Page 543 - Hand rearing birds second

542 Hand-Rearing Birds

Figure 35.2 A brooder set-up for a fledged mousebird chick. Note the heating pad, the small bowl “nest”
with paper towels. The hay substrate and wire screen for hanging both reduce damage to the tail and help
keep the chick away from his own feces.

be carefully planned to avoid both. Iron storage disease, which is common in some softbilled birds,
is not documented in mousebirds.
Because of the soft nature and copious quantity of a chick’s feces, the brooder and cage environ-
ments need to be religiously cleaned. If not, mold and bacteria will quickly grow, putting the
chick’s health at risk for aspergillosis and other infections.
Recently emptied or half-emptied food bowls attract mousebirds as resting places, which
can make breast feathers soiled. Unfortunately, juvenile and adult mousebirds are poor self-
groomers, are oblivious of contact with their feces and food, and will soil their plumage even
to the point where it impacts the feathers’ ability to insulate the bird properly, which leads
to chilling.
Mousebird tail plumage is easily damaged and soiled, yet the tail provides much needed balance
for the often clumsy birds. Birds that lose their tails completely do not fly or maneuver well and are
at risk. Unlike what is sometimes done with other bird species to encourage new feather growth, it
is not recommended to purposely pull damaged mousebird tail feathers unless the feathers are
broken short. Although slow, it is best to allow the natural molting process. When hand-feeding,
chicks’ tails need to be kept clean and can be washed under gentle streams of warm water when
dirtied. Place perches and other things the bird can hang from with a focus on allowing the tail to
hang clear of obstructions.
Fecal impacting can occur and can be life threatening if not remedied in time. Impactions most
frequently happen with chicks from day 2–10. It is important to gently stimulate the chicks to def-
ecate at feeding times and frequently throughout the day. Once a mousebird is defecating on its
own, continue to monitor the output until it is totally weaned.