Caring for a baby bird that needs to be hand-fed means you
essentially have to be the mother bird. This includes keeping
the baby warm, clean, and fed on demand. Expect around-the-clock
care to meet the appropriate feeding schedule for your bird's
species. The proper hand-feeding formula can help you get your
bird off to the right start. You may choose to mix your own or
use a convenient packaged mix. Packaged mixes range from those
that you cook and cool to easy mix formulas such as Lafeber's
Nutri-Start or Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding Formula. Baby birds
should be weaned at specific ages depending on their species. It
is important to recognize signs that a baby is ready to begin
the weaning process as well as indications of a possible problem
(such as a bacterial or yeast infection) which would prevent the
bird from weaning. Weaning time depends on a variety of factors,
including your bird's general health, species, age, and other
environmental factors. Weaning formulas should be palatable
while providing the