Baby bird problems-please help.

[Snugglesmom]

Please someone help me. I got my irn yesterday, it's my first baby bird. I put a deposit down on the egg before he hatched, the breeder was supposed to keep him until the 22nd of this month but then when I went yesterday the breeder said the chick was ready to go. I'm supposed to hand feed him 3 times a day and he drinks the formula, but how much should he be drinking, he is taking in 1/4 of a Dixie cup worth. I think he hates us, when we go near the cage he growels. And he's not sleeping, he's exhausted, I'm so stressed out my jaw muscles are clamping shut and hurt soooo bad, I spent part of the day praying for him and the other part crying. The baby bird is 37 days old.

Is 1/4 Dixie cup of food enough for 3xs a day?

Is him laying down ok, I think he is lowering his head trying to sleep, he's not on his side or back.

The breeder told me to hold him for 20min 5xs a day to help keep him tame and get him used to us, is that right?

I volunteered at a bird sanctuary for 2 years, he is making " I'm angry " growling type noises.

Please, someone answer and help me. The breeder won't take him back and informed me over the phone he has refunds, returns, or guarantees. And I love him and I just want him to be ok.

[JimHcctx]

This is a crude way to describe this, however visually it kinda works.

A very small baby ringneck when a feeding is completed will have what appears to be a womans "D" size cup in its crop. As the baby nears weaning, the full crop will look more like a "B" cup.

One feeding of a baby that is about full sized but still lacking feathers is equal to about 18-20CC's

Ringnecks are not overly agressive eaters. They will often take a little food and loose interest in feeding and walk away. If you are worried that your bird is not getting enough during a feeding and you cannot get it to take more, you might bump up the number of feedings per day, bringing him back to the table for another meal.

HTH

[allira]

I agree with Jim. Try feeding more regularly throughout the day if you have the chance to, just like us humans, birds should eat smaller portions throughout the day, rather than one big feed at once (unless you're a raptor). I have hand-reared a combination of different birds, including Tawny Frogmouths (which I assure you are much more temperamental when it comes to feeding than IRN's).
If the crop feels and looks quite full after your feed, then don't stress. This may sound a bit harsh but by placing your hand above his head, the natural reaction should be to open its mouth, and hiss at you, this is a great time to see if it's crop is full. Basically, it's throat shouldn't be too far open. Baby birds will most of the time beg for food if they are starving.

As for the laying down, most chicks will do that until they gain enough balance and instinct to hold itself up. It's natural. Once your bird is almost fully feathered it should be able to sleep while perched. You may notice he will keep his beak to the ground? That's basically to steady itself while it sleeps - completely normal.

Hope this helps.

[allira]

As for the growling, and the handling.

Handle it basically as much as possible. 20 minutes 5x a day should be enough but as it gets older try to bump up the amount of time you spend with it. Ensure you teach it your voice and remember not to stare it in the eyes, for a young bird, its very stressful being away from "mum" so you need to be the replacement. Be more nourishing and loving rather than trying to just keep it alive.

For the growling, he probably gets startled at you walking in. I received some great advice from MissK which was to either whistle or say a word before I enter the room, even just as I walk towards it. If you do that every time, he should get more used to your spontaneous presence and you it's owner.

[Snugglesmom]

Thanks guys!!! I feel a lot better! You've put my nerves at ease! Snuggles is doing much better today!! He's eating more, nibbling at his seeds, he smashed a piece of corn in his beak and got a full crop at morning feeding of formula! I owe you all a debt of gratitude!!

[Snugglesmom]

As for the growling, and the handling.


For the growling, he probably gets startled at you walking in. I received some great advice from MissK which was to either whistle or say a word before I enter the room, even just as I walk towards it. If you do that every time, he should get more used to your spontaneous presence and you it's owner.

He is sitting in my arms making the noise, but he stops after I've been holding him for a few minutes, he makes the noise when I open the cage and if I walk by the microwave oven.

Should I play bird noises for him to hear?

I just took him out and held him for 20 min then took him in the kitchen and made his formula, he took one mouth full and wouldn't take anymore. So I took him back to the couch and he started running all over me! I think he was trying to get away from me?? He took a price of corn from me and mashed it up in his beak and swallowed a piece of French toast. I think he's doing ok. I guess I'll try to feed him again in an hour??? Or should I not?

[MissK]

Please check with someone with more experience than I have on this baby feeding thing. Do you know the age range in which you can expect weaning? Does he fall in that range? I have read that as the baby bird gets closer to weaning he refuses the baby food and eats less of it, eating the "regular" food instead. It seems that "abundance weaning", in which plenty of baby food is offered actually encourages baby to get on with weaning, as withholding baby food to force weaning has the opposite effect. I have zero baby feeding experience as my Rocky came to me "well matured".

Allira, I am so pleased that tidbit about announcing your entry was helpful. It put some happy in my day!

-MissK