handfeeding 7 weeks lovebird

[Littlelovebird]

Hey guys!!
I need help! I got a new baby lovebird! She is 7 weeks old and is not completely weaned so I need to feed her twice a day and finish weaning her. Its my second time with a lovebird but my first with the feeding experience! We got her about 3 days ago and she is extremely hungry! Very greedy little girl! So I feed her 12cc around 8:30-9:00 and then need to do the same again around 4:30-5:00. But starting around 2:00-3:00 she starts screaming, flapping her wings and simply begging for food. Im unsure of how to proceed here cause I dont wanna put her back in her cage when she does that cause it feels like grounding her. She has access to a lot of food everywhere. She eats some millet and a bit if seeds not really eating pellets though. Tried offering wet pellets that didnt seem to work either.

any tricks to help her eat her food when hungry? Should I change her schedule and feed her around 3:00 instead? What do you guys do when they beg?

thanks guys!!

 

[Littlelovebird]

I forgot to mention that the breeder I got her from instructed me to give that amount twice a day at that time and that gradually I should go to once a day etc. I did my research. Checked the formula instructions too. Im checking her weigh the temperature the consistency of the formula and making sure Im doing everything right so that I dont overfeed her or that there is no sour crop or infections or stuff like that. Im juste worried because of her begging. Should I change the schedule? If so will her crop have time emptying? Should I go to three times a day? Even if she was at 2? Your tips and experience would be most welcome!!

 

[Beasley]

I would check her crop and if she’s empty, feed her. Don’t force her to eat 12ccs, just feed her until either her crop is full or she doesn’t want to eat any more. And yes, it is very common for chicks to regress and require additional hand feedings when they change homes or environments.

I personal don’t like forced set schedules for hand feeding/weaning. I feed my chicks when they’re hungry and the crop is empty. I feed until the chick’s crop is full or they refuse the feeding - no set times, no set amounts. I do record when and how much they eat. I check the chick’s crops, depending on their age, every 2-5 hours. Eventually the chicks will begin to reject formula in lieu of eating on their own. Sometimes all they’ll accept is a taste of the formula then as soon as I put them back they will start eating on their own; it’s as if the formula just reminds them to eat. I always let my chicks wean themselves that way they don’t ever starve or go hungry.

My role is to offer the formula until the chicks show me repeatedly that they’re done being hand fed. I weigh them through the whole process to make sure there is no unexpected weight loss and I monitor their solid food intake to make sure they’re eating on their own. Let the chick guide you and you’ll be just fine!

 

[Zara]

12cc is a lot for a lovebird. I bet that crop is jam packed once done.

If the bird is begging during the day feed a little, offer 5ccs or so but don't force the bird to eat it all. After the feeding, be sure there is food avail because this is the time they will be more open to explore adult foods.

As for the morning and night feeds, offer the formula but if your bird is pulling back before they have eaten it all, let them. To force fill that crop means they won't go eating the adult food afterward,or they will and you end up with a stretched crop.

Super cute chick BTW

 

[Littlelovebird]

Ok great thanks guys! But Im not forcing her lol. I stop after 12 and she keeps asking but I can see that her crop is full! She is just really begging all the time but I dont want to overfeed her! I read about the crop being stretched and I dont want this to happen. I want to follow her lead of course but Im scared that she keeps asking even when full like she doesnt notice yet that its full. She has a lot of food available and on every room or on different heights in her cage.
Should I go more to 8-10cc maybe but with a 3rd time with only a little when she begs? Im not sure what to do cause its like she is never full and that stresses me a bit

 

[Zara]

The rough guide is to feed about 10% of birds weight.
Is your chick eating adult foods after the formula? Most of mine loved snuggling on my chest in my fluffy dressing gown with a chunk of millet to munch on

 

[Littlelovebird]

Ok great thank you! Ill do that then. She eats a bit of millet yes. And a tiny bit of seeds. She drinks water.

 

[Littlelovebird]

I have more questions!! Since she is eating formula directly from her bowl when Im placing everything on the table to start feeding her, should I just let her eat it directly from the bowl? Can be trickier to calculate the CC taken that way but she is definitely eating more slowly that way so Im wondering if this way it will help her realize she is full?

also today I managed to have her eat a bit of brocoli and I made a recipe with eggs oats veggies and seeds and she ate a bit of that herself so I think its helping too. Just wondering if we can let her take the lead with the formula dirently from the bowl or if its better to keep doing it with a plastic spoon or syringe

thanks guys! And merry christmas!!

 

[Matto]

I would start lessening the amount you feed in the morning until you end the morning feeding conpletely. Keep weighing her. Her weight may drop a bit but should not drop too dramatically.

 

[Matto]

Some breeders give birds that are hard to wean formula in a dish, but that hasn't worked for me personally. Some so swear that switching from a syringe to a spoon also helps with weaning.
Most of all - don't worry. She will wean when she's ready.

 

[Littlelovebird]

I would start lessening the amount you feed in the morning until you end the morning feeding conpletely. Keep weighing her. Her weight may drop a bit but should not drop too dramatically.

So a few updates on Skit. Its been going well for a while. She eats a lot more pellets and seeds when out of her cage. We managed to get the feedings to 1X a day but then our schedule changed we started work after the holidays and it seemed to have made an impact on her feedings. My boyfriend will get home around noon and get her out of her cage and she will beg for formula. Then when I get home at 5 she starts begin when she sees me too! So we are now back at 2X a day. once at noon and once around supper. We tried to reduce the quantity a bit but she really begs a lot and the hunger screams she makes are heart breaking. If we let her eat until she is full we manage to go to 1X but if we cut a bit she begs more during the day. I'm concerned that she is not eating in her cage. I wonder if she should be spending more time in her cage. Should we only take her out when I get home around 5 and feed her once then? She doesnt scream with hunger screams when she is in her cage we are just really impatient to spend time with her and we want her to be free outside the cage but I'm really concerned that she is barely eating in her cage. I wonder if she should be in her cage more often until she is fully weaned? Do you think that would help? I also read about abundance weaning? Could that work? Should I place the formula dish in her cage to make her see that she can eat in there too? I'm open to suggestions!!

 

[Zara]

When your bird is out with you, do you offer foods? Millet on the sprig is usually the winner in my house. My weaning birds would snuggle up with me and snack on it making such a mess. Maybe try that during the day instead of formula.
I don't ever leave fórmula in the cage, it starts to dry up and goes weird after such a short time.

 

[Littlelovebird]

When your bird is out with you, do you offer foods? Millet on the sprig is usually the winner in my house. My weaning birds would snuggle up with me and snack on it making such a mess. Maybe try that during the day instead of formula.
I don't ever leave fórmula in the cage, it starts to dry up and goes weird after such a short time.

Of course! I usually have seeds pellets and millet in dishes! I offer it, play with it to get her attention! She eats from it a bit for a couple minutes usually! But just never in her cage or by herself! I gotta get her attention by playing with it most if the time. Good thanks for the tip on formula in the cage! Ill avoid that! Maybe putting a bit if millet on too of her pellets and seeds in her cage might get her attention!

 

[Zara]

Maybe putting a bit if millet on too of her pellets and seeds in her cage might get her attention!

It´s worth a try! I use that tip when introducing veggies.

Another thought, what if you offer millet sprig through the cage bars in one spot. Make sure she´s eating it. Then clip it in that same spot inside her cage?
Change the drop tray often so you can monitor is anything has fallen.

 

[Littlelovebird]

It´s worth a try! I use that tip when introducing veggies.

Another thought, what if you offer millet sprig through the cage bars in one spot. Make sure she´s eating it. Then clip it in that same spot inside her cage?
Change the drop tray often so you can monitor is anything has fallen.

Yes the millet in her cage with a clip I already do! She knows where it is! its her bowls that she ignores or cant find maybe? I put seeds and pellets and water in dishes in the bottom of her cage but also in dishes fixes to the cage bars higher in the cage.