Bobbi Brinker said in a message to Patty Morris:
BB> Pick up a copy of Parrot Handfeeding and Nursery Management
BB> by Jordan and  Voren before the babies hatch. Another book
BB> that will be VERY helpful is  Parrot Incubation Procedures
BB> by Rick Jordan. I would not recommend that you  use the
BB> monkey chow mix for handfeeding.
    I have the first book you mentioned and am currently reading it, but 
don't have the second one, Bobbi.  Actually, I recently had occasion to speak 
with Mr. Voren on the phone although not about handfeeding.  Very nice 
gentleman and thus far his book has been excellant and informative reading.
BB> vary from 15-23-25% daily. If you follow Jordan/Voren rapid 
BB> hydration method, the gains will be closer to this ideal. If
BB> you use rapid  hydration, PLEASE follow the directions
BB> EXACTLY.
    Fortunately I had planned to keep such detailed records on our babies but 
your point gives me even more reason to do so.  I'll have to go back and 
study the rapid hydration method again (repeatedly even!) before I feel 
confident enough to try it.  This will be my first experience at handfeeding 
from day one so I'm a wee bit nervous about it still.
BB> Be very sure that the formula is fresh. The code is as
BB> follows: the first 3  numbers represent the day of the year
BB> and the fourth number is the last  digit of the year - 1993
BB> = 3, 1994 = 4, 1995 = 5. Keep the formula powder in  the
BB> freezer.
    Thanks much again, Bobbi.  I didn't know how to decipher the code and we 
have already discovered that some of our local stores keep such items long 
after their expiration dates (such as a packet of Ornacyn showing an 
expiration date sometime in 1993) so the info is more helpful to me than you 
may realize.
BB> Don't put ANYthing except water or Pedialyte in with the
BB> formula powder. You  will be using up valuable crop space by
BB> adding things like baby foods that  do not contain the
BB> nutrition that is in the handfeeding formula. 
    Hmmm, had never thought of it that way and after reading various peoples' 
handfeeding formulae I was a bit confused about all that.  Oh, and what 
temperature and humidity range should I use for the newly hatched chicks?
BB> I have handfed many babies (umbrellas) from the egg, so if
BB> you have any  questions, let me know.
    I do appreciate your help and will probably have another question or two 
for you before we're finished with this batch of babies.  :)
    --)@  Patty  @(--
    patty@warped.secret.com
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