Eggs (Including Candling, Clear Eggs & Egg Repair), Complications & Troubleshooting (including Culling), Discouraging Finches from Breeding & Laying Eggs. If you purchase an incubator, get one that has slow air flow and solid state thermostat controls. Kaytee EXACT Hand Feeding Formula (available at most pet stores). ALWAYS make fresh formula for each feeding; never refrigerate mixed formula. Pause every couple of seconds after providing the bird with food to allow it to breathe. Some species, such as the zebra finch and the society finch reproduce easily in captivity. Gradually use less electrolyte solution until the formula is the consistency of pudding. This may be obtained from your veterinarian or found at some online retailers). Mix fresh feeding formula before each feeding; do not store & reheat old formula. Consult your avian veterinarian or a small animal veterinarian experienced in treating birds before starting to feed any orphaned or abandoned chicks. Clean utensils after each feeding. Wash hands before & after feedings (if feeding more than one bird, wash hands between birds). Keep track of how long it takes for the crop to empty between each feeding, as any sign of slowing is bad and needs to be addressed immediately (see below). This should occur at regular intervals. A small, outdoor thermometer (a thermometer designed for use in reptile enclosures will work--available at most pet stores) to check ambient temperature in the incubator/brooder. Clean up any spilled food, especially food that may have gotten on the chick. Hand-feeding baby finches is challenging and time-consuming and, unfortunately, is not always successful. Unflavored pedialyte (available in the baby pharmacy area of most grocery stores). Housing: Ideal Lighting, Temperature, Humidity, Nutrition: Preparing an Egg-Mix & Other Soft Foods, Nutrition: Austerity Diet & Feeding for Breeding, Nutrition: Common Health Problems Related to Malnutrition, Guest Article: Raising Blue-Capped Cordon Bleus, Guest Article: Guide to Hand Feeding Finches. A "crop feeding extension" for the 1cc needleless syringe (made from a "BD vacutainer butterfly blood collection set WITHOUT safety-lok" which may be available at your vet's or at an online retailer--just cut the tubing to a length of 2.2cm). Allow the crop to completely empty at least once each day (usually before first morning feeding). For the first days of their lives, this mixture should consist primarily of the electrolyte solution. Sterilize all utensils in weak bleach solution (1 part bleach: 20 parts water; let the utensils soak for 15 minutes in this solution) and rinse well under cool water before EACH and every use. Throw away all leftover solution after all the chicks have been fed. If feeding more than one bird, do not double dip the feeding utensil in the formula. Encourage the bird to beg for its food; never try to force feed it by forcing its beak open. Hand washing and clean utensils are vital when feeding finch chicks. Do not over or under feed the baby. The chicks can eat seeds and millet spray when the chicks are fully feathered and after their beaks have become more rigid. Hand feeding baby finches, especially birds which just recently hatched, is a very challenging, time consuming, and tedious process. Do not let adult birds come into contact with the neonates. Infant apple sauce (available in the baby food isle of most grocery stores). Feed it again each time the crop becomes nearly empty. An incubator/brooder (which can be crafted at home--see below) or purchased. Baby finches should receive adequate food from their parents. Only feed during begging behavior (as the glottis and choana slit are closed at this time which allows food to be delivered safely). Store the Kaytee hand feeding formula (in its dry powder form) in the freezer. Only use sterile feeding utensils. If their parents are absent, however, baby finches require hand-feeding. Chester has two goats, chickens, rabbits, a collie and a pet rat, in addition to several much-loved Toy Fox Terriers. DO NOT boil the utensils as this will cause them to melt and distort. Infant applesauce can be added to the formula if the chicks are having difficult eliminating waste. Dispense the food in rhythm with the chick's head-bobbing motion. Housing: How many birds will fit in your cage? Jo Chester holds a certificate in pet dog training from Triple Crown Academy for Dog Trainers. Unfortunately it does not always end in success even when the best efforts are made to save the bird's life.