Urgent Getting older babies to eat

[RosyBourke]

My female Bourke abandoned her babies after they flew the nest, Bourkes still need to be fed for several weeks after that. I am trying to get them to take to handfeeding and they are refusing. I've tried just putting softened pellets in and they won't eat those. Right now I'm trying to get warm apple juice in them along with handfeeding formula but they're not getting much, the one is extremely weak. Any other ideas on how to get them to switch over to handfeeding so late?

 

[April]

@BrianB @Mockinbirdiva @Irishj9 @Laurie @Matto Any advice?

 

[Matto]

The Parrot University had the best article on this, but I can't find it online. But basically, start small. Get just a tiny bit of formula in their beaks and put them back. Even if most of it is on the outside of the beak. In an hour, do it again. Try to get a little more in. Keep doing this every hour for a full day, trying to get a little more in each time.

 

[BrianB]

Sorry, I don't have any advice on these guys. They aren't a species I have experience with but what Matto said makes good sense to me.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

So your chicks flew the nest… exactly how old are they? Are they still in the same cage as the hen and the male? I’ve not raised bourkes but from what I read the females solely feed the chicks. Hand feeding once they leave the nest and not used to human hands is difficult. As mentioned by @Matto trying to get a small amount on the side of the beak for taste would be a start but should be done in the lowest light possible but where you can still see what you are doing. If they are frightened of your hands it will totally be a stressful situation for them. If they are still in the cage with the hen I would hang millet next to a dish of mashed cooked sweet potato with soaked pellets or a freshly made formula. Whatever you’re feeding the hen so she goes to the dish and the chicks follow. I believe the “ Monkey see…Monkey do” rule of thumb to encourage natural self feeding behavior may help tremendously. If the make is still with the hen I would remove him until the chicks are fully weaned.

 

[RosyBourke]

So your chicks flew the nest… exactly how old are they? Are they still in the same cage as the hen and the male? I’ve not raised bourkes but from what I read the females solely feed the chicks. Hand feeding once they leave the nest and not used to human hands is difficult. As mentioned by @Matto trying to get a small amount on the side of the beak for taste would be a start but should be done in the lowest light possible but where you can still see what you are doing. If they are frightened of your hands it will totally be a stressful situation for them. If they are still in the cage with the hen I would hang millet next to a dish of mashed cooked sweet potato with soaked pellets or a freshly made formula. Whatever you’re feeding the hen so she goes to the dish and the chicks follow. I believe the “ Monkey see…Monkey do” rule of thumb to encourage natural self feeding behavior may help tremendously. If the make is still with the hen I would remove him until the chicks are fully weaned.

For my pairs, mom and dad both help out with the babies for feeding. It may not be normal, but that's what they do. He'll feed her and then she'll feed the chicks. They are no longer in the cage with her, they were getting stressed out there. They're pretty happy in the brooder and I have handled them fairly often so they aren't completely not used to hands, I put very fine seed in so they can maybe try that and the tiny bit I've managed to get in them with beak wiping has helped. The little guy is definitely perkier. I am not sure exactly how old, I found them on June 22, and they were lightly fluffed with white down. The guess was about 2-3 weeks old then. So that would put them around a month and a half old.

 

[RosyBourke]

The Parrot University had the best article on this, but I can't find it online. But basically, start small. Get just a tiny bit of formula in their beaks and put them back. Even if most of it is on the outside of the beak. In an hour, do it again. Try to get a little more in. Keep doing this every hour for a full day, trying to get a little more in each time.

We have been trying this more with the apple juice my breeder friend recommended, with intervals of formula and they seem perkier today

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

For my pairs, mom and dad both help out with the babies for feeding. It may not be normal, but that's what they do. He'll feed her and then she'll feed the chicks. They are no longer in the cage with her, they were getting stressed out there. They're pretty happy in the brooder and I have handled them fairly often so they aren't completely not used to hands, I put very fine seed in so they can maybe try that and the tiny bit I've managed to get in them with beak wiping has helped. The little guy is definitely perkier. I am not sure exactly how old, I found them on June 22, and they were lightly fluffed with white down. The guess was about 2-3 weeks old then. So that would put them around a month and a half old.

I’m a little confused. They left the nest before they had flight feathers? Just covered with downy feathers? Or did you take them from the nest to hand feed? What is the enclosure like you have your pairs in ( you have multiple pairs?). Not being familiar with breeding bourkes what is your set up if you didn’t know there were chicks before you found them. Do you have nest boxes attached so you have easy access to inspect? You said they were no longer in a cage with the the mother but stressed ‘out there’. What is your brooder like? From your first post I thought they had flown the nest and ignored by the hen. I assumed they were more independent but still required some feeding by the parents. Can you share some photos?

 

[RosyBourke]

I’m a little confused. They left the nest before they had flight feathers? Just covered with downy feathers? Or did you take them from the nest to hand feed? What is the enclosure like you have your pairs in ( you have multiple pairs?). Not being familiar with breeding bourkes what is your set up if you didn’t know there were chicks before you found them. Do you have nest boxes attached so you have easy access to inspect? You said they were no longer in a cage with the the mother but stressed ‘out there’. What is your brooder like? From your first post I thought they had flown the nest and ignored by the hen. I assumed they were more independent but still required some feeding by the parents. Can you share some photos?

No they were fledged. Bourkes leave the nest and then the parents care for them for about three weeks after that but they were ignoring them. I don't know how old they are exactly because I don't know the exact hatch date, the are around a month and a half old. They are eating now, a little bit of the handfeeding formula and are becoming interested in seeds. They were stressed out in the cage with the parents because of being ignored, spending all their energy trying to get them to feed them and they weren't feeding them. I have a brooder with a thermostat and heat but theyre old enough they don't need the heat part so it's just a box. I have nest boxes attached but checking every day makes the hen leave the eggs so I just leave them alone and only check when she goes off which is generally a few weeks after the babies have hatched. Each pair has their own cage. This is a picture from when they first flew the nest. They are fine now and seem like they're out of the woods

 

[Matto]

You can also give them warm formula in a bowl in their cage. It will be messy, but they may eat it. Make sure to take it out after 15-30 minutes.

 

[expressmailtome]

The Parrot University had the best article on this, but I can't find it online. But basically, start small. Get just a tiny bit of formula in their beaks and put them back. Even if most of it is on the outside of the beak. In an hour, do it again. Try to get a little more in. Keep doing this every hour for a full day, trying to get a little more in each time.

I am assuming that it was one of these five articles: The Science of Handfeeding and Weaning the Baby Parrot: Section One | The Aviator Harness , The Science of Handfeeding and Weaning the Baby Parrot: Section Two | The Aviator Harness , The Science of Handfeeding and Weaning the Baby Parrot: Section Three | The Aviator Harness , The Science of Handfeeding and Weaning the Baby Parrot: Section Four | The Aviator Harness and The Science of Handfeeding and Weaning the Baby Parrot: Section Five | The Aviator Harness .