IX Chick Rearing Accounts Chicks 1 & 2

Chapter IX

Chick Rearing Accounts

by Mike Taylor (Ed.) from the White Oak Conservation Center

Introduction.

The following pages have six different chick rearing accounts of palm cockatoos. I have tried to get notes from most of the SSP participants who have reared chicks to send two accounts of hand-rearing. I wanted to have an account of a hand-rearing experience which did not go smoothly and one which went well. I have tried to keep each institution anonymous, but not leave out any information. Chicks #1 and #2 were from the one place and Chicks #3 and #4 were from another place. Chick #5 is an example of a failed parent-rearing. I did not have very much information with Chick #5's account. Chick #6 is an account from someone who has many years experience raising other cockatoo species but was only able to raise this, their first, palm cockatoo chick to three months of age. The following are some of the diets used in these accounts.

In addition to these six chicks I have added feeding schedules and weight gains from Riverbanks Zoo and St. Catherine’s Island from their rearing experiences in 1996.

1) Monkey Chow Based Formula used at ABRC

0.95 liter (1 qt.) Zupreem monkey chow
0.95 liter (1 qt.) Water
112 cc (4 oz.) Gerber Oatmeal & Banana Cereal
29 gm (2 tbsp.) Peanut butter
7 ice cubes (25 cc each)
7 gm (½ tbsp.) Calcium carbonate powder

Cook monkey chow and water in microwave for 8 minutes

Add other ingredients

Blend thoroughly in blender

First 3 days: dilute 25cc formula with 8cc water

2) Palm Cockatoo Formula developed by Ms. Dreama Skidmore of ABRC

43 gm Macadamia nuts (raw and unsalted)
70 gm sunflower seeds (raw, hulled, and unsalted)
42 gm whole wheat bread (high fiber/low cholesterol)
75 gm raw carrot or yam
55 gm raw broccoli
100 gm raw apple
300 cc water

Blend thoroughly in blender

Freeze into cubes for later use

Note: ABRC has stopped using the above diets and is using the Kaytee Exact Macaw hand-rearing formula with selected vegetables blended into it. See Chapter VIII Hand-rearing and Medical Care of Palm Cockatoos.

3) Kaytee Exact Macaw hand-rearing formula (mix as directed)

4) Lakes handfeeding formula (mix as directed)

5) Prettybird 19/12 hand-rearing formula (mix as directed)

See Appendix 2, Manufacturer List, for the addresses where information on the last tthree diets can be obtained.

Palm Cockatoo chick #1

Hatched 6/21/88

Palm cockatoo chicks #1 and #2 were both hatched at the same institution. Chick #1 had problems, chick #2 had virtually no problems. Both chicks were incubated and hatched under the same conditions. Chick #1 was hand-fed a diet of egg cream, Hi-Pro Monkey Chow and applesauce. Chick #2 was hand-fed on Lake’s Parrot Buffet hand-rearing formula. This does not say that palm cockatoo chicks raised on the Lake’s formula will not have problems.

Date	Weight	Age	Medications	Comments
6/21/88				seems strong
6/22	21.26 g	1 day
6/28	28.35 g	7 days
7/5	35.44 g	14 days
7/17	56.70 g	26 days		eye slits opening
7/31	77.96 g	40 days
8/7	99.22 g	47 days
8/16	141.75 g	56 days
9/4	283.5 g	75 days
9/17	354.38 g	88 days
10/2				started picking up food
10/8	453.6 g	109 days
10/14	510 g	115 days		Moved to zoo
10/20	453.6 g	121 days
10/26	583.65 g	127 days		Picking at regular diet/cracking p-nuts
11/3		135 days	10 mg Ketaconazole BID	Inactive - but ate
11/4			10 mg Keta - BID	looks better
11/5			10 mg Keta - BID
11/6			10 mg Keta - BID
11/7			10 mg Keta - BID
11/8	538.65 g	140 days	10 mg Keta - BID
11/9				discont. Keta; cont. w/ Nolvasan sol.
11/14	567 g	146 days
11/17				first flight across room!
11/21	567 g	150 days
11/29	524.47 g	158 days
12/7	538.65 g	166 days		eating regular diet but still not gaining - feeding infant diet AM & PM.
12/12	538.65 g	171 days
12/19	538.65 g	178 days
1/3/89	538.65 g	193 days		Now feeding 1 level tsp of infant diet, instead of heaping & mixed thinner.
1/9	538.65 g	199 days
1/16	538.65 g	206 days
1/23	510 g	213 days
1/24			20 mg Keta. BID	problem - Candida
1/25			20 mg Keta. BID
1/25			20 mg Keta. BID
1/27

Palm Cockatoo chick #2

Hatched 3/28/90

See introduction to palm cockatoo chick #1.

Date	Weight	Age	Amt. of Diet	Comments
3/28/90	14.175 g		½ spoon
4/2	28.35 g	4 days	3 spoons
4/12	85.05 g	15 days
4/17	113.4 g	20 days
4/20	127.58 g	23 days	7-8 spoons
4/26	155.93 g	25 days	3 spoons	Changed spoons (size?)
5/1	191.36 g	31 days
5/8	255.15 g	38 days
5/14	283.59 g	46 days
6/1	354.38 g	64 days
6/11	389.81 g	74 days
6/14	361.46 g	77 days
6/16			5 spoons	added fruit and nuts
6/19	382.73 g	82 days
6/25	368.55 g	88 days
7/2	354.38 g	95 days
7/6	311.85 g	99 days		lost 1.5 oz
7/17	481.95 g	110 days		gained 6 oz - 11days-
7/23	326.03 g	116 days		feeding BID
7/25	283.5 g	118 days
8/6	290.59 g	129 days
8/14	326.03 g	137 days		Discontinued Lakes diet
8/20	333.11 g	143 days		cont’d to give water w/ fruit and nut
8/27	396.90 g	150 days
8/31	411.08 g	154 days
9/14	425.25 g	168 days
10/2	524.48 g	186 days		moved to Bird House
10/11	same	195 days
10/26	567.0 g	210 days

Other chick rearing charts are quite lengthy and are included as separate web pages.

For further information or comments, please contact Mike Taylor


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