First attempt at hand feed.

kyle · Post by **kyle** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 5:57 pm

Fraza
Elana is right there is no white on the feather it's just the tip of the pinfeathers that look white.

Fraza · Post by **Fraza** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 6:33 pm

Oh yeh my bad mine sometimes get a full white pinfesther and then grows into a full white feather thought yours was same

experience shows I guess lol

Post by **Babs _Owner** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 6:51 pm

kyle

Fantastic work daddy-bird! He's looking right on schedule! $\M/$

kyle · Post by **kyle** » Wed Sep 27, 2017 6:42 pm

Babs
Hi Babs, I was wondering if you feed the hand feeding formula exclusively until they start to ween or do you introduce egg food when hand feeding? And at what point do you start to introduce the egg food and how much of it do they get compared to hand feeding formula?

Post by **Babs _Owner** » Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:04 pm

kyle

Oh Kyle!! He is looking fantastic!

Incredible job! $\M/$

A few tips at this point.

He doesnt have all his feathers. Resist the urge to take him out and play, especially if he has food in his crop (remember the rule of keeping the crop warm). Only out with an empty crop for a quick photo or snuggle is just fine.

Make sure his formula is thick and his bedding doesnt get wet (or it will chill him in the brooder.

Treat him just like if he was in the nest. Warm and cozy at all times until time to fledge.

I dont introduce anything other than formula until he "fledges" (just like mom and dad do).

When he "fledges" you can set out everything in bowls. Seed, millet (he will go for that first), boiled egg and water. (I never add eggfood to his formula I set it out in a shallow dish when he is out of the brooder...after fledging. )

Watch him around the water dish the first few days.

Once he fledges I cut it down to 4 formula feedings a day only (via the pippette).

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.....nightime snack. I'm pretty strict about that to encourage weaning him on time.

Looks like you GOT THIS!! "pat pat"

PS... Give him a heat source in his weaning cage for a day or so until he gets used to room temperature.

Post by **lovezebs** » Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:09 pm

kyle

Kyle, he is adorable.... looking like a real bird now.

kyle · Post by **kyle** » Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:15 pm

Babs
For some reason everytime I take a picture it's just before I change his bedding.

. After being told not to take him out of the brooder feed I never take him out that time is coming to an end soon!

I'm excited about finally getting to interact a little bit with him in the next week or so.
As far as the hand feeding goes that makes perfect sense so much easier to continue with what I've been doing.

kyle · Post by **kyle** » Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:19 pm

lovezebs
Thanks Elana, it's amazing how much these little guy grows everyday! So looking forward to the next fazes!

kyle · Post by **kyle** » Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:58 pm

Babs
On Saturday Blueberry will be 21 days. I know he's not ready or feathered but was curious at what age you move them from a brooder to a small cage? When I move him initially he'll have a heat lamp on one side.

Usually around 21-24 days my chicks come out have the nest. Although tender they are full on birds. I can't imagine him being ready for another 2 weeks.

Post by **Babs _Owner** » Wed Sep 27, 2017 8:34 pm

kyle

Haha! They poop ALOT! You have done a grand job Sir Kyle! Once he's smooth and those feathers are all unsheathed (especially under the belly ) he is ready to fly to daddy for feedings. Only at that time can he fledge. Hes a little behind schedule. Thicken up the formula.

If you are ready for free flight that is. ;)

When he weans in his cage make sure he can see your other finches feeding in their flights to get the idea of hunting and pecking for food.

kyle · Post by **kyle** » Wed Sep 27, 2017 8:49 pm

Babs
Thanks Babs, okay once he is fully feathered I'll let him tell me when he's ready. Lol. Today I thickened up the formula. Right now it's two parts formula 3 Parts water. If I squirt it out it maintains its shape.

Fraza · Post by **Fraza** » Thu Sep 28, 2017 12:13 pm

HE Looks amazing

andiok · Post by **andiok** » Thu Sep 28, 2017 3:07 pm

kyle
you've done a great job man!

kyle · Post by **kyle** » Sat Sep 30, 2017 6:10 pm

Hi everyone. Today blueberry is three weeks old. The weirdest thing is I took a picture of him a couple of days ago where he looked extremely blue but overnight his colour is like this. I don't know how the colour could change so much. Both photos were taken with the same equipment in the same place at the same time a day so I don't see how lighting could account for such a change. Has anybody else noticed this with their birds?

Icearstorm · Post by **Icearstorm** » Sat Sep 30, 2017 6:26 pm

kyle

Is one of the photos flash? Blue seems to be a structural color, rather than a pigment, so lighting may have more of an effect on the color. My juvenile gouldian looks quite green at some times, and grey/brown at others, possibly due to a similar reason.

FINCHforum

First attempt at hand feed.

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