I have hand reared many birds ranging from zebra finches to ringnecks and barrabands. I learnt all of my experience myself, from trial and error.
My favourite bird to hand rear would be the Indian Ringneck. I have hand reared right from the egg, and the are one of the easiest. When they hatch they are about 1 inch long and look like little pink jelly beans.
Formulas.
I use many different formulas but my favourite is veta farm, lakes and kaytee exact.
When the chicks are first hatched I don't feed them for about 3 hours, till all the yolk is absorbed, then I give them a small meal of water and some bene-bac, which is a natural occuring bacteria, which helps stop sour crop.
Then for the next 24-48 hrs they are given a liquid feed of water and bene-bac and some formula, Lakes.
As they gradually get older they consistency of the formula gets thicker, and at about 1 week old they get a mixture of veta farm and lakes formula.
At about 2-3 weeks old they are given some vegetables to mix in.
I also add some peanut butter to their formula which helps give them extra energy to put on weight.
They are kept in a brooder and this year I will be keeping them in separate containers as it makes them more person related than bird related which is what you want for pets.
They are spoon fed until 3 weeks old and then they are tube fed. This is because at 3 weeks the little darlings decide that they don't want baby food any more but they still don't know how to eat proper food.
This is an excellant time to start weaning. I offer them corn on the cob, a treat mix which consists of millet spray, pinenuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower, peanuts, and other yummy looking things for them to eat.
I also make a birdie cake for them, which is excellent fot teaching them how to eat as it is crumbly, easy to break off and they don't have to shell it.
I keep them in a big cage together as they learn from each other how to eat and what I find amazing is they way their different personalitys emerge. They have all had the same care and environment but they is always the leader, bolder one is usually is a pig and gets in first and there is always a runt who I end up feeling sorry for.
They are delightful little birds full of energy and life and I could never ever be without them.
SORRY STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION
isa@xtra.co.nz
80 Maskell Street,
St Heliers Bay,
Auckland 1005
New Zealand