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Post by SunConure on Mar 13, 2005 16:33:30 GMT 10
Hi just wandering whats better to feed your young baby birds bent spoon,or syringe.
On another forum overseas of course this girl keeps hand feeding her baby chicks by sticking a tube down there throat alll the way into there crop and she has said this is the best way to feed them.I pulled this off another site and they have said Tube feeding is unnecessary unless the chick is sick. Using a tube bypasses the chick's ability to taste and appreciate the food. The chick doesn't learn how to eat and the pleasure of eating is lost to the chick. Heres the site i pulled it off www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww62e.htm she has told me everyone in her area does this so she believes it is the best way. sorry i just had to vent about that it has made me real angry i think that tube feeding should be done only if necessary.
I was thinking of using a bent spoon but was wandering if a bent spoon will work on 2 week old lovebirds and cockatiels cause this is the age i plan on pulling the chicks.
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Post by jeremy on Mar 13, 2005 16:39:06 GMT 10
I like ths bent spoon better. It can get a little messy at times but it doesn't worry me
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Post by pollyparrot on Mar 13, 2005 16:59:56 GMT 10
i syringe feed but only put the end in the babys mouth less waste and less mess i too would only crop needle or tube feed if baby is sick and wont eat
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Post by billspets on Mar 13, 2005 18:06:35 GMT 10
me personaly i use a syringe fro 2 reasons firstly it is not as messy and secondly you can keep track on how much you are feeding
as far as crop feeding i have never done it
regards
bill
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Post by AussieBirds on Mar 13, 2005 18:57:25 GMT 10
On the occasions that I have hand reared I have used the bent spoon, it is messy but if you clean the birds up after every feed there isn't a problem ;D
John
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Post by lovemytiels on Mar 14, 2005 4:56:56 GMT 10
Hi Tara, I only ever crop feed myself if the baby is sick or very weak & when it is better, I then use a syringe. It is what you will feel more confident using, Most first timers use a bent spoon. I personally like a syringe & just put it in the left side of the babies mouth. It really is a personal choice, but you really need to get someone to show you how to syringe feed though as there is a knack to it. Like Bill, I like to know how much food the baby is getting as tiels can be very greedy & still beg for food even though their crop is full, & that is not good , so a syringe allows me to measure how much it has taken. Crop feeding can be downright dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. Cheers Anna
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Post by Birdlover13 on Mar 14, 2005 12:48:44 GMT 10
Hi,
I handrear heaps of birds and i prefer the bent spoon for all birds including budgies up to eclectus parrots and i've been lucky enough to not have too many get messy,yes teils can get greedy but i know when to stop.
i can and do very occasionally crop feed birds, it is very handy to know how to crop feed if you do have a sick or weak chick as you can feed them this way until they are stronger, but you do need to learn how to do it properly.
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Post by Bentayle on Apr 8, 2005 11:53:52 GMT 10
Hi, I have used both the spoon and the syringe feeding methods. I prefer the spoon because it seems to me that the chicks get to replicate the action they use to feed from their parents. Some chicks take a little while to get used to the spoon, so I like to have both options available so either way I know the chick is getting enough food.
Kazz
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Post by featherzau on Jun 2, 2005 19:25:43 GMT 10
I have used a bent spoon on all my babies, mostly tiels ,a few budgies and 2 canary babies. I tried a syrige at first but I have carpal tunnel problems and I could not control the syringe. I have recently changed my feeding methods. I am so in love with the babies I used to put them all, [at one time 17, average 10] on my bed and feed them all together! This has led to so much mess and 'dags' hanging from chins that no amount of wiping seemd to cure  Now i do them 2 at a time and knowing each lot so well, I take one greedy one, and one patient one. Babies are stayign so much cleaner, even though its not so much fun anymore  I am sorry I am replying in some older posts  But they are new to me! |
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Post by billspets on Jun 2, 2005 20:11:01 GMT 10
I have used a bent spoon on all my babies, mostly tiels ,a few budgies and 2 canary babies. I tried a syrige at first but I have carpal tunnel problems and I could not control the syringe. I have recently changed my feeding methods. I am so in love with the babies I used to put them all, [at one time 17, average 10] on my bed and feed them all together! This has led to so much mess and 'dags' hanging from chins that no amount of wiping seemd to cure Now i do them 2 at a time and knowing each lot so well, I take one greedy one, and one patient one. Babies are stayign so much cleaner, even though its not so much fun anymore I am sorry I am replying in some older posts But they are new to me! hello featherzau that is a lot of feeding all at one time you would forget how much they have been feed (well i would ) fell free to reply to as many posts as you like as all input helps us all regards bill |
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Post by macawvic on Jun 14, 2005 10:11:39 GMT 10
In my opinion, the absolute best chick feeding utensile is a beak. You can never beat the feeding devotion and expertise of the parent birds.
With that said, I utilise three different techniques with handrearing chicks: 1) Spoon - day 1 right upto weaning, 2) Syringe - day 1 right upto weaning, 3) Crop feeding - week 2 right upto weaning.
Rgds
Tim
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Post by beachbird on Jul 12, 2005 22:01:12 GMT 10
I use the bend spoon with my cockatiels. I know it's a bit messy, but I think it's as close to a beak shape as it can get, without it being a parent.
It's a good idea to feed one gutsy one with one who isn't a good feeder. That way, it encourages the latter to feed better. It works for mine anyway.
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Now i do them 2 at a time and knowing each lot so well, I take one greedy one, and one patient one. Babies are stayign so much cleaner, even though its not so much fun anymore 
But they are new to me!
Mum & breeder of cockatiels, budgies and lovebirds. 
