How to Hand Feed a Bird

By Angela Tague

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Hand feeding bird formula
Plastic syringes
Gram scale
Water
Bath towel

Step 1:
Ask how often the baby bird was being fed by the previous owner. Observe a hand feeding session before taking home the bird and doing it yourself. Duplicate the previous owner's feeding methods, keeping the bird interested and ready for mealtime. Feedings twice daily are common. Allow the bird to eat more frequently if he indicates hunger or begging by vocalizing or sitting with an open beak and bobbing his body.
Step 2:
Prepare the bird formula. Purchase baby bird hand-feeding formula powder at a veterinarian's clinic or a large pet retail store. Choose the brand the bird had previously been fed. Measure the powder and water using a gram scale, following the recommendations of the breeder or the food package. Add room temperature or heated water to the formula to make a mush-style food, preparing it to a similar consistency and temperature as previous feedings. For first feedings, follow recommendations on the formula package.
Step 3:
Fill the syringe with formula. Slowly draw the food into the syringe by pulling up on the plunger. Feel the barrel of the syringe, making sure the formula isn't too cold or hot.
Step 4:
Prepare the baby bird. Place a bath towel on the table. Place the bird on the towel, holding him with one hand, and the feeding syringe in the other hand. Gently open the bird's beak if he hasn't already opened it, and aim the tip of the syringe to your left (the bird's right) inside his mouth. Press the plunger slowly, and little by little deposit the food near the bird's crop, inside the back of his mouth. Avoid overflowing the beak with food.
Step 5:
Weigh the bird each morning before it has been fed. Use a gram scale to log weight gain and loss. Losing weight is a sign of illness, according to the Tailfeathers Network. Consistent loss of weight should be evaluated by a veterinarian.

Tips & Warnings

Contact a veterinarian and the pet bird breeder if the baby bird is not accepting the hand fed food or doesn't appear to be eating much from his bowl. Check for firm green and white droppings a few times per day to make sure the bird is eating and digesting. (See Reference 2)
Contact a wildlife specialist for advice on handling wild baby birds. Safety for both the human and the bird should be considered before attempting to handle birds that are not domesticated.

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