Detailed Handfeeding for Newbies
Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:33 pm
On very tiny (waxbills and such) babies (just hatched to maybe 8 days) I use a fancy toothpick -- the kind with a little knob on one end. -- You can get these at most any grocery store.
You Will Need:
1. Bright lamp that projects light downward
2. Artists Magnifier or some type of hands free magnifier (optional but VERY helpful and boosts confidence)
3. Heating Pad (optional but nice to have)
4. Paper Towels5. Baby Bird Feeding Formula
6. Toothpicks (Fancy is nice) and/or needleless 1 ml. syringe for later as the chick grows.
7. Small glass to put inside a larger glass (I use a shot glass inside a small measuring cup).
8. Baby Bird Feeding Formula
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Put your heating pad on warm (or lowest setting) under the bright lamp to prepare for hand-feeding the baby finch. Cover the pad with a paper towel just for protection. Nearby you should have your hands free magnifier and toothpicks/syringe.
2. Make your formula. I use LeFeber's because it is rice based and mixes very easily. Let the tap water run into the large glass until the water is hot and heats up the glass. Meanwhile, place a tiny amount of the handfeeding formula in the bottom of the small (shot) glass. When the water is hot drip a small amount of water into the small glass and mix with the formula. When they are very tiny you will make the formula VERY soupy - almost like water but just enough thickness to stick to the toothpick.
3. Fill the larger glass with enough water to cover the sides of the small glass and keep the formula warm and place the small formula-filled glass inside the larger glass. You should test the temperature here and make sure it is not too hot -- it should feel pleasantly warm to your finger tip but NOT hot.
4. Remove the chick from brooder and place on pre-warmed heating pad on top of paper towel. (This helps the tiny chick retain his body heat while you feed).
5. Fix your magnifier to see the chick very clearly under the light and dip the pointed end of your toothpick (just the tip) into the formula. Touch the "loaded" toothpick to the baby's beak very lightly if it is not begging. DO NOT EVER FEED A CHICK THAT IS NOT VOLUNTARILY OPENING ITS MOUTH UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY (like the chick is dying from starvation and is too weak to respond).
Once the chick opens its beak place the toothpick inside the opening just enough so that the chick swallows. (You will see him close his beak and gulp it down into his crop).
TIPS HERE:
a) Be very patient -- go slow and don't feed the chick in a stressful environment (kids yelling, dogs barking, etc. etc.) if you can help it.
b) Never force the chick to eat if you tap its beak after its eaten some and it won't open up. Try again a little later. (An hour).
c) As the chick grows you will switch to the knobby end of the toothpick and then to a syringe. You will know when he grows enough to fit the knobby end and then the tip of the syringe in his open beak that it is time to "switch up".
6. Continue feeding the chick until he has some food in his crop. You will see the food enter the crop and the crop will become distended as it fills. DO NOT OVERFILL THE CROP -- this causes aspiration --
7. When the chick is done feeding clean up any formula that may have gotten on him and when clean, place him back in the brooder.
8. Discard any remaining formula. It must be made new for each feeding to prevent contamination -- this is very important!
9. 2 hours later repeat steps 1-8.
NOTES: I feed very new babies throughout the night for the first 3 days but I stretch the feeding time some (every 3-4 hours depending on the strength of the baby). The smallest ones do best with a feeding or 2 during the night. Once they are a little older they can go for 6-8 hours without a night feeding but feed them first thing in the morning.
As the chick gets older and more vigorous you will GRADUALLY make the formula thicker -- for instance, you will notice the chick starts begging more and seeming more hungry -- this is a clue that he needs more thick formula [just like real kids for you mothers out there]. But GO gradual -- you don't want to give the baby formula so thick he can't swallow properly.
To anyone who is afraid to do this with tiny waxbills. If I can do it -- YOU can do it. I aspirated ONE baby when I first started but I saved many lives and have not aspirated one since -- it IS a learning curve but so rewarding. There is nothing more grateful than a hungry baby bird!!
I hope this helps if you are considering it.
Happy Handfeeding!
You Will Need:
1. Bright lamp that projects light downward
2. Artists Magnifier or some type of hands free magnifier (optional but VERY helpful and boosts confidence)
3. Heating Pad (optional but nice to have)
4. Paper Towels5. Baby Bird Feeding Formula
6. Toothpicks (Fancy is nice) and/or needleless 1 ml. syringe for later as the chick grows.
7. Small glass to put inside a larger glass (I use a shot glass inside a small measuring cup).
8. Baby Bird Feeding Formula
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Put your heating pad on warm (or lowest setting) under the bright lamp to prepare for hand-feeding the baby finch. Cover the pad with a paper towel just for protection. Nearby you should have your hands free magnifier and toothpicks/syringe.
2. Make your formula. I use LeFeber's because it is rice based and mixes very easily. Let the tap water run into the large glass until the water is hot and heats up the glass. Meanwhile, place a tiny amount of the handfeeding formula in the bottom of the small (shot) glass. When the water is hot drip a small amount of water into the small glass and mix with the formula. When they are very tiny you will make the formula VERY soupy - almost like water but just enough thickness to stick to the toothpick.
3. Fill the larger glass with enough water to cover the sides of the small glass and keep the formula warm and place the small formula-filled glass inside the larger glass. You should test the temperature here and make sure it is not too hot -- it should feel pleasantly warm to your finger tip but NOT hot.
4. Remove the chick from brooder and place on pre-warmed heating pad on top of paper towel. (This helps the tiny chick retain his body heat while you feed).
5. Fix your magnifier to see the chick very clearly under the light and dip the pointed end of your toothpick (just the tip) into the formula. Touch the "loaded" toothpick to the baby's beak very lightly if it is not begging. DO NOT EVER FEED A CHICK THAT IS NOT VOLUNTARILY OPENING ITS MOUTH UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY (like the chick is dying from starvation and is too weak to respond).
Once the chick opens its beak place the toothpick inside the opening just enough so that the chick swallows. (You will see him close his beak and gulp it down into his crop).
TIPS HERE:
a) Be very patient -- go slow and don't feed the chick in a stressful environment (kids yelling, dogs barking, etc. etc.) if you can help it.
b) Never force the chick to eat if you tap its beak after its eaten some and it won't open up. Try again a little later. (An hour).
c) As the chick grows you will switch to the knobby end of the toothpick and then to a syringe. You will know when he grows enough to fit the knobby end and then the tip of the syringe in his open beak that it is time to "switch up".
6. Continue feeding the chick until he has some food in his crop. You will see the food enter the crop and the crop will become distended as it fills. DO NOT OVERFILL THE CROP -- this causes aspiration --
7. When the chick is done feeding clean up any formula that may have gotten on him and when clean, place him back in the brooder.
8. Discard any remaining formula. It must be made new for each feeding to prevent contamination -- this is very important!
9. 2 hours later repeat steps 1-8.
NOTES: I feed very new babies throughout the night for the first 3 days but I stretch the feeding time some (every 3-4 hours depending on the strength of the baby). The smallest ones do best with a feeding or 2 during the night. Once they are a little older they can go for 6-8 hours without a night feeding but feed them first thing in the morning.
As the chick gets older and more vigorous you will GRADUALLY make the formula thicker -- for instance, you will notice the chick starts begging more and seeming more hungry -- this is a clue that he needs more thick formula [just like real kids for you mothers out there]. But GO gradual -- you don't want to give the baby formula so thick he can't swallow properly.
To anyone who is afraid to do this with tiny waxbills. If I can do it -- YOU can do it. I aspirated ONE baby when I first started but I saved many lives and have not aspirated one since -- it IS a learning curve but so rewarding. There is nothing more grateful than a hungry baby bird!!
I hope this helps if you are considering it.
Happy Handfeeding!