Kaytee Exact or Roudybush Fomula 3

[AussieParrots]

Which do you think is the better forumula for hand rearing?

I've heard good things about both products. Do either have common problems associated with them? I read on one website that they no longer recommended Roudybush because of a problem with it, but didn't go into detail about what it was (frustrating!).

Sorry for the double post - I think I posted this in the wrong forum category initially!

Prue

[ringneck]

Hey Prue,

Good question and it really depends on who you ask! They are both very good hand feeding formulas. Lots of effort is placed into creating these formulas to allow optimal nutrition. I use Exact as it’s available here and I have never lost a bird to it.

I make it nice and thick and feed my baby ringnecks with a spoon--It can be difficult with a syringe when it is thick.

Hope this helps !

IMRAN

[AussieParrots]

Thanks Imran!

Kaytee is REALLY hard to find in Australia. The main importer no longer buys it so it comes in dribs and drabs through individuals so it's also expensive. Roudybush is still not common, but easier to find and quite a bit cheaper. Trouble is you hear so much good stuff about one brand, you tend to worry about the others!

[Coastal-Birds]

Hi
I use
Neocare Handrearing food - 2.5kg (vetafarm)(Vetafarm also make a cheaper one just called handrearing mix for parrots )
I buy the 2.5kg bags always as it last for yrs and the cheaper has a pink background where the other is yellow.
I know all petbarns in australia carry both .
Just about every pet store carry this and price varies from about $45-$60
It also has probiotics in it.
I have hand raised alot of ringnecks on this and have not lost any young with it and bird always grow strong and big very fast.
It is the same deal some say only use this or that but this is just another option to look at for you as ive used it and so does a close friend with very expensive ringnecks.
Cheers

[AussieParrots]

Thanks for that! I've seen the Parrot Rearing Food but not the Neocare - I'll have to go have a look. I didn't like the Parrot food because of the meat content. I don't agree with feeding granivores meat - insects yes, but not meat. I had a look at a site selling it and the Neocare doesn't have any animal product.

One thing though, I had a look at the handfeeding video on the vetafarm site. The consistency of the formula which the presenter said was ideal is a lot runnier than I'm currently making for my 28day cockatiel hatchling. I started with a runniner formula and he got diarrhoea so I've thickened it up again and the diarrhoea is easing....

What's your experience been, do you make it runnier like in the vid or more solid? The vid is here:
http://www.vetafarm.com.au/pages/YOU-TU ... BIRDS.html

[Coastal-Birds]

Hi
From 2 week old young till when they wean i mix the formula so it is like tomatoe sauce maybe a little runnier.
I feed mine all by syringe and when to thick its hard to get out but when not so thick it will come out very easy.
Chicks learn fast when feed time is and they will sit there with beak open then you can just squirt small amounts in till they get there crop full.
Also normally after there feed i will also give them about 0.5-1ml of water.This i boil then chill to make it sterile.
You will also see on almost all rasing mixes they say to heat to about 40c,this i have never done i heat my mixes to about 32c at max.I believe 40c is to hot for a young chick and even older ones but they all recommend this temp .
From what i read a ringnecks body temp is similar to ours so there crop and food for young would be like 32c not 40c so i dont know why all mixes say to feed at this temp.
But as i said i have never lost a bird and that would be at least 50 hand raised ringnecks doing the way i do.
When i make the mix i use boiled water,you will see you mix it to the thickness you want but when it cools it thickens so you need to add more boiled water.

[AussieParrots]

That's really interesting, thank you. I've often seen temps of 39+ recommended, but I usually feed at baby formula (human) temp - warm on the wrist but not hot. 40 is way to hot for a baby, if it feels hot on my wrist, imagine how hot it would be in the crop!

[Coastal-Birds]

Yes i have no idea why they say that temp.
Food has to be warm so the bird can digest it properly but 40c is just way to high,as i said at best mine is 32c.
But never lost a baby at that temp with food and they grow well and no problems.This is with the vetafarm mix i dont know about others as i have never used them.I happy with what i know works great and proven for all my young hand raised birds.
Also after a week on the mix then i will blanch apple,celery,spinach and carrot then puree and do about 1/3 mix of that to vetafarm.
I dont know if that helps but fruit and vege are a must for babies and you will see the parents will eat that before any seed mix and then feed there young,so in my book the young get the best of both .
Hope this helps
Cheers
Coastal Birds

[AussieParrots]

Due to having problems finding a quick sending supplier I started using the Vetafarm Neocare for my new 14day old Quakers - well it's fantastic!! They are putting on average 7 - 10g per day, their stools are lovely and it satisfies them between feeds. Brilliant!

As an emergency food I had to use Avione for an earlier batch of cockatiels (would you believe in a capital city, that was the only one I could find!), I was never happy with it, but I didn't want to upset the boat by switching formula mid session. They have come through ok - they are healthy and happy, but weights are down from what they should be. But they are thriving now that they are starting to wean and are eating a variety of foods. It's ok as an emergency food, but next time I'd take the risk and wean them very slowly onto another formula... It's all a learning experience!!