Parent raised chicks

[Zack]

Hi all, I have pulled one of my three chicks to hand raise leaving 2 in the nest.
I would like to have these chicks so i can handle them if need be.

Someone suggested that I take them from the nest each day for about and hour or so, and to handle them so they get used to it.
Will this upset the parents?
Advice and ideas appreciated.

Thanks
Kazz

[billspets]

hello
what type of birds
yes i have done that method with tiels and found it does work when i enter the cage i go pick the chicks up and handle the at first the perants wonder what you are daoing but over time thay get use to it like the chicks do and i have found that the chicks also are easier to handle if you have to do anything with them
but i dont remove them from the cage area
hope this helps
regards
bill

[Zack]

Thanks Bill,
Sorry I forgot to mention that they are tiels. I'll give it a go see what reations I get from mum and dad.

Kaz

[josiedownunda]

I am currently doing the same thing with my pastelface chicks. Every day I have to go and cuddle them and tell them how cute they are. Mum and dad don't mind a bit. I think they actually enjoy the break and they have been used to me handling their chicks from the time they first started breeding. All my pairs are used to it in fact. I even remove the boxes and clean them out and replace them while the patrents are feeding. If you feed them before handling the chicks they are usually so busy eating they don't mind a bit.
Jo-Anne

[chickabee]

Hi Kazz
Yes the key word is handling, I have raised chicks both ways, by hand feeding and parent feeding, with the parent feeding I too made sure that I handled them at least once or twice a day, I would check there feet, feathers and tummys and just give them all a really good look over and a cuddle. As Jo-Anne mentioned the parents have become used to me handling the chicks. Two of my indoor pet tiels were raised this way, and you would think that they had been hand fed.

Cheers Deb

[Zack]

Thanks for the info. Jo-Anne & Deb, this is my first pair, the dad is used to "inspections" but this is mums first time. I have been handling the chicks from when they were a couple of days old. Now they have their eyes open though they have turned into a couple of hissing machines.
Still persevering though.

Thanks
Kazz

[Zack]

Well I have been handling my little bundles of hiss ;D and I am glad to say that they are not hissing as much. In fact they are starting to snuggle. Just not too sure about all the strange movements.

I gave them a bit of handrearing formula this morning. They thought it was Christmas time!! Extra food, and they didn't have to beg for it.
I don't know if anyone else does this but I thought it would leave a bit more for mum and dad to keep.

Does anyone handfeed their chicks in the nests?

Thanks
Kazz

[Zack]

Oh I forgot to say, after all my trouble of getting my tiel pair to lay in the box and then incubate, I now have 3 beautiful Platinum babies.
Zack my hen must think being a mum is great, as she is back to laying. 3 eggs so far and mum has a bulging undercarriage, so fingers crossed they are fertile.

Kazz