Handraising baby finches.

[jusdeb]

Just ask the staff for a suitable formula , dont let them talk you into the dearest and Im also thinking now that if you are going to use formula just make the formula runny at first rather than giving water .

Till then though a drop at a time wont hurt.

Yes as Buzz said not too much apple as it can make them scour ( diarrhea). And how much formula is usually 10% of birds body weight . There will be different instructions for each formula so read the pack and away you go.

Good luck , I bet you see a big difference in a day or 2 and they should stop begging for food after a feed too with the formula.

[lyn2233]

hi Deb. I went to the Living Jungle Bird Dealer and he showd me what he uses to hand raise birds he only had large bags so sold me a small amount. I gave them some at 3pm and last feed about 5.30pm the smaller one took it okay but the bigger one did'nt have to much I notice it's vent looked a bit wet. Maybe I should mix some with the egg and biscuit and gradually add more of the formula. They only had Passwells egg and biscuit mix. The new formula may have been to much of a change after feeding egg and biscuit for 10 days.

[jusdeb]

yes thats true Lyn , the formula can be mixed in gradually just add a little more each feed . Try to feed 4 hourly so the crop gets a good chance to empty .
If you have time google how the crop works and you'll understand the mechanics of it all a bit better.
Anyhoo its a bit of so far so good , so keep up the good work mate , your doing very well.

[lyn2233]

Well pretty sad this afternoon my little finches I have been hand raising for 2 1/2 weeks have been going so well, the little one got all it's feathers and grown so much. Had to go out and fed them before I left I had put them in a cage with two finches a couple of months old. I got caught up in a traffic jam and took me hours to get home the smaller one was dead I think it was dehydrated as the weather was very warm even though they were in a shady spot. Really upset me as they became very friendly. the other one kept calling for the other one to-night I put it in the nest of the other two and they seem to take to it as they are all in the nest together. Also need abit of advice my Stars have 4 babies just hatched and they are taking mealy worms which they never did before I am going away for 3 days and will not be able to give them the worms my question will they be okay without the mealy worms for a few days?

[finchbreeder]

Would be better if you have a relative or friend nearby who can drop in and finch feed.
LML

[jusdeb]

Sorry about the little one , it is sad . Dont know if there are any ways to leave enough mealies for a few days maybe someone can suggest a auto feeder or similar . Bloody hard sometimes to find someone trustworthy enough to tend the birds while away , do you have a pet minding service locally ? They charge about $20 to $ 25 a visit but you could work it so they only need to drop in once ...never used a service like this but do keep a flyer handy of our local pet minder just in case .

[Redwing]

I had to go away for a couple of days and had to streamline feeding for daughter so left lots of mealworms in one of those ceramic dog dishes with a thin layer of bran and a whole carrot so mealworms didn't dry out but enough would be visible at any given time or easily found. Seemed to work OK, don't know if that's any help to you Lyn in your situation. Sorry to hear about your little one.

[lyn2233]

Thanks Redwing, Thats sounds a pretty good idea about the mealy worms.I will do that for a couple of days.

[Diane]

Sorry to hear about the young one, its never easy losing a bird, even worse when you are getting attached.

[BENSONSAN]

Hey lynn dont feel bad your a top person and you did your utmost They wer lucky to have you lynn. Also lynn may you and your husband have a great xmas and a top new year