Baby parrots: for handfeed or reserved until weaned

Newborn, for handfeed, weaned

Our Available page lists every chick being raised right now, with its hatch date and roughly when it will be weaned.

• Newborn: hand-fed several times a day at the aviary. Too young to leave; reserve one now.
• For handfeed: old enough to go home if you'll hand-feed it, with Sherwin's guidance.
• Weaned: eats on its own, hand-tame and ready for anyone.

When each chick is ready to go home

Typical age at weaning, after hatching. Every chick is different; each listing shows its own expected date.

• African Lovebirdabout 8 weeks
• Cockatielabout 9 weeks
• Green-cheek Conureabout 9 weeks
• St. Thomas Conureabout 10 weeks
• Sun Conureabout 11 weeks
• Jenday Conureabout 11 weeks
• Gold-capped Conureabout 11 weeks
• Indian Ringneck Parakeetabout 11 weeks
• Alexandrine Parakeetabout 12 weeks
• White-bellied Caiqueabout 12 weeks
• Blue-naped Parrotabout 12 weeks
• Blue-backed Parrotabout 12 weeks
• Eclectus Parrotabout 14 weeks
• African Grey Parrotabout 14 weeks
• Umbrella Cockatooabout 16 weeks

Before you take a chick home for handfeed

Sherwin only lets a chick go for handfeed once it's old and strong enough, and he decides chick by chick. Before it goes home he walks you through feeding and the precautions. Hand-feeding a baby parrot takes practice, and mistakes can seriously hurt a chick, so keep these in mind:

• Mix the formula fresh for every feed, warm but not hot. Check it with a thermometer: too hot burns the crop, too cold and the chick won't digest it.
• Keep the chick warm and out of drafts, in a brooder or box, until it's fully feathered.
• Feed on schedule, and only when the crop (the pouch at the base of the neck) is empty or nearly empty.
• Feed slowly with a spoon or syringe, so the chick doesn't breathe formula in.
• As it grows, offer soft food and seeds so it learns to eat on its own.
• Message Sherwin right away if the crop stays full, the chick stops begging for food, or it seems cold or sleepy.

Handfeed or wait until it's weaned?

Hand-feeding your own chick builds a very close bond, but it needs someone at home for every feed. If you've never hand-fed, or you're out during the day, reserve a chick instead: we hand-feed it here until it's weaned, and you visit as it grows.