Egg Turning?

[Evansbr]

Does anyone out there have experience with raising babies? My Blue and Golds laid an egg, I have it in a brooder at 99.3 degrees and turn it three times a day 90 degrees. Its been in for 10 days and I candled and it looks like its developing. should I change anything?
Thanks for any help.
Brian

[Shirley]

I've no clue... but temp, humidity, and turning are all important factors. Do a website search for info... write to some breeders who have sites online and put eggs in the brooder from day one.

Wondering... why aren't the parents sitting on it? Have you *ever* handfed a *macaw*? Very different from many other species...

[Evansbr]

Hi Shirley,
thanks for the response, I did put the egg in from day 1, Its been "incubating" for 10 days. I have handfed cockatoos but not Macaws.
I pulled the nestbox to try and get them to "stop" for a move to a new cage and she laid another egg on the bottom of the cage(she laid 8 total). Pulled it and figured I'd give it a shot. I have a book that was recommended to me on raising babies and it said to turn 3 times a day 90 degree turn, so I do 7 AM, 4 PM and 10 PM. but on Web searches sources are saying to turn up to 20x per day there seem to be alot of different opinions. Thanks,
Brian

[Shirley]

Well... if the egg hatches... macaws are a whole new ballgame to feed compared to African Greys, 'tiels, etc. Jim can give you good advice on what to expect when feeding. And... definitely have a good gram scale in advance and weigh the baby every day.

[Shirley]

Brinsea is a very reputable company that makes brooders and incubators...

Here's their advice:

http://www.brinsea.co.uk/uk/products/citturn.htm

Another:
http://www.robharvey.com/incubators.htm

And another:
http://www.avianweb.com/incubators.html

I'm thinking if I were doing this... I'd be buying a good incubator with built-in turning and humidity control. But... my preference would be to let the parents sit on the eggs so the chicks are fed for at least 3 weeks by their parrents.

[Jim]

Shirley has said everything I would or could say. I used to know more about that stuff, I was into it watching and helping my breeder friend a few years back. At my age we tend to forget things - short time. If the bird hatches let us know and we'll do the best we can if you have question about feeding.

I do want to mention, 8 eggs seems like too many to me. I'm thinking the average for a 'caw is 2-4. Sadenna would probably know. Maybe she'll see this and fill us in.

[SadennaAndFlock]

8 eggs is alot of for a blue and gold each clutch is normally 2-3 and 4 is unuusal. Now that you have pulled eggs this is something you are going to have to continue to do when your blue and golds have a clutch of eggs as they will either destroy them if they are not pulled right away or they will hatch them but harm the babies when they hatch.
Pulling them as each is laid only causes the female to replace the egg that is missing this in trun depletes calcium. I would of waited till she laid, sat and raised out the babies for a good 4 weeks or so before pulling babies for handfeeding and moving them to new cage at least when they raise out the babies for a good 4 weeks it give them a bit of a break with pulling eggs sometimes you run the risk of them laying clutch after clutch after clutch.


Handfeeding macaws is a challenge when they are day one babies your going to have to feed them every 2 hours around the clock make sure their temps are just right, they have enough humidity. A good book is "The Large Macaws: Their Care, Breeding, and Conservation " buy Joanne Abramson a wonderful book in regards to macaws. Once they babies reach about 5-6 weeks or so they will have one heck of a feeding response very stong head movements that can make it challenging to handfeed they will move that syringe all around I have had young blue and golds knock a syringe out of my hand they had such a strong feeding response. Day ones also are a bit slower to develope than parent raised but eventually they do catch up.

I have a video of the gal I help out handfeeding a hyacinth macaw to give you an idea of what to expect for handfeeding a macaw all the large macaws all have the same repsonse it's amazing I will find it and post it on here a link to it as soon as I can find it.

[Evansbr]

I agree 8 is way too many, thats why I pulled the nestbox to try and get her to stop. she laid 2 in her cage, then I added a nest box and she laid 4 and sat on them but they didn't hatch, I pulled the box and she has laid two more, all since the end of march. I figured I would try with the last one because she is sure trying hard. I am willing to do the round the clock feeding and have already cleared it with work so I can bring the chick with me and feed here. I just want to make sure I'm doing the best " routine" for the embryo. Egg Weight was 34 grams to start, after 7 days was down to 33 grams,. running at 45 percent humidity, 99.3 temp. turned 3x day. I weigh the egg every friday

[Jim]

Thanks for your input Sadenna. It's appreciated. I had to laugh big time reading about the knocking the syringe out of your hand. Brought back some nice memories.:) And where does the formula go when that happens? lol In my case I had a bird going crazy, wanting his formula, while I was trying to refill the syringe.:doh: :eek:

Sadenna or others like Shirley, Jim L, Jennifer (texastailfeathers), that breed birds, would have better input about this. I don't think it's a good idea to cart the baby around while hand feeding. They need a stable familiar environment when hand feeding. It's nice you want to raise a baby but it is a huge responsibly and the well being of the bird should be top priority, in my book.

[Evansbr]

I have an Avey cooler brooder that that runs off AC or DC power,
I was hoping the 5 to 10 minute car ride wouldn't be too stressful as it will always be in the same brooder, the chick cant see outside except out the top of the cooler, and the person doing the feeding will be the same (bonding). I agree that the best for the chick should be the goal. Just trying to figure out how to accomplish that with what I can provide in time, effort, knowledge, ect. I am not willing to dispose of a delevoping, viable, embryo. anything else is an option.

[Shirley]

I wouldn't toss a developing egg, either. :heart:

They are quite loud as young chicks, and especially during feeding... will your workplace tolerate that?

Also, not meaning to play devil's advocate, but handfeeding does not equal bonding. The bird usually chooses who to bond with after it's weaned and on it's own. It may be the handfeeder, but it may not.

[Evansbr]

Yes, work wont be a problem, have an office in the basement of the building... You should hear how loud I have my stereo. (wont be loud with a baby bird comparatively) and bonding as in with humans, hand tame likes people sort of thing.

[Shirley]

Sounds like a great situation! And yes, he'll be totally tame :thumbup:

Let us know if it's fertile - I'm excited now... but I would seriously get in touch with a breeder or two who is willing to chat with you on the phone about hatching the egg before much more time goes by... you don't want him to be "dead in the shell" upon hatching, or unable to get out, and not know what to do, etc... find some good breeders' websites online, and I'm sure there's someone who will help you out with good info, both via email, and on the phone.

[SadennaAndFlock]

LOL Jim.yep my first time handfeeding a baby blue and gold after I had learned on smaller birds conures, quakers etc. then the gal I work for figured I was ready to move up to bigger birds greys, cocktoos easy to feed then I got to feed my first blue and gold macaw...the syringe went half way across the room lol and wit macaws they have that big lower beak which holds formula long after the syringe is done I wore formuala on a regular basis after they eat they would want to come running to me to climb up and cuddled under my chin nothing like a good old macaw lick with formula lol heck I even had it in my hair...

[SadennaAndFlock]

Evansbr

I see you live in Portland go talk to bryan at Bird Hut he can definantly help you out in regards to advice on the young one, he actually buys babies from the gal I work for :) .

Those cooler brooders are pretty neat great invention if you ask me way cool.....

Good luck with your egg, baby macaws are alot of fun a bit of a handful but alot of fun, wait till they get to the foot tapping, wing flapping stage of handfeeding ;) thats alot of fun..lol oh and the I'm hungry honk they get reallyd demanding when they want to be fed they want to be fed Now and they don't let you forget either..lol