BEN the bird man
10 posts
Feb 18, 2007
3:34 PM
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Im the man in black
i cant seem to get my baby birds to eat grain unless i feed them one by one and it takes for ever does any one know a better way to do that
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Missouri-Flyer
276 posts
Feb 18, 2007
4:34 PM
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Hey Ben,
When you say babies, I am assuming that you mean weaned birds out of the nest. Usually placing the birds on the loft floor where they can watch and learn from the older birds does the trick. If that didnt work for ya, and they arent to big, replace them back into the nest and let the parents feed them a few more days, then place them on the loft floor where the feed and water would be..Jerry
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Home of "Whispering Wings Loft"
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fhtfire
815 posts
Feb 18, 2007
5:34 PM
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What I do is put the young birds on the loft floor as soon as they start feathering under there wings (wing pit)...and or when the tail feathers are about 1"long. Everytime I feed my breeders or the older birds...I will throw a small handfull of wheat and milo where the young birds seem to congrigate. You will find when you put the young birds on the loft floor...they will usually find a corner and hang out together.
Once I see the young birds eating the grain that I throw over in there neck of the woods...I give them a couple more days on the loft floor...then I move them to a kit box. I will usually put a couple easy going hen from one of my older teams in with them...the hens tend to not want to beat up the young birds....then I put feed in the feed tray with them...usually wheat and milo because the seeds are small...I will leave the tray in all day. They usually will not eat the first day...because they are not hungry and a little feaked out being on there own...on the second day they will usually eat...or just pick at it. I will let them eat all they can eat...for the first 4 or 5 days...meaning that I leave a tray of food in with them the whole time. As soon as the little hens that I put in the box with them start eating and the first squeeker eats..they usually all eat. I will also kind of heard all the squeeks close to the tray. By the third day they are all eating just fine.
I just moved 10 squeeks into the kit box two days ago and of course they did not eat to much the first day...but this morning they all had feed in the crops....make sure in the evening you check each bird to make sure that they are eating...if you get one or two that are not...put them back in with the parents for a day or two then move them back to the kit box.
Been doing it this way for the last 4 years and only had to move back..maybe two or three birds in that time.
After they get all the feed they want for 4 or 5 days...I start trap training and feed them once a day all they can eat in the morning..
On average...my birds are only on the floor for about 5 or 6 days and they are usually ready for the move...just remember...baby steps for the babies.
rock and ROLL
Paul
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W@yne
270 posts
Feb 18, 2007
10:28 PM
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Most important thing of all don't forget to make sure these squabs are taking in water eating food alone will cause dehydration feel the squabs crop and make sure it feels soft and not hard with just seed you will find a dehydrated squab easy by 1 looking fluffy feathers and rather pissed off blinking eyes very slow hope this helps.
Regards
W@yne uk
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