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. Sprouted or germinated seeds are usually more easily accepted by "seed addicts" than fresh fruits and vegetables.

Sprouted seeds are healthier as the sprouting changes and enhances the nutritional quality and value of seeds and grains. Sprouted seeds are lower in fat, as the process of sprouting utilizes the fat in the seed to start the growing process - thus reducing the fat stored in the seeds.
Sprouted seeds will help balance your bird’s diet by adding a nutritious supply of high in vegetable proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and chlorophyll.
Soaked and germinated "oil" seeds, like niger and rape seeds, are rich in protein and carbohydrates; while "starch" seeds, such as canary and millets, are rich in carbohydrates, but lower in protein.
It is in invaluable food at all times; however, it is especially important for breeding or molting birds.

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.
	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.
	ZuPreem Baby Bird Hand Feeding Formula Plus ''Embrace Plus'' 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. Ingredients: corn meal, wheat flour, oat groats, corn gluten meal, wheat middlings, soy oil, beet pulp, soy protein concentrate, wheat germ meal, soy protien concentrate, dicalcium phosphate, soy flour (heat processed), calcium carbonate, brewers dried yeast, L-lysine, vitamin A supplement, salt, choline chloride, L-arginine, potassium chloride, DL-methionine, ascorbic acid (source of vitamin C), propionic acid (a preservative), mixed natural tocopherols, rosemary extract, citric acid, vitamin D3 supplement
	ZuPreem Embrace Baby Bird Hand-Feeding Formula 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. Ingredients: corn meal, wheat flour, oat groats, corn gluten meal, wheat middlings, soy oil, beet pulp, soy protein concentrate, wheat germ meal, soy protien concentrate, dicalcium phosphate, soy flour (heat processed), calcium carbonate, brewers dried yeast, L-lysine, vitamin A supplement, salt, choline chloride, L-arginine, potassium chloride, DL-methionine, ascorbic acid (source of vitamin C), propionic acid (a preservative), mixed natural tocopherols, rosemary extract, citric acid, vitamin D3 supplement

Pretty Bird Handrearing Formula
	Product Features Crude protein (min) 19% Crude fat (min) 8% Crude fiber (max) 2.6% Moisture (max) 10% Ash (max) 6% Vitamin A (min) 12,000 IUkg Vitamin D3 (min) 750 IUkg Vitamin E (min) 350 IUkg Copper (min) 10 mgkg Ideal formula for day one and older Lories. Good formula for Cockatoos and most Amazons. Good general purpose formual for older chicks	Pretty Bird 19/8 Hand Rearing Formula is fine ground for smooth easy mixing, this is an excellent choice for your new arrivals.

Weaning Foods
	Pretty Bird International Weaning Food 5lb This product has the same nutrition as the breeder food but is extruded in a corn curl shape that is easier for young birds to hold while they are learning to eat. The morsel size is more suited to medium and large hookbills. Weaning can be fed either dry or moistened. Packaged in 5 lb. bags. Manufactured 6 per case
	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
	Worlds Freshest Spay Millet 5 Pound Box: A great WEANING food!

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. ... The syringes that I disliked most are those with the black rubber stopper. After a couple of uses, the black rubber stopper will get stuck, and as you force it, all the formula comes out at the same time with quite some force potentially aspirating a chick (been there, done that). Others do like the black stopper syringes as it prevents air from getting into the formula. They are fine to use for a short while, but once the robber stopper expands and is difficult to push through, they need to be tossed. 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.

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