Prickly pinfeathers, naked bellies and wobbly little legs make baby birds too cute to be ugly. One look at those eager little beaks open wide under bulging eyes, and breeders fall in love all over again—a good thing, since these little ones need a great deal of attention from their human parents, especially at feeding time.

As any reputable breeder or avian vet will tell you, hand feeding baby birds is no simple task. The job—an art as well as a skill—takes a steady hand and infinite patience. Sadly, mistakes can be deadly.

Many professionals, therefore, advise anyone new to this delicate task to get lots of hands-on training from experienced hand-feeders before attempting to feed baby birds. For those who get the hang of it, feeding a nursery of little hatchlings is one of life’s great joys.

Bird Biology 101

Birds have a remarkable digestive system, which differs quite a bit from other animals’. The most unique feature is the crop, a space in the esophagus that holds food before it slowly empties into the stomach. Wild birds need this nifty storage tank to fill up quickly when the threat of predators is low. With captive birds, the crop enables owners and breeders to determine when a baby bird has had enough to eat and space out feedings.

Many birds, including parrots and other exotic species, feed their young by regurgitating food from their crop. Experts, therefore, say it’s ideal to keep babies with their parents the first few days or weeks after their birth to ensure that the little ones are getting proper nutrition and enough food.

Michelle Good man, manager of the Kaytee Learning Center in Chilton, Wis., likens baby birds staying with their parents for a few weeks to human mothers feeding their children breast milk instead of formula.  Pediatricians know that breast milk is best.  Similarly, avian vets advocate giving baby birds a good start by allowing them to stay with their parents for a few weeks.

If a bird is unable to care its baby, however, hand-feeding can be started just after hatching.  Ann Hopwood hand-feeds as many as 150 baby birds at a time at her store, The Parrot Domain in Fredericksburg, Va.  Her birds come from breeders when they’re about 3 weeks old.

Hand-feeding is a great learning experience for pet birds. Hand-fed babies are usually more docile than other birds and bond with the people who feed them, resulting in happy pets.

Formulas for Success

Only a decade or so ago, breeders and vets made their own hand-feeding formulas, often from ground seed, baby cereal and applesauce or peanut butter. Today, instant formulas make hand-feeding easier and safer, and result in healthier birds, because they’re scientifically formulated to offer baby birds the exact nutrition they need.

Like human baby formulas, bird formulas are packaged as powders and re-hydrated with warm water.  These formulas also provide the fluid baby birds need, since they don’t drink water.

Some bird food manufacturers offer formulas with fat levels designed to meet the nutritional needs of specific bird speciies.  Low-fat formulas, for example, are recommended for small birds and cockatoos, while high-fat formulas are designed for parrots, such as macaws, Eclectus, Amazons and African Greys.

ZuPreem’s Embrace and Embrace Plus hand-feeding formulas, for instance, contain low and high levels of fat, respectively.  According to Gail Shepard, director of marketing for the Mission Kan.-based company, Embrace formulas also stay mixed in the crop “so the bird is getting consistent nutrients.”

Concerns about fatty liver in small breeds prompted Kaytee to develop a low-fat version of its Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding Formula, according to Goodman.  Exact products also include low bacteria levels to regulate birds’ digestive tracts.

Cheryl Lake, founder of Lake’s Unlimited Inc. in St. Paul, Minn., spent years creating Lake’s Ultimate Avian Diets Hand-Rearing Formula, a product intended for all types of birds. “I spent so much time cooking for my birds,” she said. “I figured there just had to be an easier way to feed a large flock of birds a quality diet.” 

Lake began formulating the diet—which contains no artificial sweeteners or colors—in 1985, and it hit the market in 1987.  Lake’s Lacto-Plus, a supplement containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum, can be added to the formula to help regulate birds’ digestive systems.

Another hand-feeding formula designed to meet the nutritional needs of all baby birds is Instant Nutri-Start from Lafeber Co. in Cornell, Ill.  Made from rice flour, the product offers high digestibility and balanced nutrition.

Little Details Count

The type of formula a hand-feeder chooses is irrelevant, however, if a bird is fed incorrectly or without care and attention. “You’re feeding an animal at its most vulnerable time of its life,” Shepard said, and unfortunately, a lot can go wrong.

It’s worth repeating that many reputable breeders recommend hands-on training for novice hand-feeders. “Hand-feeding is not difficult, but it’s not something you can pick up in a book,” noted breeder Tammy Kramer of DJ Feathers Aviary of Northern Virginia. “You need to have someone sit with you. Find a mentor who will show you how it’s done way before you get the baby bird.”

Baby birds can be fed with a spoon or syringe. Hopwood advises against tube feeding, because the birds don’t have to do any work to get the food.

The formula should be mixed with warm water to a creamy consistency that’s not too thick or too thin. If the formula’s too thick, the bird’s crop may not empty properly.  If it’s too thin the bird won’t get enough nutrients from the formula. 

Water temperature is crucial, but advice on the exact temp varies. Hopwood uses water that is 105 degrees F to 106 degrees F, while Kramer will go as high as 107 degrees F. One thing is certain: every degree counts. “I use a digital thermometer every time I feed each bird,” Kramer said.

Formula that is too hot can burn a hole in the bird’s crop. Formula that is too cold, on the other hand, could slow the digestive process, leading to sour crop or stomach. Baby birds also may refuse to eat formula that is not warm enough. Hopwood solvs this problem by transferring mixed formula into an insulated coffee mug. “From start to finish, it stays warm,” she said.

Mixed formula is easily contaminated, so any that goes unused after a feeding should be thrown away. Some manufacturers recommend freezing formula in its powdered form, if it won’t be used soon after it is purchased.

Feed Pointers

Birds eat standing up, so they should be hand-fed in this position. When baby birds are very young, their heads must be held during feeding, usually between the index and middle fingers in a V position. As birds get older and used to the hand-feeding process, they’ll crane their necks to get to the syringe or spoon.

Luckily, a bird’s crop is quite visible when not covered in feathers, making it easy to tell when the crop is empty or full. “You can over stretch the crop,” Kramer said, which causes the muscles and skin to expand too far. When this occurs, the crop may not empty properly, creating the perfect condition for yeast infections, which can be deadly for young birds.

Typically, baby birds should be fed about 10 percent of their body weight at each feeding, Hopwood explained, but hand-feeders should check with their vets before settling on a quantity. Very young birds should be fed smaller amounts every two to three hours. As the babies get older, they can be fed about four times daily. Weighing birds at every feeding helps determine if they are getting the right amount of food. Experienced breeders and avian vets can provide breed-specific growth charts.

Easy Does It

Aspiration is a tragic complication that can happen if the formula enters the bird’s the lungs, rather than its crop. If a bird aspirates, it can die very quickly.

To avoid aspiration, bird owners and breeders shold make sure that the bird’s neck is elongated during feeding, Hopwood said. She and Kramer take other precautions as well.

“I don’t multitask,” Kramer said. “Going slow, being patient, not being in a hurry—I think that’s the best advice. My feedings take forever.” 

Patience has another benefit: additional bonding. “It’s better for the birds,” she added.

The length of time a bird needs to be hand-fed depends on the breed. “The smaller the bird, the quicker it weans,” Kramer said. For example, cockatiels will wean within three months, while Macaws are generally hand fed for five to six months.

Hopwood doesn’t force weanings. “I don’t go just by age,” she said. “I let the bird wean itself. It’s a long commitment to hand-feed a baby bird.”

Whether by necessity or by choice, hand feeding baby birds should not be taken lightly. It requires discipline, dedication and attention to details.

“There are a lot of fine lines,” Kramer said, “[but] the baby’s safety has to be first.”