Hand-rear birds

It’s an amazing privilege to be able to watch baby birds grow, nurture them, get to know their individual personalities and release them back into the wild.  It’s also a huge responsibility and a lot of hard work! Do you have what it takes? 

These birds are already well developed when they hatch, and can run around following their mother and peck at their own food. You need to keep their cage or enclosure clean and make sure they always have food and water. You can look after these birds in your own home even if you are out for most of the day. When they are small they need to be kept warm so they will need to be indoors or in an outbuilding with electricity. When they are older they will need a run or pen outside, or be allowed to exercise in an enclosed garden. 

These birds are born helpless and almost naked. They soon open their eyes and begin to grow feathers but they remain in a nest and must have food placed into their beak when they gape. They need to be fed around every 30 minutes from dawn until dusk so you will need to be home most of the time if if you want to rear these babies. 

If your job will allow it, you can take them to work with you and continue feeding them. Once they are feeding themselves, they are ready to go into one of our release aviaries. 

Baby pigeons and doves have a large crop to store food, and can be tube-fed warm formula every 2 to 4 hours.