Page 611 - Hand rearing birds second

612 Hand-Rearing Birds

Figure 40.1 Grandfather nest box. Source: photo
by Carol Stanley.

­ Criteria­for Intervention

Some lories will breed year‐round. When this occurs during the hottest weather, overheating may
cause high chick mortality. Countermeasures against overheating include strategically placed mis-
ters and fans. Alternatively, pulling the chicks for hand‐rearing may be the wisest choice. Cold‐
weather hatching sometimes requires intervention if the parents are not diligent about keeping
their young warm, or if it is just too cold for them to do so. Heat lamps with 250‐W red bulbs placed
in the vicinity of the nest box, but not too close, will help. When all else fails, pulling and hand‐
feeding may be the only alternative.
Installation of a nest box camera will provide valuable information on how the chicks are being
cared for by the parents. Wireless cameras may be used for this purpose and require only electricity
to send video to a smartphone or computer. Viewing the nest in real‐time may alleviate the need
for physically disturbing the chicks and parents, which may put both at risk. Novice parents should
be monitored more closely and evaluated for the level of care given to their chicks. Abandoned
nests or chicks thrown out of the nest can be seen immediately through a nest box camera, making
intervention timely and lifesaving.
If the camera shows a chick that is lethargic and not begging its parents for food, the chick should
be pulled for veterinary evaluation. If a chick appears to have died in the nest, it should be pulled
immediately, and a necropsy performed to determine the cause of death. If the remaining clutch is
pulled for hand‐feeding, they should be kept in isolation and away from other clutches being hand‐
fed. Utensils and feeding instruments used for a potentially ill clutch should not be used for any other
clutch. Disposable gloves should be worn and replaced before servicing the next clutch.