Hatchlings

Feeding Hatchlings

Depending on the size of the hatchling I generally feed for the first time between 4, 6, or 8 hours after hatching. This year’s baby Saw-Whet owls (weighing 8 grams) were fed 4 hours after hatching, with tiny pieces of finely-chopped fresh-killed pinkie mice. I add a very small amount of Ringers to the food, cautious not to make it too juicy, because I worry about aspiration in a young bird that has never eaten before.

Then the hatchlings are monitored to be sure all the “plumbing” works and are not fed again until feces appear. Until I am sure that the digestive tract is active, I feed only 2 – 4 pieces of bite size mouse every 2 -3 hours. Over-feeding can kill a hatchling.

Once it is apparent that all organs are functioning well, I offer more food every 4 hours. Before each feeding I check for healthy feces and the stomach area to make sure it is empty. Since owls do not have crops like falcons and hawks, it is a little more difficult to determine if and when very young owls need food.

Another cardinal rule is to never, ever force-feed a baby. However, I have done so cautiously twice before and not lost the chicks. Years ago four Northern Harrier chicks were successfully hatched, but one was very slow and did not want to eat. I very carefully forced it until it began to beg for food. After that there were no further problems. I did the same with a great horned owl chick this year and she is thriving now. It is a fine line between proven protocol and breaking the rule, but sometimes it can save the infant bird.

Usually on the third, but no later than the fourth day, I add bone to the diet. This ingredient is absolutely essential for all rapidly growing young raptors. Without calcium and other constituents in bone matter the birds may grow crippled for life. To be safe, the bone is crushed with mortar and pestle to make sure no sharp pieces are given to the hatchlings. Soon after that I also add a little fur and get nice presents of tiny pellets.

Each meal is prepared prior to feeding, and only fresh mice are used. I have never added vitamins or calcium to any hatchling’s diet and have never encountered any signs of nutritional deficit, because they are getting what they would get in the wild from their parents.

Temperature

Temperature is also important. Overheating a hatchling bird will kill it quickly. I have a human infant incubator with which I can accurately regulate the temperature. For the first day after the Saw-whets hatched the temperature is kept at 99.7 degrees, but on the evening of the second day I lowered the temperature to 97.8 degrees. As downy feathers begin to grow young birds require less heat.

Too cool: Last year I rescued a 3-4 day old burrowing owl chick that was ice cold to the touch, actually he was floating in water after a severe thunderstorm. I did not think he would live, but he did. His name is Noah.

A few days later a beloved (by the babies) feather duster is hung suspended from the top of the incubator, under which the owls sleep in their tiny towel nest. Feathers provide lots of warmth and the temperature needs to be monitored and progressively lowered to a comfort zone. The owls will pant if too hot or huddle together and complain if too cool. (At left, a great horned owl chick with feather duster)

Bedding

Terry-cloth towels are used so the birds have good footing when moving around. Young raptors are surprisingly mobile. Smooth bedding may cause spraddle leg. I treated several birds last year that arrived with spraddle leg. One was a raven nestling, another a barn owl nestling. I gently hobbled the feet together in a normal position using Vetrap, which is comfortable, soft and flexible.

The birds were not unbalanced by this treatment because they were not standing yet. By the time they wanted and needed to stand, the problem was resolved.

Sound and Touch

I attempt to vocalize in owl language when feeding; it often stimulates a good feeding. Visual contact and talking are avoided as much as possible until the young birds are old enough to go to a foster parent. I also provide plenty of tactile stimulation, not only after feeding, but also in-between these times.

Sigrid Noll-Ueblacker
6/99