Baby bird food temperature

feeding-baby-birds | VCA Animal Hospital

General Information

Hand-feeding baby birds is only a substitute for parents raising birds, but it does have certain advantages. Hand-raised baby birds usually make better pets, as they have been completely socialized with humans. Hand-raised babies grow up with less fear of humans or other potential dangers such as cats, dogs and young children. Hand-feeding is a huge responsibility and requires time, patience, and commitment. Hand-fed baby birds are entirely reliant on you for everything. Hand-feeding is a job best left for the experienced bird breeder or aviculturist. If you’re considering hand-feeding a baby bird, you should contact your local bird breeder or veterinarian for help. This handout is designed to provide some basic guidelines on how to hand-feed.

When do I start hand-feeding a baby bird?

A chick may be removed from its parents any time before weaning, but many suggest leaving the babies with the parents for up to 3 weeks. Older birds may prove to be more challenging in their acceptance of hand-feeding.

Where do I keep a baby bird?

Precise temperature and humidity is essential for optimum growth of newly hatched birds. Initially, relative humidity greater than 50% is required. Hatchlings (without feathers) should be maintained at 95°-97°F (35°-36°C). As the chick gets older and develops feathers, it has a greater tolerance for temperature fluctuations.

Generally, the temperature can be lowered by one degree every 2-3 days as feathering progresses. Chicks with new feathers (pinfeathers) should be fine at 75°-85°F (24°-30°C) depending on the development of the feathers. Fully feathered and weaned chicks can be maintained at room temperature. If you are raising a chick, always monitor your bird for signs of overheating or chilling. Wings extended or drooping, and panting indicate overheating. Shivering and cuddling of chicks together indicate that they’re cold.

Poor growth or poor digestion (delayed crop emptying) may indicate poor health (including presence of gastrointestinal tract infections), improper consistency/mixing of hand feeding formula, improper temperature of formula, or improper environmental temperature and humidity. Good quality brooders are available that carefully regulate air circulation, temperature, and humidity. Paper towel, diapers, hand towels, or other soft, disposable products can be used to line the bottom of the brooder and provide secure, clean, dry footing for birds. The bottom liner must be changed frequently to keep birds clean. If the bottom texture is too smooth, chicks’ legs may splay out sideways, leading to permanent deformities. The brooder should be carefully checked to ensure that it does not contain anything for birds to get their wings or legs stuck on or that might cause injury or deformities.

What should I feed my bird?

There are numerous commercially available hand-feeding formulas for baby birds. You should choose one formula and use it until the baby is weaned. Changes in diet may be stressful on the baby's digestion. Be sure to discuss dietary choices with your veterinarian, an experienced bird breeder, or an aviculturist.

How do I feed my baby bird?

All food must be prepared fresh for every feeding. Food retained from one feeding to another is an ideal medium for the growth of harmful bacteria and yeast. Any food prepared or heated in a microwave oven must be mixed thoroughly to ensure that the food’s temperature is uniform and that there are no hot or cold spots. Food temperature should be at 102°-106°F (39°-41°C) throughout the mixture and should be measured with a thermometer. Food that is too hot may cause severe burns to the crop.

Food that is too cold may be rejected by baby birds and may slow down digestion. Hand-feeding formulas have specific directions on the packaging and explain how they should be mixed.

In general, the younger the bird, the thinner the mixture should be. A day-old chick requires a more dilute mixture (90% water), as it is still utilizing the yolk sac as a source of nutrition. Chicks older than one or two days, should have food containing approximately 70-75% liquid.

"All food must be prepared fresh for every feeding."

Syringes are probably the preferred feeding tool, but some bird owners still prefer a spoon with the sides bent up and inward. Accurate feeding volumes can be recorded with the syringe. Charting daily feedings is important. The natural feeding response of a baby bird is to rapidly bob the head in an up and down motion. This action can be stimulated with gentle finger pressure at the corners of the mouth. During this head bobbing, the trachea is closed and large amounts of food can be given relatively quickly.

If the bird is not displaying a strong feeding response, do not attempt to feed as there is an increased chance of aspiration of food into the trachea and lungs which can lead to death. The best time to feed is when the crop is empty. When full, the crop, which is the sac that hangs over the front of the chest at the base of the neck, will be visibly distended.

How often and how much do I feed?

The amount and frequency of feeding depends on the age of the bird and the formula fed. The frequency of feeding for young birds is greater than that of older birds. The following are general guidelines. With newly hatched chicks, the yolk sac is the source of nutrients for the first 12-24 hours post-hatching. Chicks less than one week old should be fed 6-10 times per day (every 2-3 hours).

During the first week of life, some birds benefit from feeding during the night. Chicks that have not yet opened their eyes may take 5-6 feedings per day (every 3-4 hours). Once birds’ eyes open, they can have 3-5 feedings (one every 5 hours). As their feathers start to grow in, they may be fed 2-3 times per day (every 6 hours). Their crops should appear full when they’re done.

Feeding between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. is not necessary at that point when birds are sleeping. The best indication of a healthy, growing chick is a good, strong feeding response at every feeding, with the crop emptying between feedings, and the regular production of droppings (feces). Weight gain should be monitored and recorded at the same time each day using a scale that weighs in grams with 1-gram increments to detect subtle increases or decreases. Birds’ weights may fluctuate up and down daily but should trend upward over a period of days to weeks. Birds that are not gaining weight should be checked by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

When should birds be weaned off hand-feeding formula?

Deciding when to wean a bird off of formula is often a difficult decision for both the bird owner and the bird. As a bird gets older and develops a full complement of feathers, it should be encouraged to wean off formula and to eat more on its own. Some babies start weaning themselves by refusing certain feedings.

Birds should be offered a variety of foods including formulated pelleted diets as well as fresh fruits and vegetables to encourage exploration and experimentation. As food introduction continues, hand-feeding may be withheld at certain times, often starting with the mid-day feedings. As time goes on, the morning feeding may be withheld and ultimately the evening feeding. Some birds learn quicker to eat on their own by watching other birds or older babies eat.

Should I be concerned about disinfection?

Baby birds have poorly developed immune systems and are more susceptible to developing infections. The brooder should be disinfected regularly. All feeding utensils must be cleaned, disinfected, and dried thoroughly between feedings. Using separate feeding utensils for every individual bird is recommended.

How do I know if something is wrong?

If you suspect something is wrong with your bird, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. Signs to watch for include:

Chirping or crying all the time
Fussing a lot and not sleeping
Listless, droopy wings or head
Not accepting food
Lack of feeding response
Slow or lack of crop emptying
Poor weight gain
Slow growth
Abnormal posturing or abnormal wing and/or leg positions
Abnormal or lack of droppings
Wetness or food on skin over the crop (indicating a possible burn)

Guidelines for Hand-Feeding Baby Birds

Hand-feeding baby birds is only a substitute for parent-raised birds but it does have certain advantages. The hand-raised baby usually makes a better pet as it has been completely socialised with humans. They grow up with no fear of humans or other potential dangers such as cats, dogs and young children.

Hand-feeding is a huge responsibility and requires time, patience and a complete commitment. The little bird in your care is entirely reliant on you for everything. Hand-feeding is a job best left for the experienced bird breeder or aviculturalist. You may wish to contact your local bird breeder for help.

When do I start hand-feeding a baby bird?

A chick may be removed from the parents any time before weaning but many suggest leaving the babies with the parents for up to 3 weeks. Older birds may prove to be more challenging in their acceptance of hand-feeding.

Where do I keep the baby bird?

Precise temperature and humidity is essential for optimal growth of newly hatched birds. Relative humidity greater than 50% is required initially. Hatchlings (no feathers) should be maintained at 35°C – 36°C. As the chick gets older, it has a greater tolerance for temperature fluctuations. Generally, the temperature can be lowered one degree at a time every 2 – 3 days as the feathering progresses.

Chicks with new feathers (pin feathers) should be fine at 24°C – 30°C depending on the development of the feathers. Fully feathered and weaned chicks can be maintained at room temperature. Always monitor your bird for signs of overheating or chilling. Wings extended or drooping and panting indicate overheating. Shivering and cuddling together indicate cold. Poor growth or poor digestion (delayed crop emptying) can suggest poor health or improper temperature and humidity.

Good quality special brooders are available to carefully regulate air circulation, temperature and humidity. Paper towel, nappies, hand towels or other soft, disposable products can line the bottom of the brooder and provide secure, clean, dry footing for the bird. This bottom liner must be changed constantly to keep the bird clean. If the bottom texture is too smooth the chicks legs may splay out to the side leading to permanent deformity. You must check that there is nothing for the bird to get its wings or legs stuck and which might cause injury or deformities.

What should I feed my bird?

There are numerous commercial hand-feeding diets available today. Choose one diet and use it until the baby is weaned. Changes in diet may be stressful on the baby’s digestion. It is very important to discuss this with your veterinarian.

How do I feed my baby bird?

All food must be prepared fresh for every feeding. Food kept for the next feeding is an ideal place for harmful bacteria and yeast to grow. Any food prepared or heated in the microwave oven must be mixed thoroughly to blend hot and cold spots. Try to achieve food temperatures of 39°C – 41°C. Use a thermometer. Food that is too hot will cause severe burns to the crop. Food that is too cold will not be accepted or digested well.

In general, the younger the bird, the thinner the mixture should be. A more dilute mixture (90% water) is required by the day old chick as it is still utilising the yolk sac. Chicks older than one or 2 days should have food with 70 – 75% liquid.

Syringes are probably the preferred feeding tool but some still prefer a spoon with the sides bent up and inward. Accurate feeding volumes can be recorded with the syringe. Charting daily feedings is important. The natural feeding response of a baby bird is to rapidly bob the head in an up and down motion. This action can be stimulated with gentle finger pressure at the corners of the mouth. During this head bobbing the trachea is closed and large amounts of food can be given relatively quickly.

If the bird is not displaying strong feeding response then do not attempt to feed as there is an increased chance of aspiration of food into the trachea and lungs leading to death. The best time to feed is when the crop is empty. When full, the crop is the ‘sac’ that hangs over the front of the chest at the base of the neck.

How often and how much do I feed?

The amount and frequency of feeding depends on the age and growth rate of the bird, growth of the bird and the diet used. The frequency of feeding for young birds is greater than that of older birds. The following is a guideline.

With newly hatched chicks, the yolk sac is the source of nutrients for the first 12 – 24 hours. Chicks under 1 week old should be fed 6 – 10 times per day (every 2-3 hours). In the first week of life, some feeding during the night may be beneficial. Chicks who have not yet opened their eyes may take 5 – 6 feedings per day (every 3-4 hours). Once the eyes open, 3 – 5 feedings (every 5 hours) are necessary and as the feathers start to grow in, feed 2-3 times per day (every 6 hours). The crop should appear full when done. Feeding between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. is not necessary.

The best indication of a healthy, growing chick is a good, strong feeding response at every feeding, the crop empties between feedings and regular droppings (faeces) are noted. Monitoring and recording weight gain on a gram scale provides an accurate record of growth.

When do the birds wean?

When to wean is often a difficult decision for both the owner and the bird. As the bird gets older and develops a full compliment of feathers, weaning should be encouraged. Some babies start weaning themselves by refusing feedings. The bird should be offered a variety of formulated foods including fruits and vegetables at this time to encourage exploration and experimentation.

As this food introduction continues you can slowly start to withhold some of the feedings starting with the mid-day feeding. As time goes on, the morning feeding may be withheld, and lastly the evening feeding. Some birds learn quicker by watching other birds or older babies eat.

Disinfecting

Baby animals have poorly developed immune systems and are more susceptible to infections. The brooder should be disinfected regularly. All feeding utensils must be cleaned and stored in a disinfecting solution between feedings. The disinfectant should be changed every day to avoid contamination. Thorough rinsing is required before the next feeding. Using separate feeders for every individual bird is recommended.

What if something is wrong?

If you suspect something is wrong then immediately contact your veterinarian. Signs to watch for are included in the following list:

chirping or crying all the time
fussing a lot and not sleeping
listless, droopy wings or head
not accepting food
no feeding response
not emptying the crop
poor weight gain
abnormal growth
abnormal posturing or wing and leg positions
abnormal droppings
wet area lying over the crop (may indicate a burn)

Bird food - World of Birds

Birds are truly warm-blooded animals. Their body temperature ranges from 40.5C to 44C. To maintain a high temperature, the body requires a constant supply of energy. In small and medium species, the ratio of surface area to body mass is relatively large compared to large species, so they lose heat faster. During wakefulness, small birds eat almost all the time.

Before long flights, birds consume food in large quantities. Due to the accumulation of fat, weight can increase by 50% or more. Females eat a lot before laying eggs. Most birds start the day with a large meal and eat large again in the evening to provide themselves with energy for the night. The body temperature drops at night, and the metabolism slows down accordingly. Some hummingbirds living in the Andes have a difference between day and night temperatures exceeding 22C, and only thanks to a decrease in energy expenditure these tiny creatures survive during those hours when they cannot eat. In the American white-throated nightjar, the body temperature drops below 4.5C in winter. Birds hibernate more from lack of food than from cold.

Birds cannot chew food because they have no teeth. Instead, they swallow their food whole or cut their prey into pieces with their sharp beaks. From the mouth, food enters the stomach through the esophagus, in the anterior glandular section of which digestive juice is produced. In the back section, called the muscular stomach, the food, already chemically softened, is rubbed with powerful movements of the folded muscular walls. Seed-eating birds regularly ingest sand and small pebbles to increase the grinding capacity of their gizzards. Birds digest food faster and more completely than most other animals.

A wide variety of birds can coexist in the sea or on the shore. Each species has its own ecological niche. For example, water cutters catch small fish and other animals near the surface of the water, and loons, which have rather heavy bones, dive deep.

Bird's goiter

Many birds have a bag in the middle of the throat, called goiter For those representatives who immediately absorb a large amount of food, but sometimes go hungry for a long time, the goiter serves as a reservoir, from where food gradually enters the stomach. Undigested parts are collected in the goiter of predators - bones, wool, feathers, etc. In other birds, food processing begins already in the goiter. Many carry food long distances into their crops, then regurgitate it and feed the chicks. When there is a lot of food, some birds stuff their crops so much that they cannot fly. Others first fill the goiter, and then the esophagus along its entire length; some extra piece, such as a fish tail, may even hang out of the mouth.

In the tropics, where food is plentiful, birds may eat the same food all year round. In temperate latitudes, the diet depends significantly on the time of year. Trupials mainly eat seeds, but in the middle of summer, taking advantage of the abundance of insects, they can feed exclusively on them. For white storks, the menu usually consists of frogs and fish, but includes mice in drought.

In experiments where chicks were first given one food and then offered several options, they preferred the one they received first. From this it follows that the gastronomic preferences of the offspring are determined by what kind of food the parents bring to the chicks. Bird tastes often change with age. It happens that the chicks feed on worms, insects, fish or other small animals, and adults become vegetarians.

Which birds steal food?

All birds compete with each other for food, but some earn their bread honestly, while others simply steal. Seabirds skuas trade in uniform piracy. Seeing that a tern or a gannet is flying with fish, one or several skuas follow and chase the prey until it abandons its prey. Sometimes she even regurgitates food stored in her crop. In tropical seas, frigatebirds steal prey from cormorants and pelicans. Bald eagles regularly attack fish-carrying ospreys, forcing them to drop their load. Among land birds, theft is less common. Blackbirds sometimes rob birds of related species of up to 10% of their "catch" of earthworms.

Do birds help each other?

Most birds are ardent individualists and care nothing for others, except for their partner and chicks. Among the few species that are characterized by cooperation in obtaining food is the pink pelican. Birds on the water line up in a crescent and approach the shore, beating their wings and gradually closing the row. So they manage to drive the fish into shallow water, where pelicans literally filter every drop with their huge beaks with bags. Cormorants sometimes also fish together.

Many terrestrial birds forage in flocks, which often consist of several species. But within the pack there is no true mutual assistance. Birds at the end of the flock try to overtake the rest, since there are more chances to get food ahead.

What to feed a baby budgerigar

Budgerigars are the most popular bird for home keeping. A variety of colors, a cheerful, playful disposition will give a good mood to any owner. Caring for them is not difficult, nutrition does not cause difficulties, but not everything is simple with chicks. The usual offspring of budgerigars is 3–12 babies hatched 18 days after laying eggs, subject to temperature conditions and maintaining the necessary air humidity. Occasionally, two chicks can hatch from one egg. First, the testicles hatch first. At hatching, the weight of the baby is about 1 gram. Every owner who decides to start breeding birds for the first time is worried about the question of how to feed not only an adult bird, but also small chicks. Proper care, maintenance, a competent diet are important for the health, long happy life of pets.

For a year, a pair of budgerigars can hatch offspring 4 times. This should not be allowed: the body of the female is depleted.

Small birds feed on a special substance in the form of a mucous mass mixed with almost liquid pieces of food and protein-rich milk produced in the mother's goiter or muscular stomach. After two or three days, grain, partially digested in the goiter, is added to the milk.

With the birth of babies, they are defenseless, completely dependent on their parents. The female cares for, feeds the cubs from her beak, turning each one on its back, regardless of their number and timing of hatching. If the diet of the female contains a sufficient amount of germinated cereals, then the mixture for feeding babies is completely enough. Over time, the grown older birds receive grain food from the goiter, the remaining milk goes to the babies who hatched last. There are cases when, together with the mother, the father also feeds the offspring, in whose goiter grain processing also takes place. Intensive feeding of parrots provides them with all the necessary nutrients and enzymes that ensure the smooth functioning of the digestive tract.

The owner of parrots must provide a full menu to parents, changing the diet in a timely manner. It is recommended to constantly add egg mixture, sprouted grains, greens to food.

After leaving the nest, the babies go completely under the care of the male, while the mother is preparing for the next clutch at this time. The feeding period lasts 1.5 months, after which the young become independent from their parents, begin to feed on their own.

Artificial feeding

Sometimes there are situations when the female abandons her children, and the role of the parents of the parrots has to be performed by the owners themselves, feeding without the help of the real father and mother.

It is important to know: if a newly hatched chick does not eat for more than 12 hours, it may die.

Reasons for switching to artificial nutrition at home:

large offspring, parents cannot cope with providing food for all children;
female aggression, refusal to feed the cubs. Why this happens is difficult to answer. Perhaps she does not have or has not yet awakened maternal instinct. Maybe the reason was that you took a barely born chick in your arms or some other shock for the parrot;
the baby loses his appetite, and he is not able to eat on his own;
quarantine or sickness of the baby, requiring the separation of the diseased parrot from other birds for the duration of treatment;
death of parents;
the female is ready to produce the next clutch, the offspring becomes a hindrance to her.

Important to know : food deprivation of a barely born chick for more than 12 hours is critical, it can cause death. It is necessary to remember this period and have time to prepare food. Sometimes the remaining one chick can be planted with an outside pair of parrots or another bird species. They will become foster parents to the baby, although the chance of survival of the chick is reduced; otherwise, you should take care of feeding the owner of the birds himself. The best candidates for this role will be Japanese finches, other types of parrots often refuse to accept a stranger, they can injure or peck him.

It is important for fledgling crumbs to maintain optimal temperature and humidity. To do this, periodically spray the nest with clean water. The temperature in it must be maintained at 33 ° C, lower or higher will cause the death of birds. The process can be organized using a cardboard box, constantly warming up its bottom. You can put a warm towel, use an incubator with a set mode that is optimal for chicks. From the twenty-first day, thermoregulation of young animals is improving, additional heating is not required.

Most experienced breeders advise feeding babies lightly watered down baby food heated to 37°C.

A chick who is two days old is given food using an ordinary insulin syringe or a catheter (cannula) attached to it, made of a plastic tube, wound with a thread. It is necessary to advance the tip further, preventing food from entering the trachea and choking the crumbs. If the bird is not weakened, it immediately begins to swallow food from the first drop. You need to feed until full saturation every two hours, even at night. Such food is given no more than 2 days - it is not intended for long-term feeding of chicks. Remains of food that have stuck to the baby's beak should be washed off with a decoction of chamomile, preventing the growth of bacteria and parasites. In small birds, food sometimes gets stuck in the beak, leading to cracks, you need to remove the remnants of food with a toothpick. Sometimes female parrots do not clean the paws of their babies, they accumulate leftover food, droppings, which harden during accumulation. In this case, you will have to wash the crumbs yourself.

When artificially fed with a cannula, food is poured not into the beak, but into the goiter, this will prevent the chick from choking on the contents. You can prepare such a mixture: part of baby food, two parts of millet decoction, one part of oat decoction, part of a solution with glucose, vitamins, amino acids.

Foods

There are several types of feeding for newly hatched wavy.

Use of a donor bird

This method is used by experienced breeders who are professionally breeding birds. The grain mixture is fed into the goiter of the parrot through a catheter, from where it is sucked off with a probe in the digested form. A dangerous, but the most effective type of food for artificial people, while all the substances necessary for life will enter the feathered body.

Malt milk feeding

Malt is prepared from sprouted grains, crushed, filtered, mixed with water, egg until a paste-like consistency is obtained. Feed heated to 39 ° C. At a lower temperature, the mixture is not absorbed, it begins to ferment in the goiter, the bird dies of hunger. Higher food temperatures cause burns.

Enzyme porridges

You can feed the wavy with porridge, mixing mezim or festal. The exact dosage of the preparations must be observed, preferably with malted milk.

Formula feeding

The most convenient way to feed the chicks. Special branded balanced ready-made feeds of good quality, for example, NutriBird A19 and A21, are diluted with warm water to the required density, taking into account the age of the young, fed to babies. With this daily diet, the birds receive the necessary components: lactobacilli, enzymes, nutrients for health and growth, similar to those produced by the mother's goiter.

Dairy-free cereals

Buckwheat, oatmeal or corn porridge are cooked without milk, salt and sugar. You can feed the birds with dairy-free rice porridge. From the third day of life, the menu includes vegetable juices from carrots, pumpkins or beets. You can add a piece of egg yolk rubbed through a sieve. From the tenth day, fruits are mixed in: banana, apple, low-fat cottage cheese.

On the twentieth day, they begin to feed a small bird from a spoon, try self-feeding, offering a crushed sprouted grain to a budgerigar.

From the age of thirty, they begin to introduce whole grains. Even if there is no one to show how to eat it, after a while the chicks will learn to peck themselves.

Water

When feeding birds with liquid cereals and mixtures, there is no need for water, with the exception of hot days. Over time, when the bird grows up and begins to feed on its own, clean filtered water should be constantly in the drinker.

How often to feed

Barely hatched wavy are fed every two hours, the night interval between meals is 4 hours. Gradually bring the food up to six times. From the twentieth day they give food 4 times. A chick who is 1 month old is transferred to three meals a day. You should listen to the sounds coming from the cage - hungry birds remind you of themselves with a squeak. Starting from the 21st day of life, parrots, overgrown with plumage, are fed strictly observing the regimen, sometimes doing it by force - they stop voicing when they get hungry.

A sick adult parrot is fed more often.

It is necessary to give food to the feathered carefully, try not to oversaturate, take your time, watch that the food does not flow out of the beak. It is better to teach to eat from a spoon. Be patient - it won't work right away. At the same time, it is worth learning to eat only one chick on your own - the rest will follow its example. It is recommended to keep the syringe on hand for now - the parrot may be malnourished.

Tips for beginner ornithologists

In order for artificial nutrition to cause fewer problems, you should follow some tips:

Single portion of food for wavy from 3 to 5 ml, no more cooking: food turns sour, causes digestive disorders.
There is no need to supplement the birds with water: diluted mixtures contain a sufficient amount of liquid.
From the age of seven, fruit juices are introduced into the diet: thanks to them, immunity is strengthened, growth is accelerated.
Mineral food is required in the cage for the correct formation of the bird's skeleton. You can give coarsely grated chalk or eggshells. A lack or excess of minerals disrupts development, growth, and sometimes leads to disease and even death.
Grain mixtures are introduced from the moment the birds start sitting on the poles or perching on the owner's finger. Semi-liquid or thick porridge is cooked, offering a choice.

With proper care and feeding, the life of your pets will be long, happy, full. Having studied all the recommendations, tips, you can save the life of a little chick. You can be sure that artificially fed birds are more tame and trainable, they start talking better and faster than those raised in a nest with their family.