Urgent Please have them in your thoughts

[Tanya]

You're doing an amazing job at keeping those little ones alive and well!

That video of the hail was almost beyond belief. That seems like a year's worth of precipitation all at once.

 

[mythic55]

You're doing an amazing job at keeping those little ones alive and well!

That video of the hail was almost beyond belief. That seems like a year's worth of precipitation all at once.

I hear the states is about to get some crazy weather too... BBC is non stop talking about the storm in New York.

UPDATE: They are officially 3 and 3.5 days old. They are eating well, but I do hear some clicking from the little one- hoping she didnt aspirate or get mites of an infection.
They are fed: 7:30 am, 8:30am, 9:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm, 4:30pm, 5:30pm, 6:30pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm, 9:30pm, 10:30pm (bedtime)- 12:00am, 1:30am, 3:30am, 5:30am

They are getting bigger, and taking more food at a time. Soon I will be able to reduce the night feedings to 3, removing the 5:30am feeding when they are 4 days old.

We are still on extremely watery formula, as I dont feel comfortable mixing it any thicker for fear of dehydration (there are videos online and such of people using a thick formula- like you would for a parrot. I disagree and think more frequent feedings of thinner formula in the first 4-5 days keeps the baby hydrated. I also mix in a little pedialyte now and then as it seems to have a positive effect on the crop emptying and defecation rate)

Foo- ManChoo is the dark one. The mother was a BB, and the Father was a LB... From this point I can assume he will have darker coloration, and Saya will have light plumage. And no, I dont know that they are a male and female.... I wont know until they are much older. Crossing my fingers they make it to that point.

 

[camelotshadow]

 

[Tweet]

You are doing a wonder job! What a schedule too! Keep it going, praying for the lil cuties! Lots of love

 

[VictoriaVague]

Have everything crossed for these little ones. You're doing a great job.

 

[mythic55]

I know I love reading play by play... so here is an UPDATE:
Tuesday at 12:51PM (Foo (dark one) is almost 3 days old, and Saya is 2.5 days old)

I noticed that Foo- the older one, didn't take the formula as well today and he has now become the SMALL ONE! Foo does not seem dehydrated (by skin and feces). So I assume it is nutrients/fat/proteins.

I have begun making the formula thicker- like creamy soup to help him put on weight. Saya doesn't like the thick, while Foo loves it.

I think this is common: Hatchings don't hatch at the same time (hours or days apart), and therefore they are at different stages in their lives and require different consumables. I am now making too different formulas.... hopefully if they are alive by tomorrow they will sync up with the same formula (as this is exhausting!)

Here is an image at 12:45: Saya is extremely plump, and Foo is skinny
*I am convinced his color is not due to dehydration, he is just going to have a darker mutation of feathers (? not sure what the father was split for), while Saja will be lighter (LB, BB, FAWN- also why I think it might be a girl).

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

 

[Kimberla]

Go team!!! They are amazing!! You are so dedicated. Please keep the pics coming. They develop so fast!

 

[Bokkapooh]

Looks like youre doing good.

You mention thicker formula is given to parrots not other neonatal birds. Its important to follow the feedings. Those are universal feeding instructions for all birds (not just parrots) who are born without feathers.

After the first 24-48hrs they need thicker creamy soup formula.

Parents would be giving them watery seeds and green mixture. Which is pretty thick

What temperature are you feeding the food at? How warm in their current broader?

I used to handraised zebra finches and society finches as well as some parrot species. Havent handraised any finches in almost 10 hears though but I never lost a baby so if you need any help. I'll try to help, although its been a while for me

Goodluck! Im rooting for you! *hugs* (emoticons arent working for me)

 

[Birdiemarie]

Such tiny fighters!

 

[mythic55]

Looks like youre doing good.

You mention thicker formula is given to parrots not other neonatal birds. Its important to follow the feedings. Those are universal feeding instructions for all birds (not just parrots) who are born without feathers.

After the first 24-48hrs they need thicker creamy soup formula.

Parents would be giving them watery seeds and green mixture. Which is pretty thick

What temperature are you feeding the food at? How warm in their current broader?

Well, Hello! You are awesome! I always appreciate your input:

When I hand fed before... they were not nearly as much trouble as they were 'normal'... these hatched under very bad circumstances.... and I am worried that there is infection setting in. Foo's feces has become more mucus-like- long sticky string and at the same time stopped putting on weight. Meds are stuck in customs.... should be here any day.

I never lost a chick either.... starting to lose the 'exhilaration' and instead 'sadness'
Foo has been a struggle (which started out as the stronger of the two), he lost weight (water) while his companion grew eating the same amount overnight. He refused food so I had to use a small catheter (0.9x25mm to directly give him rehydration fluids). He perked up enough to take a bite or two of formula afterwards.

I use a thinner formula- yes, kinda like cream of mushroom soup.... many people use thick formula to prevent aspiration (full strength- even dry). There are no direction on my formula (edit) I just know the thickness from many years ago. Brooder temp is around 94F, and 60% humidity... it fluctuates a little on humidity... I can't control it as I would desire as I was not prepared. I had no idea they laid anything, and once I knew, the storm hit and the brooder was broken.

 

[Bokkapooh]

The leading cause of infection usually is the result of the feedings they receive. Is the food being given between 102-105F? If its not warm enough, especially for neonatals, bacteria and yeast sets in very quickly.

I know the area you are at they use human formula I believe for birds(that's the idea I got form many middle eastern bird people). Which has milk in it. I don't know much about this type of formula but milk is hard for birds to digest. And milk goes bad rather quickly, so I think feeding at correct temp will be vital for these naked lil guys.

I hope both of these little guys live. Handraised zebra finches are soooooo cute.

If I hadn't gotten into parrots, I would seriously be into breeding and handraising finches. They are literally the perfect small/tiny pet birds to have. Such strong personalities for ones so little. And so friendly. They may not like scritches, but love cuddles.

 

[mythic55]

I know the area you are at they use human formula I believe for birds(that's the idea I got form many middle eastern bird people). Which has milk in it. I don't know much about this type of formula but milk is hard for birds to digest. And milk goes bad rather quickly, so I think feeding at correct temp will be vital for these naked lil guys.

I would NEVER use human formula. I use Pavdovan. Im european.

I love my other hand raised finches.... each and every one. But these two... they had it bad from the start.
At one point I had to keep the eggs warm between my legs because the power was out for 6 hours!
(wish I was joking)

But the feces is still the normal yellow... not green in any way. So I'm thinking closer to yeast. Trying to stay positive however. So other than cider vinegar... not much i can do.

 

[Tanya]

I can't help but be captivated by your posts. I didn't even know that finches could be hand fed! And to think of having to "sit" on the eggs yourself to keep them warm... you'll have a very special bond with these little guys. I hope they both pull through!

 

[Birdbabe]

Your awesome!

 

[iamwhoiam]

They are looking good.

 

[mythic55]

Foo started to deteriorate more and more last night. He again stopped taking formula, so I switched to pedialyte through the world smallest catheter on the side of his mouth to try and keep him hydrated. I gave him one drop of pedialyte every 20 minutes for 2 hours, and he started to perk back up. He again took a little forumla.

However, I went to bed, and when I woke up for the first feeding (1.5 hours later), he again was dehydrated and refused formula. I tried to get up every hour to try and give him liquid, but at 4am he passed away.

Saya is growing fast... Currently 4 days old.
Unlike her brother, she doesnt have air in the crop, or irregular stools. She was the second one born, and had more attention from the start. She has an extremely round belly and kinda scoots and rolls around in her little 'nest'

 

[iamwhoiam]

So sorry for the loss of Foo. You did everything you could.

 

[mythic55]

So sorry for the loss of Foo. You did everything you could.

Thank you. Im so tired...

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

I'm sorry You lost Foo-You have done an amazing job