How to Feed & Care for Baby Birds

When breeding birds, sometimes the mother may abandon the young chicks and the breeder must care for them. If the mother is suffering from a lack of food or if her nest box has been changed, she may even kill the chicks. Young birds eat a lot of food, so you must make sure that you give them plenty of food. It is better to avoid problems with the mother and to care for the chicks completely by yourself. If the mother does abandon her chicks, there is still hope for their survival.

Things You'll Need

  • Bird scale
  • Nesting box
  • Commercial bird formula
  • Feeding syringe
  • Live active lactobacilius cultures
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Instructions

    • 1

      Keep the baby birds in an enclosed, warm place. The area should remain between 93 and 98 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 2

      Check the baby birds to make sure they do not look dehydrated (the chick will look red and wrinkly), feel or look too cold (the skin will feel cool) or have any other abnormalities (the chicks should have warm, pinkish skin).

    • 3

      Feed the birds a commercial formula from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Be sure to watch the birds closely during this time. During the first two days, the baby birds should be fed every two hours, and then fed every three hours on the third day. The formula should be diluted during the first three days after hatching, with a ratio of 35 cc of bottled water to 1 tablespoon of commercial formula. Feed the baby birds using a feeding syringe.

    • 4

      Weigh the birds every morning and note any loss in weight these first three days. Also, look for bulging near the neck. The food can stay and ferment in the bird's crop (a digestion aiding organ near the neck) instead of continuing through proper digestion. Take the bird(s) to a veterinarian if either of these cases apply.

    • 5

      Give the birds 0.1 cc of live active lactobacilius cultures on the second day. The culture contains helpful bacteria that aids in digestion during this stressful time.

    • 6

      Feeding and weight requirements on day four depend on the bird species and size. Birds are fed by body weight, such as the cockatoo being fed 10 percent of body weight or the green-wing macaw eating 11 percent of body weight. Each type of bird should be fed a formula that is best for their species, such as the cockatoo specific formula for a cockatoo. Gradually, the baby bird is taken off the formula by decreasing the amount of feedings per day. For example, a small cockatoo will be fed three times a day for 30 to 35 days, then two times a day from 40 to 45 days and once a day from 60 to 70 days. Finally, the small cockatoo will be weaned at 85 to 95 days. Be sure to do what is best for your bird, and consult with a veterinarian to be sure.