Need some answers soon. PLEASE

[Jolyn Beagley]

I posted this thread in ask the experts and got no responce. My love birds are about a month old now ,we want to hand feed some and start tamming them. We take them out every day and rub and talk softly to them. Although they never leave our hands, we let them grasp our fingers with their feet. It will soon be time to remove them. How do I set up my incubator, do I make a nest for them. and what tempature should I keep the incubator. when we raise chickens the temp is 102*. How long should they stay. Just until they all have fearhers to keep themselves warm? I've searched the web but have not found any temps. Also do I line their box with wood chips and then paper towels. or just change their nesting matterial alot. My other perplexing question is this. My finch pair have thrown both of their last clutches out of the nest. Should I remove the nest for awhile and give them a rest. And if she lays eggs on the bottom of the cage should I try to sneek them in with another nesting pair? I'm getting a bit nervous and feel like we should be asking soon. JO

[plumasverdes]

About your lovebirds...

I believe that, at a month old, your babies are too old to start hand feeding. Nomally you pull them at (I believe) 10 days. I would just keep handling them as you are and wait until the next clutch to handfeed. Someone else can probably give you more specific info.

As far as your finches go, I would give them a break. In 5-6 months, you might try to put the nest back up. How old are they? What kind? If they're Zebras or societies, if they're tossing the babies, they are probably too young to be breeding. If they're another specie, they sometimes need to try a few times to get it right. They need to rest. Laying eggs and caring for babies is extrememly hard on the birds, especially the females.

[The Outlaw]

I don't breed birds either, but its also my understanding that chicks are pulled within the first 2 weeks. I would leave them with the parents so long as they continue feeding them.

THE OUTLAW

[ShadowMice]

Hi Jolyn. Your question on baby lovebirds. Although they are 4 weeks old it is possible to start feeding them. I'll explain what I do with mine when for one reason or another I can't start feeding them until about 4 weeks. I always put mine in another nesting box, using the same type of material that is in their parents nesting box. I close off the entrance so they cannot accidentally get out. When I'm concerned about the temperature I just use a heat lamp placed about 12 inches from the box. I take the babies from the parents late at night and start feeding them in the morning using a syringe. You'll probably find that they don't want to feed at first because they're used to the parents feeding them. Try putting the syringe sideways in the beak allowing only a tiny amount out at a time. Feed them every two hours and continue to feed them putting the syringe in sideways. You will find that they will start accepting the syringe and then once they're eating okay you can start feeding them every three hours and then after a few days you can feed every four hours. If you want to discuss this with me just email me at BettysDelights@hotmail.com

[Imagemneye]

Hi Jo--I think the reason you didnt get any reply in the ask the experts section is because they are not suppossed to start fielding questions until today First--DO YOU have ANY experience in hand feeding?
At 4 weeks old your babys will be very hard to accustom to being hand fed.If the parronts are allowing you to take the babys out and handle them,then its probably better to just let them wean the babys out.If you are not an experienced hand feeder then you could harm the babys by aspirating them(getting food into the lungs)especially if they are NOT used to being handfed!
IF You DO decide to pull them anyway--set up a cage that is 1/2 on and 1/2 off a heating pad on low or medium setting(so the babys can find their own comfort zone) Put in layers of Paper towel for bedding.Also have a couple of very small,shallow bowls (peanut butter jar lid works well) on the floor of the cage--1 for water 1 for the pellets/seed mix that you intend to wean them onto.I also use UNsweetened Cheerios and rice krispies and puffed wheat just loose on the floor as toys/first munchies etc--OH and MILLET--just cut into 3 inch sections and layed about on the floor of the cage.I would also cover the back and side of the half of the cage that is heated with a towel.
Whew-sorry for the BOOK--But lastly--I would hand feed tem with a spoon instead of a syringe,yes it is MESSY but a lot less dangerous! I have included a picture of one of my babys so you can kinda see the set-up--HE is a MESSY lil one--I took the pic during the hand feeding! I hope this haelps a bit--AND This is just How I do things and My opionion,I'm not a Vet nor an expert! Bonnie

[nursenurse44]

first of all the others are right. they are too old to start hand feeding. personally this garbage about a bird has to be hand feed to make a good companion is pure nonsense
jojo is the only bird i have ever owned that was handfeed and do you know what all my other birds i have owned that were parent raised were easily tamed and just as loving as the handfeed ones if not more
let the parents raise them. they will learn how to be a bird and be far better for it
if you want them tamed before they go to their new homes then just keeep up with what your doing handle them and return to nest with parents as long as parent birds will tolerate that