Page 437 - Hand rearing birds second

430 Hand-Rearing Birds

Hatchlings
The feeding frequency of hatchlings will depend on the species and size of the hatched chick.
Hatchling gulls and terns eat readily, but less frequently on the day of hatch. By the second day,
chicks should eat approximately every 60–90 minutes. Feed every 90 minutes (9–10 times daily)
until the chick is satiated, for 12–14 hours a day. If a chick seems reluctant to eat, it may be gently
force-fed a moistened fish.
If the chick refuses to gape or beg for food, give fluids, skip the next feeding, and check that stool
color and consistency are normal for the species and diet. Fish diets usually result in dark gray
fecal material in a splash of white urates. Gray granular stools may indicate illness or dehydration.
Birds that do not defecate regularly after every one or two feedings should be checked for cloacal
impactions by inspecting the vent area for chalky or granular concretions. A gentle stream of warm
water on the cloacal area may stimulate the bird to defecate. The bird should then have additional
fluids added to its diet by tube-feeding fluids between solid feeding.

Nestlings­and Fledglings

Nestlings and fledglings can be fed about every 90 minutes for 12–14 hours a day (Figure 26.4).
After the first week, time intervals can be lengthened to every 3–4 hours for gull species, and
every 90 minutes to 2 hours for terns. Small terns may need feeding every 2 hours until they are
picking up food items from a dish. Larger tern and gull species will start picking up food from a
dish after about 1–2 weeks, and at that stage food dishes should be refilled with fresh food at
least four times daily.

­ Expected­Weight­Gain

After hatching, gull and tern chicks may remain at the same weight for the first 48 hours. After this
time period, weight gain should be steady and fairly linear until about 2–3 weeks of age, at which
point weight gain will slow, while feather growth continues (Figures 26.5 and 26.6). Individual

Figure­26.4­ Two Western Gull chicks competing for lunch. Source: photo courtesy of Mary F. Platter Rieger.