HAND-REARING ENGLISH SF TUMBLERS
Derek has asked me to put pen to paper about my experiences of hand-rearing English Short Faced Tumblers. I had already written about this subject a few years back, around 1997, and as I still have fanciers asking the odd question on the matter, I thought it would be a good idea to cover this subject again.
I first began hand-rearing my ESFTs in the breeding season of 1997. I have reared dozens over the past five years, though I did not breed from any this year, but I now have a couple of pairs again so I look forward to the breeding season of 2004.
The following method of hand-rearing ESFTs is the way which I find suits me well; other fanciers may vary their methods. Of course any breed of pigeon can be reared this way.
I have an Ecostat parrot brooder, set at a temperature between 26 - 29 degrees centigrade. Obviously, the more babies in the brooder at one time, the warmer they will become, so a constant check on the temperature for the first few days doesn’t go amiss. I use a digital thermometer with a probe. I insert the probe about half way down into the brooder. Do not put the probe too near to the babies as it will read the body temperature of the bird also. I find this is the most reliable way to keep a check on the temperature.
The babies are placed in the brooder from the age of four to seven days old. If the baby has a full crop of food when I remove it from its parents, I will not hand feed it until the crop is empty. It is so much easier to teach a hungry bird how to adapt to its new feeding technique, than one bursting at the seams. This is probably the trickiest part, teaching the baby how to open its beak to allow you to insert a 2ml syringe into it (without needle). Some babies take two or three days to learn - others have sussed it in a day, and sit there laughing at their not-so-clever nest mates, trying to get into the swing of things,
The food I use is Kaytee Exact Hand-Rearing formula. It is a powder which is mixed with water. My local vet introduced me to this product after I asked for his advice on a suitable hand-rearing product. I found a supplier in Leicester, they are Pipers Piece pet shop - their phone number is Ol858- 462333. It is about £20 for a 5Ib bag.
So, the baby is in the brooder, the temperature has settled and the baby now has an empty crop, the time is right for its first feed via the syringe. I mix the Kaytee with boiling water, allowing it to cool right down before administering it to the bird. The powder is mixed to a very runny consistency, one part powder, and two to three parts water. If it looks too runny or too thick just add to the mixture accordingly. After many times of mixing Kaytee, I tend to just do it by eye now, but full instructions are on the bag. The mixture is then sucked up into a 2ml syringe, the baby placed on a cushion which is on my lap, and I gently open the bird’s beak, insert the syringe into its mouth and with short squirts, feed the baby. Short squirts of the syringe are essential otherwise if it is blasted down the bird’s throat, the bird may become stressed and unsettled. Remember, be gentle. I have learnt that little and often is the quickest way to teach the baby how to feed for the first time with the syringe.
After each feed, ensure the crop is empty before you feed again. You want to ensure that the bird is digesting properly. For the first day, I may feed the bird four to five times a day, and hopefully by the time it is having its last feed, which I time at about 11.00pm, it should have adapted well to the syringe, and it now should be forcing its head through thumb and fore finger with its beak gaping open, ready for a bit more.
I hope you have enjoyed this first part of the letter from Joanne and in next month’s issue of Feathered World will be the second part.