Care of Quaker Chicks
Feeding
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So, let’s talk about baby Quakers. I pull them from their mother and father at 2 weeks old, and they need to be hand fed for a total of 8-10 weeks before they’re ready to start eating solid foods. That means that every 2 to 3 hours (excluding nighttime) they need to be hand fed a special formula (I use Exact Original Handfeeding Formula).
I usually put them up for sale at 4 weeks old, meaning that you get to be mama bird for at least another month. I have a feeding chart below, it shows how often they need to be fed and how much, according to their age.
Check-ups
Quakers are very hardy birds, but that doesn’t mean they’re invulnerable. They need check ups at an avian veterinary clinic when they are young to make sure they are healthy and happy and will be with you for many years to come. They also need daily weighing; they should be gaining weight every other day until they are weaned, then they will lose a little as they get used to solid food. My adult Quaker weighs 3.40 ounces, but she is a bit smaller than other Quakers her age. Healthy weight for an adult is 3.25 to 4.25 ounces. Abnormal weight loss is the first indicator of sickness, since birds tend to be very good at seeming all right when they’re sick or injured. Oftentimes, once they show symptoms, it may be too late. Keep in mind that even tiny amounts of weight loss can indicate a problem; half an ounce isn’t a lot unless you only have four to begin with.
Weaning
After about 6 weeks, your Quaker will start to pick up objects in her mouth and kinda mouth them and experiment with putting food in her mouth. At this stage, you should give her access to soft fruits and veggies, as well as smaller pellets. Once she starts to prefer these to formula (and weaning means that she will not eat as much formula as she used to, and may lose a small amount of weight), give her bigger pellets for her to eat normally.
This is what the formula looks like
These aren't Quakers, but this is what hand-feeding looks like
Housing
Housing Quaker chicks is a bit different than housing adult birds. You will need a small cardboard box, about 1’x1’x1’. Use stuffing (you can buy this at any store, it is usually with sewing and crafting) to make the nest. Get a medium sized clump of stuffing, then using a clean cloth or towel, put the towel over it and shape into a little nest just big enough for your bird. You will need to clean the box at least once a day, as the chick will poop right where they are, and leaving feces in with the bird for too long can culture bacteria and make the bird sick, and possibly die.
When not feeding the baby, keep this box covered and somewhere dark and not too cold. Darkness helps the bird’s eyes fully develop, and you should not be playing with the bird until she is much older and can live in a cage. Feeding time is bonding time for these chickies, you don’t need to play with her to make her love you.
