newbie to hand rearing babay keets

[longstrokeswifey]

hi ya every body:)
im newbie on this board ,but when it comes to animals i love them lol

ive had parakeets for few years now and now i find myself to be first time granny of 2 baby keets?i had freind who use to have pet shop and watched her feed the wee ones ,so i took it on myself to hand rear them hand feed them ..i got them set up pretty good ,glass fish tank with shredded bedding in it ,light,keep it clean,and so far so good ,,im using kaytee hand fed formula and using syringes ...my question is when should i start weaning them?i have bottle for them to drink out of,u know with ball bearing in it ,hoping they will get curious and peck at so they learn what to do?one bird maybe bout 4 weeks if even that the other right behind him but way smaller lol im also not over filling thr crop so im feeding like every two to three hours>?this my first time and bless there little hearts they are hanging in with me so far lol any input would be great help as im greenhorn at this lol
blessings

[The Outlaw]

Understand that I've never weaned a parakeet, so this is a best guess. I would start introducing weaning foods at about 5 weeks but continue to handfeed until they wean themselves. Birds that are abundance weaned usually are more secure and happy as they grow up. Forced weaned birds of all species usually have security issues that follow them throughout their entire lifetimes. I have one baby macaw here that was weaned too early and reverted to 4 handfeedings a day after being "weaned" for over two weeks. Let them tell you when they no longer need to be fed by you.

THE OUTLAW

[The Outlaw]

Oh, one other very important thing: most baby birds take in their water through their formula. Many will start to peck at millet and seem to be eating but unless you WITNESS them actually drinking on their own, continue to offer formula. Many babies are lost to dehydration.

THE OUTLAW

[longstrokeswifey]

thank u so much for the help and advice with my new little keets lol
i figured i had to had the formual mixed just right so they wouldnt dehydrate ,and ur advice sounds right on too :)ill be lurking around here from time to time lol

[birdsnthings]

Hi,
I usually let the parents raise the keets and on occasion hand feed when I have to.
When you see the babies picking at the bedding then start to introduce them to whatever foods you wish for them to eat. I usually put down some millet as this is easier for them to get into. The regular seed I take a rolling pin to so it is slightly cracked for them and it would be easier for them to get into. I use the smalles pellet and prefer the Senic Tropical Bits as all my smaller birds like this one. Just the right size for the babies. I offer veggies and fresh kale to them as well.
When babies come out of the box at between 7 to 8 weeks, Dad is responsible for teaching them to eat. Usually a baby is weaned at 8 weeks by the parents. I would step down the feedings once you see the baby eating during the day. They will always want you to feed them once they see you and will stop eating and chirp at you to feed them. I have had babies with full crops of food they ate on their own expecting me to feed them. I do feed them at these times but feed your babies until they don't want you to feed them anymore. I consider a baby weaned when he refuses to take food from me twice in a row but I watch to make sure he is eating on his own well.
I find using a spoon with the keets quite easier to use. They will eat as much as they need to eat and less stressful on both the hand feeder and baby. When I have had to pull babies because the mom was plucking them, they are older than the time I would actually pull to handfeed. Getting them to take to a syringe is not easy but they do take to the spoon quite easier and quite well. There is no chance of aspirating the bird either as they eat on their own from the spoon.