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www.EclectusParrot.co.uk
All contents of this site are the sole copyright of Parrotism © 2012
From Egg To Chick Eclectus   usually   lay   two   eggs,   sometimes   one   and   rarely   three.   The   eggs   weigh   anything   between   20   -   30g   and   are   pure   white   in   colour.   The   female   is   the sole   incubator   and   will   incubate   the   eggs   for   28   days.   The   chicks   hatch   and   are   totally   naked   and   blind.   The   babies   are   fed   on   a   constant   basis   and   if   we are   hand   rearing   they   are   fed   every   2-3   hours   from   around   9am   till   midnight   on   a   commercial   formula.   Whilst   in   the   nest   the   mother   keeps   the   chicks   warm and   if   being   hand   reared   we   keep   them   in   heat   controlled   machines   called   brooders.   Development   is   quite   fast   and   within   2   weeks   a   black   down   starts   to cover   their   whole   bodies.   Also   at   this   time   their   eyes   start   to   open   and   this   also   coincides   with   ringing   the   chick   on   its   leg   with   a   steel   band   as   an   id method.   Once   this   band   is   on   and   the   foot   has   grown   for   another   week   or   two,   it   can   never   be   removed   unless   cut.   Males   tend   to   have   a   greyish   down whilst   the   female   is   much   darker.   At   this   stage   feeds   are   taking   place   every   4   hours   and   the   formula   being   fed   to   them   is   quite   thick.   Around   the   4   weeks mark   pin   pricks   of   colour   start   to   emerge   usually   around   the   ears,   head   and   wing   tips   and   it   usually   at   this   stage   we   can   tell   for   sure   the   gender   of   the   bird. From   this   moment   on   the   babies   feathers   continue   to   grow,   feeds   decrease   in   frequency   but   the   babies   receive   more   at   each   feed.   By   around   8   weeks   of age   the   babies   are   fully   feathered.   From   here   on   the   babies   start   to   loose   their   baby   weight,   they   start   to   flap   their   wings,   they   try   to   eat   soft   foods   like pea’s,   fruit,   sweetcorn   and   they   often   start   to   refuse   food.   By   around   12   weeks   the   babies   are   on   one   feed   a   day   usually   at   night.   This   feed   is   eventually stopped   and   the   baby   has   access   to   different   fruits,   veg,   pulses   and   seeds   and   the   babies   are   monitored   for   a   few   weeks   to   ensure   they   are   not   loosing weight   and   are   eating   enough.   This   pattern   is   generally   the   same   if   the   parents   are   raising   them   but   the   weight   gains   by   chicks   is   far   greater.   Also   with   the parents   the   baby   eventually   leaves   the   nest   and   usually   is   fed   by   dad   until   it   can   eat   on   its   own   accord   in   which   case   it   stops   asking   dad   for   food.   Usually   at this stage mum lays again and the chick is removed to avoid complications especially if the chick is female. There   is   a   number   of   methods   I   utilise   in   producing   chicks   and   these   are   all   dependant   on   a   number   of   factors   including   weather,   the   mothers   ability   to incubate   eggs   and   the   parents   ability   to   feed   the   chicks.   If   its   winter,   I   have   found   most   of   my   pairs   leave   the   eggs   to   feed,   have   a   stretch   etc.   but   if   it’s severe   cold   then   the   eggs   can   become   chilled,   on   average   I   will   loose   the   majority   of   eggs   laid   between   November   and   March   each   year   and   so   it   makes sense   to   use   an   incubator   within   the   house   to   incubate,   hatch   and   in   effect   save   these   babies.   Some   females   are   fantastic,   they   will   incubate   their   eggs   for the   28   days,   other   hens   will   not.   Once   hatched   some   parents   will   feed   their   chicks,   some   will   not   and   the   chicks   end   up   fading   away   and   eventually   dying. The   methods   I   use   include   incubating   the   eggs   myself      and   then   hand   rearing   the   chicks   myself   from   day   1.   Where   mums   are   good   incubators   I   will   allow them   to   incubate   the   eggs   and   then   I   will   remove   the   chicks.   If   mums   are   poor   incubators   then   I   may   substitute   their   eggs   with   plastic   eggs   and   hatch   the eggs   myself   and   then   place   the   babies   back   with   them   as   soon   as   they   have   hatched.   Lastly   if   the   timing   of   eggs   and   chicks   for   a   few   pairs   coincides   then   I may   swap   eggs   from   one   pair   to   another   or   even   the   chicks.   In   some   cases   the   mum   is   allowed   to   raise   the   chicks   for   the   majority   of   rearing   before   they are removed for hand rearing.  
www.EclectusParrot.co.uk
All contents of this site are the sole copyright of Parrotism © 2012
From Egg To Chick Eclectus   usually   lay   two   eggs,   sometimes   one and   rarely   three.   The   eggs   weigh   anything between    20    -    30g    and    are    pure    white    in colour.   The   female   is   the   sole   incubator   and will   incubate   the   eggs   for   28   days.   The   chicks hatch   and   are   totally   naked   and   blind.   The babies   are   fed   on   a   constant   basis   and   if   we are   hand   rearing   they   are   fed   every   2-3   hours from     around     9am     till     midnight     on     a commercial   formula.   Whilst   in   the   nest   the mother   keeps   the   chicks   warm   and   if   being hand   reared   we   keep   them   in   heat   controlled machines    called    brooders.    Development    is quite   fast   and   within   2   weeks   a   black   down starts   to   cover   their   whole   bodies.   Also   at   this time   their   eyes   start   to   open   and   this   also coincides   with   ringing   the   chick   on   its   leg with   a   steel   band   as   an   id   method.   Once   this band    is    on    and    the    foot    has    grown    for another    week    or    two,    it    can    never    be removed   unless   cut.   Males   tend   to   have   a greyish    down    whilst    the    female    is    much darker.   At   this   stage   feeds   are   taking   place every   4   hours   and   the   formula   being   fed   to them   is   quite   thick.   Around   the   4   weeks   mark pin   pricks   of   colour   start   to   emerge   usually around   the   ears,   head   and   wing   tips   and   it usually   at   this   stage   we   can   tell   for   sure   the gender   of   the   bird.   From   this   moment   on   the babies    feathers    continue    to    grow,    feeds decrease   in   frequency   but   the   babies   receive more   at   each   feed.   By   around   8   weeks   of   age the   babies   are   fully   feathered.   From   here   on the   babies   start   to   loose   their   baby   weight, they   start   to   flap   their   wings,   they   try   to   eat soft   foods   like   pea’s,   fruit,   sweetcorn   and   they often    start    to    refuse    food.    By    around    12 weeks    the    babies    are    on    one    feed    a    day usually    at    night.    This    feed    is    eventually stopped   and   the   baby   has   access   to   different fruits,   veg,   pulses   and   seeds   and   the   babies are   monitored   for   a   few   weeks   to   ensure   they are    not    loosing    weight    and    are    eating enough.   This   pattern   is   generally   the   same   if the   parents   are   raising   them   but   the   weight gains   by   chicks   is   far   greater.   Also   with   the parents   the   baby   eventually   leaves   the   nest   and   usually   is   fed   by   dad   until it   can   eat   on   its   own   accord   in   which   case   it   stops   asking   dad   for   food. Usually   at   this   stage   mum   lays   again   and   the   chick   is   removed   to   avoid complications especially if the chick is female. There   is   a   number   of   methods   I   utilise   in   producing   chicks   and   these   are   all dependant   on   a   number   of   factors   including   weather,   the   mothers   ability   to incubate   eggs   and   the   parents   ability   to   feed   the   chicks.   If   its   winter,   I   have found   most   of   my   pairs   leave   the   eggs   to   feed,   have   a   stretch   etc.   but   if   it’s severe   cold   then   the   eggs   can   become   chilled,   on   average   I   will   loose   the majority   of   eggs   laid   between   November   and   March   each   year   and   so   it makes sense to use an incubator within the house to incubate, hatch and in effect   save   these   babies.   Some   females   are   fantastic,   they   will   incubate their   eggs   for   the   28   days,   other   hens   will   not.   Once   hatched   some   parents will   feed   their   chicks,   some   will   not   and   the   chicks   end   up   fading   away   and eventually   dying.   The   methods   I   use   include   incubating   the   eggs   myself     and   then   hand   rearing   the   chicks   myself   from   day   1.   Where   mums   are good   incubators   I   will   allow   them   to   incubate   the   eggs   and   then   I   will remove   the   chicks.   If   mums   are   poor   incubators   then   I   may   substitute   their eggs   with   plastic   eggs   and   hatch   the   eggs   myself   and   then   place   the   babies back   with   them   as   soon   as   they   have   hatched.   Lastly   if   the   timing   of   eggs and   chicks   for   a   few   pairs   coincides   then   I   may   swap   eggs   from   one   pair   to another   or   even   the   chicks.   In   some   cases   the   mum   is   allowed   to   raise   the chicks for the majority of rearing before they are removed for hand rearing.