How to Hand-Rear Parrots

Hand-raising a parrot requires specialized equipment, constant supervision of hatchlings and experience feeding baby birds. A hand-reared parrot tends to be tamer and easier to handle than parrots raised by their parents. Some breeders hand-rear because removing the babies from the nest stimulates the hen to lay again. In other cases, the parents abandon the baby, and hand-raising is necessary to save the chick.

Things You'll Need

  • Baby parrot formula
  • Brooder (or a fish tank with a sealable, breathable top)
  • Clean towels
  • Scale
  • Syringe, crop needle or feeding spoon
  • Tissues or paper towels
  • Weekly weight charts
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Instructions

    • 1

      Carefully choose when to begin hand-raising baby parrots. Some breeders remove chicks from parents upon their hatching. Others prefer to let the parents feed the new hatchlings for two weeks before hand-rearing. In either case, be aware that a nesting parrot can deliver a nasty bite when you try to remove her chicks.

    • 2

      Place chicks in a temperature-controlled brooder. Set the brooder at 33 to 35 C for hatchlings, and reduce the temperature by one or two degrees every week. Brooder humidity should be between 30 to 50 percent for newborn parrots.

      Line the bottom of the brooder with paper towels or tissues. In the absence of a brooder, a fish tank with a breathable but sealable lid acts as a reasonable substitute. A heating lamp will be needed to keep the fish tank at the correct temperature. A bowl of wet cotton balls in the tank will provide humidity.

    • 3

      Feed parrot chicks every hour on the hour for the first two weeks. By the second week, feedings can be reduced to every two hours with a four- to six-hour break overnight. By the end of the third week the time between feedings extends to four hours, and by the end of week four feedings can drop to every eight hours.

      Remember that parrots vary in size, ranging from parakeets to macaws. Size plays a role in how often you feed baby parrots and how much you feed in a sitting. A parrot association or avian veterinarian can advise you on how to feed specific types of parrots.

    • 4

      Use a vet-recommended baby parrot formula for feeding. Mix the formula to the manufacturer's instructions. Never heat the formula in a microwave. The microwave can create hot spots in the formula that burns the baby bird's crop. Mix fresh formula for every feeding; leftover formula attracts bacteria and yeast.

    • 5

      Use a small syringe or spoon to feed baby parrots unless you've been trained in the use of a crop tube. A crop tube delivers food directly to the crop, but improper use easily injures the baby. Feed slowly and only when the baby exhibits a good feeding response--the head bobs up and down if the baby is eating. Feed slowly; attempting to feed a baby parrot too quickly can cause asphyxiation.

    • 6

      Wipe the baby's beak clean with a clean moist towel after feeding. Replace all paper towels or tissues in the brooder after each feeding and thoroughly sterilize all equipment. Weigh babies regularly on a scale to be sure they gain weight. You can find weight charts for baby parrots through breeding supply stores.