I want to hand raise IRN's when my pair breed next season but i want to know more about it before i do.
Do you take the babies out when the oldest or youngest is 3 weeks old or do u take them out individualy?
What time of day do you take them out of the nest or doesnt it matter?
Do the babies bob thier head up and down when their hungry? If not how do you tell when they are hungry?
How long does it take to feed each baby?
Can you keep all the babies together?
Do you have to force feed them or will they take food from you on thier own?
When do they start to wean?
How do i tell if the babies are developing proply?
Sorry for all the questions but i want to know what to expect when i have babies as i have never hand raised a bird before.
Hand raising questions
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xx_sheena_xx
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Hand raising questions
Last edited by xx_sheena_xx on Sat Apr 11, 2009 1:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
check out this link, it will help alot http://indianringneck.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=799
Do you take the babies out when the oldest or youngest is 3 weeks old or do u take them out individualy?
What time of day do you take them out of the nest or doesnt it matter?
im not sure if there is a recomended time of day
Do the babies bob thier head up and down when their hungry? If not how do you tell when they are hungry?
If the crop is empty the babies will be wanting a feed, I took a pic of my chic while it was still with the parents so I could see how its supposed to look
Can you keep all the babies together?
yes they can stay together
Do you have to force feed them or will they take food from you on thier own?
they should take the food on their own, if they dont there is a reason for it.
When do they start to wean?
They all wean at different times, you will know when they are ready because they get really fussy and dont want the formula as much.
How do i tell if the babies are developing proply?
you will be on here posting pics for us to see , we will help you out
Do you take the babies out when the oldest or youngest is 3 weeks old or do u take them out individualy?
What time of day do you take them out of the nest or doesnt it matter?
im not sure if there is a recomended time of day
Do the babies bob thier head up and down when their hungry? If not how do you tell when they are hungry?
If the crop is empty the babies will be wanting a feed, I took a pic of my chic while it was still with the parents so I could see how its supposed to look
Can you keep all the babies together?
yes they can stay together
Do you have to force feed them or will they take food from you on thier own?
they should take the food on their own, if they dont there is a reason for it.
When do they start to wean?
They all wean at different times, you will know when they are ready because they get really fussy and dont want the formula as much.
How do i tell if the babies are developing proply?
you will be on here posting pics for us to see , we will help you out
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kyria
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- Location: Live in Australia - Have a home in Florida - Citizenship in Heaven
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I like the way Julie has answered these questions 
.
I have only hand raised one group of babies, the season before last, so this was my experience, helped by a local breeder
Do you take the babies out when the oldest or youngest is 3 weeks old or do u take them out individualy?
I took 4 babies out when the eldest was just on 4 weeks old, just as the pins had started to open a little, easier to keep them warm with pins starting and being all together as a bunch
What time of day do you take them out of the nest or doesnt it matter?
I wouldn't think it matters really, I took them mid morning, just after they had been fed by mum, so I had time to settle them in and handle them a little before I needed to be ready to tackle getting them use to me and not mum.
Do the babies bob thier head up and down when their hungry? If not how do you tell when they are hungry?
They bob their heads as soon as they think they are going to be fed, like julie says, you go by the crop not their demands. If the crop is empty you feed them, not before and not later. Julie has provided a great link for prep of formula, times, what to look for in the crop etc.
How long does it take to feed each baby?
Not very long, they will hock the food down rather quickly, you have to be careful not to underfeed or overfeed. If you overfeed they can have crop/digestion problems, if you underfeed, development problems. You get to know a good size crop, I think julie said she is getting a pick of her babies crops for you to see this.
Can you keep all the babies together?
Its best to keep all the babies together, for warmth and security
Do you have to force feed them or will they take food from you on thier own?
I found that taking the babies at a slightly older age (earlier would need incubator for warmth) made it a little difficult for them to get use to you and not mums beak. Mine wouldn't take from the bent spoon, so I used a seringe to gently open their beaks, with head back, holding the head with the other hand and slowly ooze food into their mouths. Before long they moved on to a bent spoon, so demanding and so messy .. lol .. hungry demanding little things they became.
When do they start to wean?
I began placing corn and pea centres (pushed out of their husks), soaked seed, soaked milk arrowroot and millet sprays in with the babies at about 5-6 weeks, I would pick the corn and pea centres up and offer them to the babies, just so they associated the more solid food with feed times, soon enough they would go and play around with it on their own and by 7 weeks or so they were eating more food than formula, fully weaned and fledged by 10 weeks or so.
How do i tell if the babies are developing proply?
Good colour, especially in the beak (although the beak colour can start off rather pale at first), you will tell they are growing and feathers come in well. Plenty of energy between nap times, which can be often. Adventurous and growing stability, eventually climbing on to a low perch, I think mine were trying to perch around 6-7 weeks. Clear cere, eyes etc. You will be able to tell they are healthy and growing well.
.I have only hand raised one group of babies, the season before last, so this was my experience, helped by a local breeder
Do you take the babies out when the oldest or youngest is 3 weeks old or do u take them out individualy?
I took 4 babies out when the eldest was just on 4 weeks old, just as the pins had started to open a little, easier to keep them warm with pins starting and being all together as a bunch
What time of day do you take them out of the nest or doesnt it matter?
I wouldn't think it matters really, I took them mid morning, just after they had been fed by mum, so I had time to settle them in and handle them a little before I needed to be ready to tackle getting them use to me and not mum.
Do the babies bob thier head up and down when their hungry? If not how do you tell when they are hungry?
They bob their heads as soon as they think they are going to be fed, like julie says, you go by the crop not their demands. If the crop is empty you feed them, not before and not later. Julie has provided a great link for prep of formula, times, what to look for in the crop etc.
How long does it take to feed each baby?
Not very long, they will hock the food down rather quickly, you have to be careful not to underfeed or overfeed. If you overfeed they can have crop/digestion problems, if you underfeed, development problems. You get to know a good size crop, I think julie said she is getting a pick of her babies crops for you to see this.
Can you keep all the babies together?
Its best to keep all the babies together, for warmth and security
Do you have to force feed them or will they take food from you on thier own?
I found that taking the babies at a slightly older age (earlier would need incubator for warmth) made it a little difficult for them to get use to you and not mums beak. Mine wouldn't take from the bent spoon, so I used a seringe to gently open their beaks, with head back, holding the head with the other hand and slowly ooze food into their mouths. Before long they moved on to a bent spoon, so demanding and so messy .. lol .. hungry demanding little things they became.
When do they start to wean?
I began placing corn and pea centres (pushed out of their husks), soaked seed, soaked milk arrowroot and millet sprays in with the babies at about 5-6 weeks, I would pick the corn and pea centres up and offer them to the babies, just so they associated the more solid food with feed times, soon enough they would go and play around with it on their own and by 7 weeks or so they were eating more food than formula, fully weaned and fledged by 10 weeks or so.
How do i tell if the babies are developing proply?
Good colour, especially in the beak (although the beak colour can start off rather pale at first), you will tell they are growing and feathers come in well. Plenty of energy between nap times, which can be often. Adventurous and growing stability, eventually climbing on to a low perch, I think mine were trying to perch around 6-7 weeks. Clear cere, eyes etc. You will be able to tell they are healthy and growing well.
Angie
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Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins. {Pro 10:12}
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God Bless
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Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins. {Pro 10:12}
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God Bless
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xx_sheena_xx
- Posts: 748
- Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 11:02 pm
- Location: Victoria, Australia
