# Hand feeding from day one!!!



## leeisme (Feb 4, 2011)

With assistance, the egg i was incubating hatched. Can someone tell me when the first feeding should be (how many hours after the hatch) and what should it be? water or formula? I have never hand fed from day one, I either let the parents do it or they never hatched to make day one. The chick was born about 5 am this morning. The egg yolk looks absorbed.

Update pics below. I take it the egg yolk is not absorbed from pic? however, chick is very vocal with its chirping so is it hungry or is it just chirping because just born. again no experience with handfeeding chicks this early. I start at 10 days old.


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Ok...for the first 12 hours food is not a priority...bacause the chick has absorbed the yolk into the abdomen and will be digesting that for nutrients. The only thing you can do now is keep it warm and every hour or so carefully (to avoid aspiration) offer it a drop or two of water or a very dilute (90% water). You just want to see a little bubble at the bottom of the crop. A syringe is too bid for the beak...so just have it at the side of the beak and hold the held firmly and let the bird use it's tongue to bring it back into the mouth. 

When you are ready (at about 12 hours of age) to feed formula you can use a small shot glass to mix it in. Place the mixed glass of formula in a pan of water to keep it warm. Feed til the crop is nice and rounded but not going all the way up the neck.


----------



## leeisme (Feb 4, 2011)

Thanks Srtiels

Once again you have come through!  Where would we be without your expertise?


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

We would be like people trapped on an island without a boat! Congrats on the successful hatch!


----------



## leeisme (Feb 4, 2011)

roxy culver said:


> Congrats on the successful hatch!


Thanks... fingers crossed. last assist didnt work out so well (died 10 days later) 

Should have another incubated chick hatch tomorrow sometime. (again, fingers crossed) And with Srtiels advice I wont be so worried when that time comes.


----------

