a new green baby comming soon

[Vankarhi]

Ok, I have told a couple of people here on BB, that I am getting another baby bird. So I guess I will share it with all now.

I answered an ad for a 12 week old parent raised alexandrine dna'd male. During our conversation by email, we decided I would take a baby next season and handraise him myself. I have handraised cockatiels and finished raising my female alexandrine from 6 weeks old and had her weaned by 10 weeks.

I am pretty excited now because I am getting a little boy..............after having to give Kumar back after only 5 days. It is always nice to get another baby in the house There will be no more human babies either (already have 6 of them) , so feathered and furred ones will be just great.

I should be getting him around august or september as that is when their breeding season starts again. I am not getting him from the same breeder as Rani..............not for any reason, it just happened that way.

I will be ringing the breeder of my ekkie to ask if he can teach me how to crop feed and give me any pointers on raising a bird possibly as young as 2 or 3 weeks old. I do not know how old he will be when I get him, he might be 4 or 5 weeks old, but i want to be prepared in case he is younger. I can syringe feed no problem and spoon feed too, but I would like to know how to crop feed also. I have seen it done twice .............. once before the breeder let me take Rani home he gave her a feed and showed me how to do it. The other night a vet nurse bought a very sick male ekkie into dog training. she had him on 2 hourly observations and medication and electrolytes, he looked a very very sick boy. I did not touch him but did sneak a peek and watched her crop feed him his meds. His beak had been allowed to grow so long he had not been able to eat for a long time .........properly anyway. It is the second time she had to try to save his life. The first time a pet galah bit him and he lost his eye from that one, when she had him then she said he was a very sick boy too.

so anyway that is what is happening around here in a couple of months time. I am very excited and decided it was time I shared it

[red192]

yeah! a new baby! I'm getting one too, I think...for the price I can't beat it, and I really want it! ! ! ! TAKE TONS OF PICTURES AND SEND UPDATES!

[Vankarhi]

boy you are quick Red............just emailed you also. ((smile))

[Casa Amazona]

That's exciting -- but late summer seems sooooooooooooo far away!!! Maybe Tara can show you what she learned about crop feeding while she was here in the States.

[Dustin]

All that exciting energy to burn until late summer....your not going to have any fingernails left!!

[felisdomesticus]

Originally Posted by Vankarhi

I will be ringing the breeder of my ekkie to ask if he can teach me how to crop feed and give me any pointers on raising a bird possibly as young as 2 or 3 weeks old. I do not know how old he will be when I get him, he might be 4 or 5 weeks old, but i want to be prepared in case he is younger.

Why would anyone want to handrear a baby bird instead of the breeder? From what I've read, reputable breeders don't sell unweaned baby birds.

What is the harm in waiting? I am not trying to flame, merely trying to learn. Are those who take over handfeeding supposed to develop a stronger bond with their bird?

[Lori L]

Originally Posted by felisdomesticus

Why would anyone want to handrear a baby bird instead of the breeder? From what I've read, reputable breeders don't sell unweaned baby birds.

What is the harm in waiting? I am not trying to flame, merely trying to learn. Are those who take over handfeeding supposed to develop a stronger bond with their bird?

In answer to your last paragraph, no there is not a stronger bond with those that actually hand feed to those that get the bird as a baby. I think some people like the experience of handfeeding a baby and raising it from a young age. And true a reputable breeder should not sell an unweaned baby but it sounds as though Tracey has an established relationship with this breeder and they both feel comfortable with the situation.

[felisdomesticus]

Originally Posted by jetanlori

And true a reputable breeder should not sell an unweaned baby but it sounds as though Tracey has an established relationship with this breeder and they both feel comfortable with the situation.

agreed. I just don't understand why people sign up for such a thing when good breeders are happy and *should* insist on holding babies until they are weaned.

Maybe I just am too new to the bird world to understand.

[Lori L]

Originally Posted by felisdomesticus

agreed. I just don't understand why people sign up for such a thing when good breeders are happy and *should* insist on holding babies until they are weaned.

Maybe I just am too new to the bird world to understand.

Well I've done it several times and I would never do it again. I had a baby Ekkie from 2 1/2 weeks and it was scary. I remember the first night I kept checking on her cuz I was sure she had died since she was so little. The breeder wasn't very worried about me taking a bird so young which is a bad thing. I didn't take the bird to be my pet, just wanted the experience of handraising a bird. I devoted a lot of time and effort and she grew into a gorgeous, wonderful bird. I'm so glad I had the experience because I have learned alot and know alot (always can learn more though). I've handraised a cockatoo, eclectus, caique, and cockatiel. It is a very rewarding experience but like I said a lot of time and responsibility.

[Dustin]

I have heard that sometimes it creates a stronger bond.

Another reason, that i know of, is that the price of the bird will be less. I talked to a Hy breeder last weekend and he said the prices are high because the rarity and also they take 9 months or so to wean. 9 months is a lot of man hours of feeding. If someone is knowledgable about handfeeding, and willing to take the responsibility they could save a lot of money.

Some people just may enjoy handfeeding.