcome