Points to be considered before fostering chicks

karthik_s9 · Post by **karthik_s9** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:40 pm

Do we have any important points which needs to be considered before fostering chicks to foster parent pairs....like chicks should be within some minimum/maximum age limits, whether more than one chick can be fostered at the same time to the same fostering parent pairs....etc

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:27 pm

There is no age minimum for fostering and any number of eggs/chicks can be fostered but foster parents should be prepared ahead of time.

Post by **Hilary** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:25 pm

You really only want to foster if absolutely necessary, and some pairs will care for chicks of certain species but not others. I only foster if I have live chicks who have been abandoned, or eggs from a valuable pair who for some reason have quit sitting.

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 4:48 am

Liz & Hilary have raised some very good points there for everyone that is considering or using fosters

Post by **Sally** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 1:02 pm

I agree that fosters should only be used when necessary. If you have a species that is readily available and inexpensive, it doesn't make much sense to foster. Fostering is not fool-proof--fosters may feed for a week and then abandon, just like the parents, or they may not feed at all. I have fostered BCCB eggs, because I can't get the parents to sit, and I have fostered Strawberries, because the parents toss. Some people have used fosters to increase production, letting the parent hen wear herself out producing eggs while the Societies raise the babies--sort of makes me think of puppy mills.

Post by **Hilary** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 2:52 pm

Good point about feeding. I had a pair that was happy to sit on my little BCCB chick and keep her warm, but never did feed her until after she fledged - I was responsible for every single feeding (lazy little buggers).

karthik_s9 · Post by **karthik_s9** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:24 am

Thanks for everyone responses

. I am just collecting all these info for making my own personal note which might come handy in case of any unexpected emergencies.

How do we know whether a egg/chick is abandoned by parent birds. Also is there any precautions which we need to take while fostering. How long we can keep the egg/chick outside nest after taking it out from the biological parents nest and before transferring the same to the fostering parents nest.