Feeding the babes (vid)

[Abby]

I've done this for another forum but thought I'd just chuck it here as well. i spoon feed my guys where I can. Just prefer it to other methods and experienced enough to know when crop is full enough.

Couple of vids here. Jordan played camera man for the first time.

first up one of the little tackers. My voice didn't come over too well with the little ones all carrying on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EV-XbUyNsE

second one is to show why the older ones are driving me nuts while trying to feed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9kCf54LLeE

[Abby]

Seems I had these set to private. Should be able to access them now.

[CatherineL]

They are so cute. The older ones made me laugh.

[Monica]

LOL! That's hilarious!

Perhaps you need a feeding spoon/straw setup that would allow the chicks to each take a station and feed at once!

[Abby]

Honestly, the older 4 are a real handful atm. The 2 oldest ones will fly to you when called as long as there isn't something else more fun.

I'm a big one on allowing birds to get their flying skills up then it's up to the future owners as to whether they want to clip or not. Not taking that decision away from them. In the mean time though it does make life interesting for me trying to keep them somewhat under control.

Who am I kidding, they're complete brats.

[nikiwildman]

Originally Posted by Abby

Honestly, the older 4 are a real handful atm. The 2 oldest ones will fly to you when called as long as there isn't something else more fun.

I'm a big one on allowing birds to get their flying skills up then it's up to the future owners as to whether they want to clip or not. Not taking that decision away from them. In the mean time though it does make life interesting for me trying to keep them somewhat under control.

Who am I kidding, they're complete brats.

I can see from the vid why you find then a handful, and boy do they make one heck of a racket asking for food (i think its more so the younger ones) but they are just the cutest things i have ever seen! Its so adorable and looks like they like exploring and i heard a few whistles too, its so cute watching them really trying to learn 'life as a cockatiel' its just too cute for words, i love baby tiels! They are wonderful even if they are a handful!

[ThreeX]

Cute :)
Here's a clip of the badly plucked lovebirds i saved:
YouTube - Feeding four wee agapornis-muppets

(I don't see the point in handfeeding unless there's a *need* for it. No criticism or anything, just my P.O.V.)

Her you can see them (re)gaining their health, feathers and obnoxious manners ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opew6gVvVCk

[Abby]

Originally Posted by nikiwildman

Its so adorable and looks like they like exploring and i heard a few whistles too, its so cute watching them really trying to learn 'life as a cockatiel' its just too cute for words, i love baby tiels! They are wonderful even if they are a handful!

The older ones are in the weaning cage where they've started with toy education. They've got a little wicker basket that has some foot toys in it. I know they've started playing with them as the toys are never in the basket.

threeX, I understand your point of view. Unfortunately people now demand handraised birds here. I find that most people don't want to put the time in with gaining the trust of a parent raised bird. Back when I was first breeding birds as a kid in the 70's very few birds were handraised and I certainly didn't do it. Where possible I leave babes for the first 3 weeks with the parents as I think it gives them a good start to life. Not trying to justify, just explaining how things are.

[ThreeX]

Originally Posted by Abby

threeX, I understand your point of view. Unfortunately people now demand handraised birds here. I find that most people don't want to put the time in with gaining the trust of a parent raised bird. Back when I was first breeding birds as a kid in the 70's very few birds were handraised and I certainly didn't do it. Where possible I leave babes for the first 3 weeks with the parents as I think it gives them a good start to life. Not trying to justify, just explaining how things are.

Please do take my posts/opinions for what they are - simply the way *I* see it :) I don't expect people to justify. I think letting the parents take care of them for the first 2-3 weeks makes a big difference as opposed to taking them just hatched! I see the problem too, and i have posted elsewhere here, my concern for the general "turn key/plug & play" attitude of many ppl these days.
One breeder i know never hand-feed (unless it is absolutely necessary to keep a perfectly healthy looking chick from dying) instead she handle the chicks daily, not for hours on end mind you, really no more than it would take to handfeed and tidy them up afterwards, and both her CAG's, BFA's and Sennies chicks are every bit as curious, un-afraid and easy going as any hand-fed i have met. Again i am not saying that this is the method to rule them all. Simply that it's the method i find most natural and appealing.
Now, all of my birds except Hugo the sennie are hand fed, so it's not like i am putting my money where my mouth is - but, should any of my couples ever breed i will try to let nature have it's corse with "my own". RE the lovebirds i couldn't bear seeing them getting plucked raw by their parents, as there wasn't anything visibly wrong with them so i decided to give them a break :)

[Abby]

It's all good.