Ltygress
New member
- Jan 6, 2015
- 49
- 0
- Parrots
- Blue and Gold Macaw named Stewie, Blue and Gold Macaw named Bazinga, Male Eclectus named Nicholas, Unknown Severe Macaw named Zander
Last year, by word of mouth, I took in three rescue birds. I don't have any plans to adopt these birds back out - they are at their final forever home, unless I meet an untimely fate. One is a male eclectus that the owner had to give up. Another is a severe macaw that was probably a breeder bird who got loose, owner never claimed so he was turned over to me. No idea on sex or age, and he is not tamed at all (not aggressive either though).
And the third is a blue and gold macaw that I named Stewie. He's now 8 years old, but spent a good 5 years of his life in a cage in a garage. Then he was returned to the breeder who tried selling him to another guy. It didn't work and that guy finally contacted me and surrendered him.
That was last year.
Then on May 1st, my mother died. She had a rescued B&G macaw of her own. No one was sure about age (or sex actually), but she was left in a rental house PADLOCKED in her cage, and it was a few weeks before the landlord found her - desperately needing food and water at that point.
We found out earlier this year that it was definitely a female, as the bird began laying eggs on my mother's bed! Yep, that's a female, alright! Well, when my mother passed away, I was the only one prepared and ready to care for the bird. So she came to me on May 14th.
I figured that with both her and Stewie having been around humans all of their lives, they wouldn't get along. They were kept in the same room, but in/on separate cages across the room from each other. Plus Bazinga had already laid three eggs this year, on my mother's bed. That also tells me she was bonded to my mother.
By the first of May, Bazinga had shacked up with Stewie and had laid an egg! Ooookay, wow. That little slut moved QUICK! I knew this COULD happen, but didn't expect it so readily, and certainly not so quickly! She hadn't even been here a full month!
I've bred birds before. And I have the means to take care of them. That part is not an issue at all. I have an avian vet that I already use, and no problems getting there when needed. I'm fully prepared to take care of the pair and babies. I just didn't exactly WANT to. And definitely not this soon!
But you can't stop true love. And I can NOT bring myself to break a bonded pair up (which is why I take in birds TO STAY - I hate breaking bonds). So I got a concrete form for a light pole and set it atop the cage pushed all the way back against the wall as a nest box. I put her favorite shredded towel in there, along with the egg. She rearranged the towel, and dumped the egg out by accident. But no worries - she laid two more.
I know the hatch time is around 25 days. I know it will be a few good months until the baby bird(s) can be weaned. And I'm a disabled veteran, so hand-feeding a baby that doesn't get enough food will be an easy task as I don't have a job to worry about. I have experience with hand-feeding although I do need to go buy some formula. And I've already got two people wanting to purchase babies if they are fertile and hatch. So in all aspects, I'm prepared. But again, I just wasn't WANTING this.
My main question though is about the female's feathers. Or the lack there of! She was neglected and/or abused enough to become a habitual plucker. Aside from tail, head, and wings, she hasn't got a single feather on her body! How effective will she be at incubating the eggs? What about keeping the babies warm? Has anyone had a "bald" macaw that was able to hatch eggs and raise young?
Stewie also came to me with plucking problems. But I am VERY proud to say he is growing in some beautiful gold feathers across his belly again! I have a semi-before picture (taken by the last owner, but he had plucked even MORE before I finally got him), and an after picture that shows a major difference. And even my "after" picture is two months old now. I'll post those in a reply in a bit (have to upload them first).
But obviously, he's not the one sitting on the eggs. The bald female is. How successful do you think she's going to be with these young?
And the third is a blue and gold macaw that I named Stewie. He's now 8 years old, but spent a good 5 years of his life in a cage in a garage. Then he was returned to the breeder who tried selling him to another guy. It didn't work and that guy finally contacted me and surrendered him.
That was last year.
Then on May 1st, my mother died. She had a rescued B&G macaw of her own. No one was sure about age (or sex actually), but she was left in a rental house PADLOCKED in her cage, and it was a few weeks before the landlord found her - desperately needing food and water at that point.
We found out earlier this year that it was definitely a female, as the bird began laying eggs on my mother's bed! Yep, that's a female, alright! Well, when my mother passed away, I was the only one prepared and ready to care for the bird. So she came to me on May 14th.
I figured that with both her and Stewie having been around humans all of their lives, they wouldn't get along. They were kept in the same room, but in/on separate cages across the room from each other. Plus Bazinga had already laid three eggs this year, on my mother's bed. That also tells me she was bonded to my mother.
By the first of May, Bazinga had shacked up with Stewie and had laid an egg! Ooookay, wow. That little slut moved QUICK! I knew this COULD happen, but didn't expect it so readily, and certainly not so quickly! She hadn't even been here a full month!
I've bred birds before. And I have the means to take care of them. That part is not an issue at all. I have an avian vet that I already use, and no problems getting there when needed. I'm fully prepared to take care of the pair and babies. I just didn't exactly WANT to. And definitely not this soon!
But you can't stop true love. And I can NOT bring myself to break a bonded pair up (which is why I take in birds TO STAY - I hate breaking bonds). So I got a concrete form for a light pole and set it atop the cage pushed all the way back against the wall as a nest box. I put her favorite shredded towel in there, along with the egg. She rearranged the towel, and dumped the egg out by accident. But no worries - she laid two more.
I know the hatch time is around 25 days. I know it will be a few good months until the baby bird(s) can be weaned. And I'm a disabled veteran, so hand-feeding a baby that doesn't get enough food will be an easy task as I don't have a job to worry about. I have experience with hand-feeding although I do need to go buy some formula. And I've already got two people wanting to purchase babies if they are fertile and hatch. So in all aspects, I'm prepared. But again, I just wasn't WANTING this.
My main question though is about the female's feathers. Or the lack there of! She was neglected and/or abused enough to become a habitual plucker. Aside from tail, head, and wings, she hasn't got a single feather on her body! How effective will she be at incubating the eggs? What about keeping the babies warm? Has anyone had a "bald" macaw that was able to hatch eggs and raise young?
Stewie also came to me with plucking problems. But I am VERY proud to say he is growing in some beautiful gold feathers across his belly again! I have a semi-before picture (taken by the last owner, but he had plucked even MORE before I finally got him), and an after picture that shows a major difference. And even my "after" picture is two months old now. I'll post those in a reply in a bit (have to upload them first).
But obviously, he's not the one sitting on the eggs. The bald female is. How successful do you think she's going to be with these young?
