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hand rearing 4 week old indian ringneck

21 16:18:09

Question
I checked our breeder box this morning only to find our 4 week old indian ringneck hardly moving and ice cold, I quickly grabbed him out and rushed him inside, holding him in my enclosed hand we gave him some lukewarm handrearing mix, gadually he began to move and eat, he was near dead at 1st.

more info on chick
he is 4 weeks old, feathers only just beggining to come through skin, eyes not open, (I thought this seemed to be developing slowly even in nest)

I do not have a brooder, he is currently in a beanie pegged closed with enough open for air, in a small cardboard box, he is at least moving now and making noise, which is back to what he was before he got chilled.

I am not 100% confident in trying the handrearing, but feel I have no choice, I am worried if I give him back to his mother, it will only result in a reacurrance, especially since I have handled him so much now, I am happy to have got him this far to another chance at life.

Any help or advice ASAP would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks
Charlie

Answer
A brooder is the best thing, but you can make your own out of a 10 gallon fish tank and a heating pad. A trip to the vet would be the best thing to do at this point. His eyes SHOULD be open, especially at 4 weeks old! He may  have a disease or genetic defect. Handfeeding is not something you can really learn from a book or the internet, so if you can contact a breeder or vet in your area, they will show you the proper way to do it. Until then, try feeding him some formula (105 degrees) from a spoon.
To tell the truth, the only thing you can do is take him to  a vet. Parents will abandon a bird they know is sick or has another problem, so this may be the case and you may lose him no matter what you do, but it's possible (high chance) for him to be fine.
I hope everything turns out for him!