# Hand rearing my first baby bird



## Paint Me Proud (22 October 2014)

I breed Kakariki parakeets and sadly on Monday morning i found two chicks dead in the nest box and one little one left alive. They had been fine the day before so really no idea what went on therefore decided to pull the surviving chick to hand rear. Eek!

Luckily i always keep an emergency bag of hand rearing formula in and have some knowledge of what to do but first time I've commited fully to it.

So i'd like to introduce Clover, one very lucky little birdy.







Despite all the literature saying feed every 4-5 hours little Clover has decided every 2-3 hours is best, greedy bird.

Luckily no one at work batted an eyelid at me rolling in with a friend in toe, they know me too well!

Fingers crossed I can get her to weaning without too much trouble.


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## Meowy Catkin (22 October 2014)

Are you having to feed through the night too?

Good luck with her.


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## Paint Me Proud (22 October 2014)

Faracat said:



			Are you having to feed through the night too?

Good luck with her. 

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No, she went 6 hours last night which I will do again tonight. She's taking a decent amount at each feed so not to worried about the longer gap between feeds over night.
She is 3.5 weeks old


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## Meowy Catkin (22 October 2014)

Phew! It would be so tiring getting up every couple of hours or so. Birds look so prehistoric before they fully feather up, but she's quite cute really.


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## Dry Rot (22 October 2014)

Oh, I do not envy you! I suppose it will imprint on you. Does that create any problems? Very rewarding but, oh so demanding! There is no escape now.


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## Paint Me Proud (23 October 2014)

Dry Rot said:



			Oh, I do not envy you! I suppose it will imprint on you. Does that create any problems? Very rewarding but, oh so demanding! There is no escape now.
		
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Dont think parakeets imprint that way, not like ducks do. Hand rearing just means they are super tame and not scared of humans. It's been 4 days now and little one is still going strong, taking more and more formula at each feed. It's not as hard work as i expected as she sits quietly in her box until she's hungry thena few chirrups, 10 minutes and she's fed and back in her box.


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## Dry Rot (23 October 2014)

I was a falconer for many years and hand reared one peregrine from about 10 days of age (in my bedroom in London!). That turned out to be quite a remarkable bird. I took it on holiday to Ireland where it would go up in the thermals out of sight. But it was obviously watching me as it would come down to sit on a nearby rock when I turned for home and swear at me in the most foul language! Very very scary the first time he disappeared into the clouds! Some of the hawks can become what I can only describe as "mentally ill" when hand reared but if all goes well, they can become very tame and confiding.


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## Nudibranch (24 October 2014)

She is gorgeous! Used to have a Kakariki, I do like the natural greens best. He was really tame, a great pet. Will you keep her as a pet or will she join her parents? Just watch out - once you've done one, people will start bringing you all kinds of things to care for


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## Paint Me Proud (24 October 2014)

Nudibranch said:



			She is gorgeous! Used to have a Kakariki, I do like the natural greens best. He was really tame, a great pet. Will you keep her as a pet or will she join her parents? Just watch out - once you've done one, people will start bringing you all kinds of things to care for 

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I haven't decided on what I will do with her yet. Whether I will keep her or sell her. If I do keep her she will go back out into the aviary as we have an African grey in the house who doesn't like other birds!

I adore kakarikis, have had them for the last 4 years and agree the natural green are my favourite. This little one is a pied, her parents are pied too, I also get pure yellow ones from that pairing as well.


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## Paint Me Proud (24 October 2014)

here she is from earlier today, having a cuddle after a full tummy of nice warm formula.


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## Tiffany (24 October 2014)

She looks very cute and content


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## ribbons (30 October 2014)

How's the little bird doing.?
When I was a little girl (many moons ago) my parents bred budgies. They had a particularly fancy pair who finally bred, my parents were very excited about this brood. 
Sadly the parent birds were so in love they couldn't be bothered once the babies hatched and ignored them. After one or two died my mother removed the others to hand rear which she did successfully. 
I remember well, babies booties nailed to the oak beam above the fire place with a little bird in each and my mother sitting there chewing bird seed and feeding it from the end of a matchstick. 
Other childhood memories were orphan lambs in the warming section of the kitchen range and tiny piglets sleeping inside my mothers tucked in jumper to warm up. We had some brilliant experiences as kids.


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## _GG_ (30 October 2014)

Ah, she's gorgeous. Hope she continues to do well...she looks like she is thriving in your care xx


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## Paint Me Proud (3 November 2014)

little Clover is still doing great, growing and feathering up steadily

First taste of grape






First toy






and today, now 5 weeks old, and into the naughty teenager stage who cant possible stand still to be fed, she must be racing around on the desk investigating every nook and cranny. I'm dreading when she learns to fly!!


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## Moya_999 (4 November 2014)

Paint Me Proud said:



			little Clover is still doing great, growing and feathering up steadily

First taste of grape






First toy






and today, now 5 weeks old, and into the naughty teenager stage who cant possible stand still to be fed, she must be racing around on the desk investigating every nook and cranny. I'm dreading when she learns to fly!!





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WOOOOOOW  how she has changed, well done you and her, she looks gorgeous.  You must be proud of yourself for bringing her on like this.  Keep us updated with her progress wont you


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## _GG_ (4 November 2014)

Agree with Moya_999, she's really changed. There's something different every day I bet.

She's looking fab, well done you.

Ribbons, sounds like we had very similar experiences growing up


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## Paint Me Proud (5 November 2014)

thanks, i'm very proud of her considering this is my first hand rear.
She started flying yesterday which is a big thing! 

Here she is chilling out at break time at work, the teachers are besotted with her, they were disappointed at lunch time becasue she was sleeping and couldnt come out to play.


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## _GG_ (5 November 2014)

Paint Me Proud said:



			thanks, i'm very proud of her considering this is my first hand rear.
She started flying yesterday which is a big thing! 

Here she is chilling out at break time at work, the teachers are besotted with her, they were disappointed at lunch time becasue she was sleeping and couldnt come out to play.





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Ridiculously cute xxx


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