Handfeeding and Weaning Foods & Feeding Syringes
Weaning Foods: Sprouted seed is the simplest way to provide your birds with fresh greens and they make a great weaning food. Brown rice is also usually readily accepted (especially when served warm - not hot!). Chicks like warm, gooey things. It reminds them of the handfeeding formula. Other options are Human Baby Food, baby cereals, Gerber vegetable / fruit jars, etc. ... If you have small birds, like finches or canaries, the following website will be of assistance: Rearing Food Recipe for Finches
For those who like the convenience of prepared foods (for handfeeding or weaning), below are plenty of options for you to draw from. Soaked pellets are an easy way to familiarize your pet bird with "grown-up" food. Seeds and pellets should be added as well to allow the chicks to pick the seeds / pellets up and play with them, until they know what they are for. Spray millet area also wonderful weaning foods. They don't have to remove daily, as they don't go off as quickly as fresh foods. Although as chicks walk on and around them, they will get soiled -- at which you should toss them. The millets in the bird stores tend to be small and you never know how long they have been there. I always bought directly - thus saving money and getting a fresher product. They do last for several months. The best quality I found to be California Golden Spray Millet - they tend to be bigger and much nicer looking. The store-bought ones looked meekly in comparison and my birds didn't like them as much. Here is a link to a 5-pound box of Spray Millet, which should last you a while.
Weaned birds are GREAT rolemodels for younger ones. The unweaned will learn by watching the weaned thus growing independent faster than those who don't have the benefit of such "teachers."
Kaytee Exact Handfeeding Formula: Kaytee Exact Hand-Feeding Formula is a nutritious diet for hand-feeding baby birds. Exact Hand-Feeding Formula is made through a special process which produces an instant formula with low bacteria levels. I am using it exclusively. It mixes easily - some other formulas get pretty lumpy, which makes feeding using a syringe difficult. After opening keep in the fridge. If you are not using it for a while, place it in the freezer and it will last for up to a year. |
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Lafeber Nutri-Start Hand-Feeding Formula, 11 oz: The first few days of a baby bird's life are the most important to long-term health. That's why Nutri-Start baby bird food contains rice flour as the primary ingredient. It's easier to digest and better for the baby bird. |
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ZuPreem Baby Bird Hand Feeding Formula Plus "Embrace Plus" (5-lb bag): Embrace Plus is a nutritionally complete diet developed specifically for the hand feeding of baby birds. Embrace Plus is formulated with moderate levels of protein and higher levels of fat and suitable for larger species of psittacines (hookbills) that benefit from a more energy-dense diet. |
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ZuPreem Embrace Baby Bird Hand-Feeding Formula (1.25-lb bag): Embrace Hand-Feeding Formula is a nutritionally complete hand-feeding formula that promotes optimum weight gain and digestibility. Embrace is formulated with moderate levels of fat and protein and is suitable for most species of hookbills and softbills. Precisely balanced nutrients promote healthy immune systems and vibrant plumage. |
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ZuPreem Baby Bird Hand Feeding Formula Plus "Embrace Plus" (5-lb bag): Embrace Plus is a nutritionally complete diet developed specifically for the hand feeding of baby birds. Embrace Plus is formulated with moderate levels of protein and higher levels of fat and suitable for larger species of psittacines (hookbills) that benefit from a more energy-dense diet. |
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Pretty Bird Handrearing 19/8 Formulas (5-lb bag): Pretty Bird 19/8 Hand Rearing Formula is fine ground for smooth easy mixing, this is an excellent choice for your new arrivals. |
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Roudybush Formula 3 Handfeeding Bird Food (15-lb bag): Formulated with a higher fat content than the Original Hand-Feeding Formula, allowing for longer times between feedings. Formula 3 contains less calcium and Vitamin D3 which addresses the concern many avian veterinarians have for elevated amounts of vitamins and minerals which may damage the kidneys of baby chicks. Formula 3 mixes and feeds with greater ease due to its thinner, smoother consistency thus it flows through syringes and feeding tubes easier. The higher fat content makes Formula 3 especially useful in larger psittacine and granivorous species from hatch to weaning. |
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Kaytee Exact Conversion & Weaning for Parakeets & Cockatiels 1.5lb: The easiest way to convert your bird from a seed diet or for weaning to exact nutrition. Extruded diets have been proven to provide superior nutrition when compared with seed blends. The difficulty is converting a bird on a seed mix to an extruded |
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California Golden Spray Millet Brand
Product Description
CALIFORNIA GOLDEN SPRAY MILLET brand is very full, golden brown in color. |
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Plastic syringes designed for feeding infant animals and birds. If you are in the rush, get a syringe from the human baby section in your local drug store. Don't get the syringe that you can get at the common pet stores -- they are pretty bad. They keep getting stuck and don't last long. I found the syringes that are available for human babies (for administering oral medications) last much longer and don't get stuck. They are so much better and cost less ...
If you have time to order online, the "Easy Feeder" syringe (below - with blue) is the best option. The syringes with the black stopper only last a few days. They may be initially cheaper, but since you have to keep replacing them, they are not such a good deal after all. |
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