Handfeeding a GW- can they grow too fast??

[SilleIN]

Hi,

I am new to this forum, but have been unable to find the answer to my question on the internet.

I am hand feeding a GW macaw. I haven't had it sexed yet, but I call her a she

I have been hand feeding other birds before and it has always been a very successful process. And this time it's also going well, maybe actually too well.

I have been asking the breeder and he have never come across this "problem", but he thinks it might be ok. Usually the problem is the other way around, that they grow too slowly.

My GW is only a little over 3 weeks and she already weighs 710 grams. That is more than half og the average adult weight. She puts on between 90 and 120 gram a day.

If a horse grows too fast, they will in later life have joint problems, so that is not ideal. As I expect to have this bird as a pet to the end of my days, I would not want to create any problems for it.

I let the crop empty once a day and I weigh her first thing in the morning with an empty crop.

I should maybe be noted, that she was an only chick of her clutch and she was fed by her parents until day 14. She at that time was a little larger than chick usually are, when they have siblings.

According to different weight charts, she's somewhere between a week to 1½ weeks ahead of her development.

Should I worry? Should I try to feed her less? Feeding her less than optimal also seems very stupid, but if that's for her good, I will do it.

I would be very happy to hear from anyone with experience in hand feeding of macaws.

I humbly thank you in advance for your kind assistance

 

[SailBoat]

You need to transfer from working with the Breeder to working with an Avian Vet and quickly! No, your baby is not sick, but when things do go wrong, you're going to need to get to your Avian Vet and that link needs to be made before there is a problem.

Also, you should have gotten from that Breeder an weight log of this specific chick. Based on your question, I'm guessing that did not happen. Based on that alone, I would quickly change to working with an Avian Vet.

Are you maintaining a weight log for your MAC? What is that log stating regarding the 'rate' of weight gain. As you know with any Parrot its always more about 'rate of change' then specific weight.

Double check your scale with a know weight! Also, verify that you're on the correct scale. Simple stuff, but easy to have happen!


FYI: I'm leaning heavy told a issue with the scale. A chick being ahead of a chart happens!

 

[Mekaisto]

How is her feather development? Is that also around 1-2 weeks ahead of "schedule", or is it just her weight?

 

[SilleIN]

Yes I do keep a log and weigh her every morning before feeding to get as accurate and comparable a reading as possible. I know I should wait to weigh her until she has pooped, but she doesn't poop until I am done feeding her, so that's a long wait.

As I said, she has a weight gain of around 100 grams a day. I don't thinks she's sick, just that she might be putting on more weight than normal.

And no, as she was fed by her parents up until the time I got her (and the breeder didn't want to stress the parents) I did not receive a weight gain chart for the first 14 days. She weighed 300 grams when I got her, which is also ahead of regular schedule, as she was an "only chick"

No her feathering is normal for her age. They have just started to come through the skin and have small "furry" ends.

 

[SilleIN]

I just made the percentage calculation. The weight gain is between 15-20% a day over a 9 day period. Normal weight gain per day should be around 10-12% per day.

 

[SilleIN]

Ohh forgot about the scale. The scale is a mechanical scale and I have checked, that it's properly "calibrated"(there's a turn dial to set the pin to zero) and it only has grams on it.

I have now checked with a electrical scale and they both weighed a tub of flour the same.

And I like the mechanical scale better, as it is more sturdy, so even my large B&G can be weighed on it and not feel insecure on it.

 

[SailBoat]

By the way, welcome to the Parrot Forum!

Thank-you, for suffering the walk around regarding you baby MAC and the double check on the equipment.

It would appear that you're going to have a MAC that is on the larger size (ahead of normal growth rate) at lease up until it transfers to solid food. At 1.5+ weeks ahead of normal chart growth and the general overall good 'appearing' health, one could consider cutting back of feeding. I'm not one of those people, as I believe that may stress the baby. However, I would recommend that you make an appointment with your Avian Vet to assure that your baby MAC 'is' healthy and obtain their opinion regarding its growth rate.

If the plan is to complete weaning and sell this young MAC onto a forever home, hence watching your costs. There are future owners (the better ones) that would see your use of an Avian Vet at this point a statement in your interest in providing a healthy baby. It also provides them with an Avian Vet connection that they can continue to use.

 

[SilleIN]

There is no "suffering" at all, just happy to have more than one mind to look things over.

This is a baby just for me, no other family will get her until I either die or am too old to care for her.

I am going to the vet with my B&G on Thursday, so I could bring my baby as well. I am just a bit concerned of the stress of travel and temperature. I have a styrofoam box for baby bird travel, but only as a necessity, when travel is absolutely essential.

I would love to hear your opinion. I have at least 45 minutes each way and then the wait at the vet. I do have an Avian vet closer, but the one I am going to is the school for training vets and they have the best specialists in my country coming in every few weeks to train the vet students in Avian care. When possible, I choose to consult the leading vets in their field.

Alternatively I will consult the vet about my baby.

 

[SilleIN]

Here's a photo of the baby from yesterday. Hope I did it correctly :33: