I need to put together a nursery in a hurry and could use your help.

Hello, everyone. I want to thank you again for welcoming me and for supporting me in mourning for my wonderful and much-missed DYH Amazon, Gabby. There is no replacing him. He was one of a kind and losing him was the most difficult thing I've ever experienced. We were pair-bonded and loved each other on a very deep level.

I have been putting out feelers, looking for another parrot to love. I didn't expect it to happen this quickly, but it did. A local breeder I've known for 25 years lost all his African grey eggs and his blue-fronted Amazons only produced a single chick. Because I used to breed and hand-feed, he offered the chick to me. He wants to pull it at no more than three weeks of age, so I have to put together a nursery very quickly.

Many years ago, I bred and hand-fed CAGs and Senegals. Back then, I had all the equipment I needed and my preferred way of doing things. I no longer have the necessary equipment and I'm sure there are better ways of doing things.

So far I like the look of this DIY brooder: Rainbow Parrots! How to make a Baby Parrot Brooder

I also need hand-feeding formula, scales, substrate, disinfectant, various size syringes (preferably with soft surgical tubing at the end), etc.

So, lots of input, please! One thing you can keep in mind is I live in California. It gets pretty hot here in summer with low humidity. Our days of cold and rain are just about over.

1) Do you like this brooder? Do you have a better suggestion? The baby won't have siblings to help him stay warm. I don't think I ever raised a clutch with only one baby. Rainbow Parrots! How to make a Baby Parrot Brooder

2) I went to a site that suggested Gluteraldehyde over the Nolvasan I used to use. Nolvasan won't kill pseudomonas. What do you think? (Also, Nolvasan got really expensive!)

3) I need a good substrate. I used to use white paper towels over a bedding of soft pine shavings when the chicks were tiny. When they got older, I used soft pine shavings because they kept the chicks cleaner. There's always a danger of ingestion, however. During my research today, I found a breeder who recommended CareFresh Bedding. What do you think? Bedding keeps chicks cleaner and I'd be throwing it out and replacing it every time I fed.

4) I need a good scale that weighs in grams.

5) I need hand-feeding formula. Back in the day, I used Pretty Bird hand-feeding formula, but I'm sure there are better formulas available today. I also plan to ween the baby onto pellets, so perhaps it's best to do a hand-feeding formula / pellet combination from the same manufacturer. Obviously, the easier it is to make, the better, but I want what's best for the baby.

I could also use a refresher course on hand-feeding / nursery management with updated information. URLs would be most welcome.

I only lost one baby during hand-feeding: an African grey with a congenital heart defect. There wasn't anything I could do about it. However, it's been a long time and after going through the death of my beloved Gabby, I'm a little gun-shy. This is scary, but it's also exciting. I'll get to raise the baby the way I want to.

I have some disabilities that limit my energy level, but my mother is going to help. Together we raised parrots for several years. It should come back to us fairly easily. I hope.

Thanks in advance! <---It's a Blue Front!

Can I ask why the breeder wants to pull the chick at three weeks of age? Seems awfully young? Be interested to know

Your looking for information that I have very little understand and information regarding. So, to provide at least a bridge until those experienced with chicks Post, I would recommend that you Web Search: UK Avian Medical Supplies or EU Avian Medical Supplies.

As you know that would reduce your transport time and costs greatly.

If your Breeder is not going t use 'their' stuff, why not ask to use it. After all, that will save you the cost and time of finding everything and prepping it. At most you would need somethings that you are more comfortable. Also, as time passes, you could return those items that you have stopped using.

Never hurts to ask! After all its a favor both ways, right?

SailBoat said:

Your looking for information that I have very little understand and information regarding. So, to provide at least a bridge until those experienced with chicks Post, I would recommend that you Web Search: UK Avian Medical Supplies or EU Avian Medical Supplies.

As you know that would reduce your transport time and costs greatly.

If your Breeder is not going t use 'their' stuff, why not ask to use it. After all, that will save you the cost and time of finding everything and prepping it. At most you would need somethings that you are more comfortable. Also, as time passes, you could return those items that you have stopped using.

Never hurts to ask! After all its a favor both ways, right?

Click to expand...

At the very least, he could have a suggestion for the brooder. That's going to be the hardest piece of equipment to either build or acquire. We had a commercially-built Styrofoam brooder, but nowadays the cost is unbelievable. I've done this before, but I'm going to be doing it with all new equipment and hand-feeding formula, etc. So yes, a bit scary.

plumsmum2005 said:

Can I ask why the breeder wants to pull the chick at three weeks of age? Seems awfully young? Be interested to know

Click to expand...

I wrote a reply to you, but it doesn't appear for some reason. Maybe it's still there and will show up and make me a double poster.

I just wanted to say that the standard age for pulling chicks has always been two-to-three weeks because older chicks might have a fear response at the change. I know that the greys I pulled a bit later sometimes started growling in the night. One would start and the others would join in until everyone was shaken up. I'd get up and comfort them until they stopped. These were tiny chicks in pinfeathers. It was slightly amusing they were able to do the infamous African grey growl, but of course I didn't want them frightened. A petting session from mommy calmed them down.

This breeder has been doing this for over thirty years. I did it for several years. The age for pulling is going to be old school, I guess, no matter what has been learned since then. The only chick I lost during hand-feeding had a congenital heart defect. It was heartbreaking and was one of the factors that went into my decision to retire from bird breeding.

That said, I'm open to new information. But if this chick is going to be pulled at a young age, he/she needs someone with experience and someone who will deeply care about his/her welfare. I fit the "bill" on both counts. I just need a refresher course.

Ladyhawk said:

plumsmum2005 said:

Can I ask why the breeder wants to pull the chick at three weeks of age? Seems awfully young? Be interested to know

Click to expand...

I wrote a reply to you, but it doesn't appear for some reason. Maybe it's still there and will show up and make me a double poster.

I just wanted to say that the standard age for pulling chicks has always been two-to-three weeks because older chicks might have a fear response at the change. I know that the greys I pulled a bit later sometimes started growling in the night. One would start and the others would join in until everyone was shaken up. I'd get up and comfort them until they stopped. These were tiny chicks in pinfeathers. It was slightly amusing they were able to do the infamous African grey growl, but of course I didn't want them frightened. A petting session from mommy calmed them down.

This breeder has been doing this for over thirty years. I did it for several years. The age for pulling is going to be old school, I guess, no matter what has been learned since then. The only chick I lost during hand-feeding had a congenital heart defect. It was heartbreaking and was one of the factors that went into my decision to retire from bird breeding.

That said, I'm open to new information. But if this chick is going to be pulled at a young age, he/she needs someone with experience and someone who will deeply care about his/her welfare. I fit the "bill" on both counts. I just need a refresher course.

Click to expand...

Thank you for taking the time to reply I am perhaps under the impression (rightly or wrongly) that babies did better, were more confident as adults if they were allowed to stay in the nest with parents for a longer period of time? Have always enjoyed reading articles from Eb Cravens who has developed his own way of breeding. Anyway I digress you sound very confident and capable and will do the very best. Can the breeder you know help with equipment if this is a one off? Be nice to see updates of how things go.

I haven't hear Eb's name used in a long time! Are you getting his Emails or has he upgraded to a Blog? Over the years, I had seemed to stop getting his monthly(?) writings. His Breeding technics had always been leading edge as has his socialization and general care technics - plus his diets!

plumsmum2005 said:

Ladyhawk said:

plumsmum2005 said:

Can I ask why the breeder wants to pull the chick at three weeks of age? Seems awfully young? Be interested to know

Click to expand...

I wrote a reply to you, but it doesn't appear for some reason. Maybe it's still there and will show up and make me a double poster.

I just wanted to say that the standard age for pulling chicks has always been two-to-three weeks because older chicks might have a fear response at the change. I know that the greys I pulled a bit later sometimes started growling in the night. One would start and the others would join in until everyone was shaken up. I'd get up and comfort them until they stopped. These were tiny chicks in pinfeathers. It was slightly amusing they were able to do the infamous African grey growl, but of course I didn't want them frightened. A petting session from mommy calmed them down.

This breeder has been doing this for over thirty years. I did it for several years. The age for pulling is going to be old school, I guess, no matter what has been learned since then. The only chick I lost during hand-feeding had a congenital heart defect. It was heartbreaking and was one of the factors that went into my decision to retire from bird breeding.

That said, I'm open to new information. But if this chick is going to be pulled at a young age, he/she needs someone with experience and someone who will deeply care about his/her welfare. I fit the "bill" on both counts. I just need a refresher course.

Click to expand...

Thank you for taking the time to reply I am perhaps under the impression (rightly or wrongly) that babies did better, were more confident as adults if they were allowed to stay in the nest with parents for a longer period of time? Have always enjoyed reading articles from Eb Cravens who has developed his own way of breeding. Anyway I digress you sound very confident and capable and will do the very best. Can the breeder you know help with equipment if this is a one off? Be nice to see updates of how things go.

Click to expand...

Personally, I would have preferred to leave babies with the parents longer for a variety of reasons. I'm curious if Eb Cravens has tame breeders. In that case, I can see how you might be able to do it with certain species. Larger parrots who aren't afraid of people can be very dangerous when they are nesting, so I'm not sure how that would work. I would worry about misplaced aggression toward the babies while disturbing the nest.

Regardless, this breeder is pulling the chick at three weeks whether I buy it or not. It might as well have me as its mama. I will do the very best job I can. I have the love, the experience and a family member willing to help me.

I solved my brooder issue. I've used heat tape in the past with reptiles. I asked a knowledgeable reptile guy if it could be used to create a makeshift brooder. The answer is yes. Apparently, lots of people do it. The Internet has taught me there are few original ideas. Anyway, I'll have heat tape, a thermometer with thermostat and a temperature / humidity gauge on a 20 gallon long aquarium. I'll cover most of the glass with either black construction paper or black contact paper to simulate a nest. I'll need a window to check on temperature / humidity and the baby itself. He'll start life in a plastic bowl. When he gets bigger, he'll have a stuffed animal for a roomie. I'll use the aquarium as long as possible and then a plastic tub. It's best not to put them into a cage until all their feathers are in. A broken blood feather would not be fun.

Now I have to decide on the rest of my equipment. Oy! Most mothers get nine months! Why do I only have a few days?

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Bonus Story: When I went into a local pet store to get the aquarium, a young man waited on me. Once he found out I wanted the aquarium for a parrot, he started telling me about the African grey his mother bought over twenty years ago. It was one of mine.

Unfortunately, a few years ago the Butte Fire destroyed their home. They escaped with the grey, but the move distressed her and she started feather-plucking. The only things I could think of off the top of my head were to run a humidifier and go see an avian vet. A little extra attention couldn't go amiss, either, I suppose. Poor little grey. Yet another victim of that fire. There are so many dead trees here in the Sierra Nevadas. I'm worried about this summer. The fires have been horrible.

Thanks for the update and agree totally "Regardless, this breeder is pulling the chick at three weeks whether I buy it or not. It might as well have me as its mama".

Please put up some pics of this little one if poss, such suckers for baby pics!

Good luck!