Macaw hand feeding formula?

[Small Farm]

What formula do you prefer/use?

 

[Pyxis]

Kaytee seems to be the most recommended. It's what I used when I handfed my Quaker parrot and is also what I use whenever I need to tube feed a chicken.

 

[JaeG]

I like Roudybush but it depends on what you have easy access to. They are all pretty good. Good luck with your baby/babies.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I heard kaytees is a bad brand of formula as it stunts chicks

 

[Pyxis]

I heard kaytees is a bad brand of formula as it stunts chicks

That's interesting. I only hand-fed my quaker for a week or so before he was weaned, but the breeder I got him from told me Kaytee would be fine. But looking around I do see some people saying not to use it. Mostly because they say they have issues with it clumping (that didn't happen to me), but I did see one place saying that they had baby birds die and said it was caused by the Kaytee. However they never posted anything to back that up, that's just what they said happened. So I don't know. And there are plenty of ways you can accidentally kill a bird while handfeeding if you prepare the formula improperly that have nothing to do with the formula itself.

And then I've also found several pages, like this one, with breeders that say it is their preferred hand feeding formula.

I've used it with no issues, but there are some people out there saying there are problems with it.

Honestly I would think any of the formula choices would be fine. Kaytee was the first one and has been used for many years, but the newer ones are all used successfully by many people too.

 

[JaeG]

I know there was one instance of Kaytees having to recall some batches because they had too much vitamin D. Perhaps that's where the concern has come from?
https://m.petmd.com/news/alerts-recalls/nws_bd_kaytee_hand_feeding_formula_bird_feed_recalled-14137

 

[Poultrybonkers]

That's interesting. I only hand-fed my quaker for a week or so before he was weaned, but the breeder I got him from told me Kaytee would be fine. But looking around I do see some people saying not to use it. Mostly because they say they have issues with it clumping (that didn't happen to me), but I did see one place saying that they had baby birds die and said it was caused by the Kaytee. However they never posted anything to back that up, that's just what they said happened. So I don't know. And there are plenty of ways you can accidentally kill a bird while handfeeding if you prepare the formula improperly that have nothing to do with the formula itself.

And then I've also found several pages, like this one, with breeders that say it is their preferred hand feeding formula.

I've used it with no issues, but there are some people out there saying there are problems with it.

Honestly I would think any of the formula choices would be fine. Kaytee was the first one and has been used for many years, but the newer ones are all used successfully by many people too.

When my mom got her quaker 18 years ago he was near weaned but the breeder told her to handfeed him...well spoon feed him jiffy mix hes still here lol

 

[Pyxis]

When my mom got her quaker 18 years ago he was near weaned but the breeder told her to handfeed him...well spoon feed him jiffy mix hes still here lol

I got my boy when he just a week or two from weaning I did Kaytee and had him weaned within a week. Sounds like your mom and I had a similar situation, lol.

 

[RiverOtter]

I also used Roudybush when I worked with parrots. I have also used Zupreem and liked it

 

[Sheriloo3]

Kaytee seems to be the most recommended. It's what I used when I handfed my Quaker parrot and is also what I use whenever I need to tube feed a chicken.

I was just looking around for suggestions on what to hand feed a baby chicken that was born a bit too early. (A slightly older chick was a little excited and started picking at her siblings eggs and cracked a couple to the point where they had to come out of die) I think they were a day or two early and I'm looking to give them a head start. I looked at the Kaytee food but its all designed for parrots and whatnot so I didnt know if it would be right for chickens. Would the regular or high fat formula be better, do you think?