14 week old baby B&G

[jld8887]

Hello we just brought home a 14 week old baby macaw I am still handfeeding her 2 feedings per day 120 CC in the morning and 120 in the afternoon at 3-4z I'm suppose to be lessening the second feeding after a few days. I have only a little experience handfeeding in the past and it was ages ago. This is also my first giant bird.

The breeder wanted to have her weaned in 3 weeks. I have heard weaning too young can be emotionally detrimental and that macaws should be weaned at more like 5-7 months. Is this true? If so can anyone give me advise on when to stop the second feeding or how much to cut down and when? She's playing with fresh foods more than she is eating them, but she isn't shy and I don't think I'll have a major problem with her eating on her own. I have a lot of other questions too this is my first macaw and first large bird. I'll save those for later.
Her name is Kaiju

 

[Macawnutz]

I would not cut back any feedings. When she is ready she will cut back on her own. Provide plenty of fresh veggies and fruits, pellets and water and she will wean on her own. Look up abundance weaning.

 

[jld8887]

Thank you. Yes that is what I want to do is abundance weaning. Will she just start refusing feedings?

Also one note on her poop should it be really watery while she is on formula? I need to get her in to our avian vet Monday for a baby checkup.

 

[jld8887]

She just ate about 40 minutes ago here is her poo. Sorry it's a yucky pic lol

 

[Joseph012]

For the life of me I will never understand why people buy unweaned birds, and more so why people sell unweaned birds. Every macaw I have raised, has weaned at 14-17 weeks. You are correct that weaning can lead to behavior/emotional problems, however, it's not the time frame it's the manner in which they are weaned that is the issue. Playing with the food is the first step, I would sit with her and a bowl of whatever you are feeding her and feed it to her by hand. I make a mash, so I can't pick it up in pieces, so I use a spoon to give them a little at a time. Serve soft foods like melon or oranges or warm mashed sweet potatoes/ warm mixed vegetables. Soon he/she will want to eat it on their own instead. At this age, he/she probably wants the formula as a comfort more than anything. Continue to offer it, until he/she refuses a couple days in a row. Remember a hungry baby will not try new foods, they will panic and just not eat anything (even if it's just for comfort). At this age if they are not on the way to weaning yet, in the morning try offering half the usual formula then about 10min later or so offer a plate of fresh foods/pellets and leave her be, and she will most likely eat on her own (you've given her the formula to comfort her, but she's still hungry and will explore other options). If she doesn't eat a lot of it after 30min, then I'd offer her the other formula and try again later. During the day you can sit with her and coax her into eating more and playing with it less. Then during the evening you can try the 1/2 formula routine. Once she gets a taste of independence (eating on her own) she will move quickly with the weaning. If she always has 120cc of formula in her crop, she never a a real reason to eat. Watery droppings are completely normal when a baby is still receiving mostly formula.

 

[jld8887]

Thank you that answers a lot of questions

 

[Sadieladie1994]

Important feedings morning and night. You don't want them to go to bed hungry. The morning feeding is to get them started. A hungry baby does not search for or interact with food. Take that hunger edge away and they become more active and explore.