Hand Rearing

The decision to hand rear a chick is not one to be taken lightly. It takes up a lot of time and can, in the beginning be very messy.

For myself I like to rear about two a year because the satisfaction of seeing an absolutely tame and trusting bird makes the time spent worthwhile. Sometimes a difficult decision has to be made about a chick especially if one in particular doesn't seem to be thriving or is becoming hungrier and hungrier. If it is less than about 14 days old then it is not likely that it will survive although some do. I've gone through the heartbreak of nurturing a bird only for it to die for no apparent reason and hand reared chicks are more prone to digestive upsets. Sometimes the parent birds know better than we do and they choose not to feed a weakling. If a chick does not beg for food the parents will not feed it. I'm not saying that I haven't tried to save a soul that was very young, but I am saying that it is rarely successful. Be guided by your instinct but always be prepared for a disappointment.

Preparations

The decision to hand rear needs dedication and loads of time. When the decision is made then it is time to look at all of the chicks and decide which you will tackle. It is always best to rear more than one as they are heat, company and example to each other. There is no hard and fast rule but around 14 to 17 days old is probably the right time to start the process. Sometimes when chicks hatch the decision can be made on colour grounds and it is just a case of waiting for the best time to take over.

Before the day comes it is a good idea to prepare and have all the bits and pieces to hand. Again there are many schools of thought but I can only tell you what works for me. It may not suit everyone but for me it has been successful. Here is a list of the items I use and then I'll explain how I use them

Large square margarine tub
Kitchen paper
Cardboard box with lid (larger than margarine tub)
Small syringe (no needle)
Teaspoon with edges bent up forming a funnel shape
Small china bowl
Bird cage
Specialised hand rearing food
Probiotic
Kitchen scales

Sounds like a funny list but it will all become clear in time.

Chicks taken from the nest need, above all else, a constant heat and no draughts so the margarine tub lined with kitchen paper is a good starter home but only when kept somewhere warm. I am lucky and have an Aga on constantly so I place the box alongside it and place the lid partially over the top. This keeps draughts out but allows me to keep an eye on them. The best time of day to remove the chicks is in the evening when they have been fed. This means that by the time morning comes they are peckish and more likely to look favourably on your attempts to feed them. The first couple of feeds make you wonder if they will ever get the idea and the kitchen roll will come in handy to clean them up!!

A specialist hand rearing food is available and I get mine from a company called "The Birdcare Company". This is a marvellous company who stock virtually all the supplements and medicines for birds. They also have a free advisory service manned by people who really do know what you need. On one occasion I almost ran out of hand rearing food and mentioned this to the lady who took my order. Believe it or not, it arrived first post the next day with a very large URGENT sticker on it!

Another item that I have found to be essential is a probiotic called 'potent brew'. This helps put the necessary bacteria into the gut of the chicks and a drop in each feed seems to do the trick.

I tend to stock up on the food, probiotic and disinfectant but usually end up getting all sorts of other things as well. Their catalogue makes compulsive reading. Have a look at their website on www.BirdcareCo.com and you can print off instructions for selecting the correct hand rearing food and the information about expected weight gains. This is where the kitchen scales come in.

Feeding

Having selected your chicks, prepared everything you will need, and cleared your calendar the day is on hand to start. If you have brought the birds in at night then there is little to do until morning except to make them warm and comfortable. Keep talking to them and eventually they will react to the sound of your voice. When morning comes hopefully they will be hungry. I have to be honest and say that at this stage they are not very attractive, resembling as they do, dinosaurs. Try to remember the story of the ugly duckling!!!

The kitchen scales now come into their own as you should weigh the chicks daily to ascertain that they are putting on the correct amount of weight (the hand rear formula has exact details) Mix the feed as per instructions and put into the heated china bowl to keep warm. Take one chick and place on kitchen paper on a surface in front of you. Hold gently but firmly so that it can't wriggle backwards. Using the syringe give each chick enough food to swell its crop but DO NOT over-feed. The easiest way is to place the syringe into the back corner of the beak (where there is a natural gap) and squeeze gently. At this point it helps to make clicking noises with your tongue as they will recognize it as a "food is served" noise.

What I can't describe is the mess that can ensue at this point. Some chicks take to the idea quite easily and you will be clean and proud while others don't want to know you and will regurgitate and spread everything. About six pairs of hands would be very useful at this point. You can progress on to the bent spoon as they become more accustomed to the idea, but some chicks are happy to feed from the syringe until they are weaned.

One thing I can't stress too much is never to over-feed as this can result in sour crop which is usually fatal. You should allow the crop to empty between feeds and to this end I usually feed five times a day at approximately 7,11,3,7 and 11. Bear in mind that the parent birds are unlikely to feed during the hours of darkness so they will be used to it. The first feed of the day is important so, no long lies.

The routine is quite easy after a short while and when the chicks get the hang of feeding they can be taken out and about with you so long as they are protected from draughts. In fact they travel very well and suffer no ill effects. As they grow the time between feeds can be lengthened and it is a good idea to have some seed in the cage for them to practise with. Their curiosity encourages them to try to pick things up in their beaks. It is important to mention that at this time the hand rearing mixture will be cut back on by the bird and this is normal. They have to lose weight to get them ready to fly.

Handling

Fairly soon they will start to get their feathers and as soon as they start to show an interest in their surroundings I try to move them into a cage so that they can see around them. As they can't yet cling on to a perch I just put their box into the cage bottom. At this point they start to become fashion accessories. Sounds funny but I try to make a habit of keeping them with me after a feed just to get them used to being handled and in this house they sit on my chest while I knit or watch TV and one even sat on my husband as he worked on the computer.

Talking to them becomes easy after a while and visitors have become used to me muttering away to the bird in between conversations with them. I think the secret of a successfully hand reared bird is to treat it like a member of the family. Even our dogs are allowed to watch the feeding process from a distance and the chicks have been known to nip the dog's nose as they get bigger and bolder. Handling is important to gain the bird's confidence and to let it trust you. Patience is vital because it doesn't happen overnight and they are messy eaters especially as they are beginning to eat seeds.. I usually sprinkle some seed on the base of the cage as soon as I see them attempting to pick up. From there they progress to sitting or walking through their dishes and seed can travel a good distance when aided by a young cockatiel's feet. A good thing to do as they grow is to start misting them with warm water to help them keep clean and keep the dust down.

Finally At about six weeks old the chicks will have stopped getting hand fed and will be eating by themselves everything that the adults eat. Millet spray is a favourite as it amuses as well as feeds. It is extra important now to handle the birds as much as possible or they will lose their tameness because you are not handling them for feeding. This is when they are a real challenge I find. All of a sudden they find they can fly but the landing isn't quite so easy. Look out for crash landings and remove any fragile items from the flight path. Be aware of open windows at this point, it would be too easy to lose a baby that way and it would not survive for very long outside.

I try to make their life in the cage as interesting as possible and have been given a number of wooden toys to help. The ladders, as well as for getting around the cage, are useful to retrieve the chicks from a great height without resorting to climbing. Platforms to roost on and toggles to play with keep them amused and, as they are made of pine, can do no harm to them.

In fact it amuses them to destroy the spars, but as they are replaceable, I prefer them to do that rather than attack the wallpaper. My friend has a 'gym' for her birds with lots of toys and an integral bath which keeps them amused for hours at a time.
When the time finally comes to let your chicks go to their new homes you will have a lump in your throat, but as I discovered to my cost, they forget you so very quickly and settle in with their new families.