Green Wing Baby Weights

[kayleewings]

Hi, I have a baby Green Wing Macaw, 89 days old and was wondering if anyone has a guide line of weights and ages? Thanks!:red:

 

[henpecked]

All depends on individual bird, and development. Nothing set in stone about what any given baby bird should weigh at a certain point in develoment.Has your GW weaned yet? is it eating and drinking on it's own? I'd suggest a set of digital kitchen scales that weighs in grams. Weigh your baby before feeding every AM. Those weights will be your guide to proper development and over all health of your bird. I'd also suggest a book called "Parrots,,handfeeding and nursery management" by Howard Voren and Rick Jordan. This developmental period prior to weaning is super important and should be completely understood by anyone raising a baby/young parrot. Good luck and let us know if you need help. Welcome to the forum

 

[henpecked]

I would also add,, at that age your GW should weigh about the same as an adult.Now weither you have a GW who wieghs 800 grams ,1000 grams or 1200 grams, when mature, is anyones guess. But it should be close to "it's " mature weight.

 

[kayleewings]

Actually yes, I have "Parrots,,handfeeding and nursery management" by Howard Voren and Rick Jordan.Amazing and excellent book for beginners and experienced alike among many more. I also have a digital kitchen scale I weigh daily with. I'm a experienced hand feeder, or was, with a variety of parrrots including blue and golds, but I have never had a green wing before.Also I stopped raising parrots like 10 years ago, so its been awhile.
Hence the question. I was just wondering a generalized weight area to be sure the baby was gaining as it should. Thank you very very much for the info!

 

[WharfRat]

I doubt it's weaned yet, GW's take alot longer to wean than most. A scale is imperative because you need to know the bird's weight to know the amount of formula to feed (10-12% of their body weight in grams)

Hen, at 3 months they aren't that close to their full weight (for a GW anyway)

Also, you can start mixing in organic baby food into the formula as well, this will introduce them to fruit & grains as well. I'll look for some pics of mine @ 3 mos. then compare them to today a little later

 

[henpecked]

Wish i could help with better answers, but i deal more with zons and haven't dealt with macaw babies since they invented digital kitchen scales,LOL. Glad to have you here on the forum,hope you hang around .

 

[henpecked]

Thanks Rat, for some reason there's no "thanks" button on your post ???

 

[kayleewings]

Love the zons also! This GW was my dream bird, under the hy, so Im a happy camper!

 

[WharfRat]

Thanks Rat, for some reason there's no "thanks" button on your post ???

LOL, wonder iffin' I'm on "probation" for something

 

[greycloud]

A friends GW at 12 weeks was around 1050grams. Then at 13 weeks went down to 950 due to fledging.

 

[WharfRat]

Avg. size for GW's

2.65-3lbs.
1200-1400g (avg. I've seen much bigger & also a little smaller)
length 34" from beak to tip of tail

 

[kayleewings]

THANK YOU greycloud! I weighed her in at 1190 today, but she was over 1200 til she started losing her feeding response.That's what worried me.And I know shes on the smaller side.Shes got a ways to go before weaning.

 

[kayleewings]

WharfRat, THATS WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW!!!, YOU ROCK! So she is on the way smaller side. Shes at the Vets today getting cultures, to make sure its not anything bacterial.

 

[WharfRat]

I wouldn't worry, mine took well over 6 mos. to wean which my breeder said was not out of the ordinary at all. At 3 mos. she ain't even close to being full grown, as stated earlier, I'll dig up some pics to give a size difference between 3 mos. & 12 mos.

 

[WharfRat]

ok, here ya go, hatch date 5/11/11, pic taken 8/11/11

pic taken 3/28/12

 

[kayleewings]

What a DOLL, your baby is!!!!!, Anyway, I only worry because shes lost her feeding response 2 Weeks ago. I got 120cc/s down her no problem, 3 x a day, now she bawks at 60 and I literally have to force her to take as close to 120 as I can.So frustrating when you KNOW they NEED more!

 

[WharfRat]

What all are you mixing in with the formula? What temp is it at approx.? What brand formula? One way or another, we'll figure this out

Also, refer when feeding in grams, if I have to convert, my head will explode

 

[kayleewings]

Shes on Kaytee Macaw handfeeding formula, her breeder had her on, I was mixing baby apple sauce in her formula to prevent slow crop, but since I got her up to 120 gm per feeding and she was emptying great I dropped the applesauce. I feed at 108 temp and drop down.Does this help?

 

[WharfRat]

Oh I wouldn't drop the baby food at all, and we used all kinds of different flavors to expose them to different tastes. There are all kind of fruit mixtures as well as veggies (mine loved sweet potatos) also some grains as well. We started supplementing dry baby cereal mixtures to replace the formula altogether at the end to get them weaned off, (saves alot of $$$ too). Not only is it healthy for them, it makes your bird formula stretch out farther! (last time I checked, they weren't giving that stuff away )

Oh, and get ready for some home baking, they LOVE home made muffins and such!!!

 

[kayleewings]

You know its strange but everyones Greenwings, though just about the same in the age, Im seeing differences in feather development.