CAGE'N BIRD

An Introduction to Hand-Feeding

Basic hand-feeding procedure and technique can be easily learned. There is a wealth of knowledge and useful products available in magazines, books and on the web. Information on Avian Pediatrics, hand-feeding technique, equipment, nursery management, etc. is readily available. The necessary skills required to successfully hand-feed can be learned from experienced hand-feeders and well written articles and books. A well-written book will illustrate and help to clarify the hand-feeding process. Of course, the right product can simplify the sometimes-overwhelming task of raising hand-fed baby birds. As with anything, the more experience and knowledge you acquire the more successful you will be.

It is important to research and prepare the avian nursery well ahead of time. You cannot imagine how many people wait until the very last minute to purchase the necessary equipment to set up their nursery!  Basic equipment should include: brooders, bedding (the right choice of bedding material(s) is critical to a safe and healthy pediatric environment. Choose your brooder bedding wisely.), incubators, , air cleaner and/or ionizer, feeding utensils, thermometers, emergency equipment, a good recommended commercial formula, gram scale, hand-feeding & incubation logs, disinfectants, and reference material. All equipment should be judiciously selected, set up and tested well before babies are expected.

There are several well-written books dealing specifically with hand-feeding. Beginners and experienced aviculturist alike are encouraged to have one or more hand-feeding specific books as reference. Matthew Vriends’, Hand-feeding and Raising Baby Birds and Rick Jordan and Howard Voren’s, Parrots: Modern Handfeeding and Nursery Management are highly recommended. Topics covered include: nursery management, hand-feeding technique, sanitation, hand-feeding equipment, avian pediatrics, emergency care, age specific care, weight monitoring, etc. For those interested in learning more about incubation, R. Jordans’ book, Parrot Incubation Procedures, fits the bill.

A variety of sizes and styles of feeding utensils should be on hand in order to meet any condition or emergency. An assortment of different sized and styles of syringes (1cc and up), pipettes, bent spoons, latex tubing and appropriately sized curved stainless steel feeding needles are a must.   Even if you do choose bent spoons as your feeding utensil of choice, there are times when a syringe, feeding needle and/or tubing is warranted. One should become familiar with the different methods and techniques used in hand-feeding or for emergency and medical situations.

Nursery sanitation is an important part of hand-feeding and nursery management. Being aware and somewhat knowledgeable about disinfectants and cleaners will make choosing the right product that much easier. Some recommended products are:  Nolvasan, Sani-Cloths and GSE for safe, gentle clean-up around babies and their brooders, Oxine, Trek-Trol & GSE for safe whole nursery cleanup and soaking instruments and Trek-Trol for incubator fumigation and for cleaning eggs.

Hand-feeding can be an enjoyable experience, mostly, when done ‘by the book’, successful results are expected and realized. However, doing everything ‘by the book’ does not always mean a pleasant hand-feeding experience. Things do and will go wrong! When a problem presents itself, it is important to be prepared. Emergency supplies, reference material, and a knowledgeable friend, mentor and/or a willing avian veterinarian can be of help when problems arise.

The key to successful hand-feeding is being prepared and continually learning from your own and others’ mistakes and successes. It is important to keep abreast of new techniques, products and advancements made in the field of Avian Pediatrics. The combination of knowledge and experience breeds success.

                                               Wanda Barras

Link to  Videos on Handfeeding Your Bird

To learn more about hand feeding, click here to view the Kaytee Hand Feeding video page.

Copyright © 2001 Wanda Barras. All Rights reserved. WWW users are granted the right to download a single copy of this catalog and Mrs. Barras articles for archival on electronic media and/or conversion into a single printed copy for personal use. All commercial or educational use or reproduction of this material is strictly prohibited. It may not otherwise be reprinted or recopied, in whole or in part, in any form or medium, without express written permission of Wanda Barras.

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