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By Marcy Covault
 Feathered Companions Aviary (FCA) is a small
home-based aviary, where chicks are fed in the kitchen and
fledged in the living/family rooms. I get frequent queries for
explanations of my handrearing and general feeding methods, and
hopefully, this will answer many questions. This series is
directed primarily at the small home breeder, for whom bird
breeding may be a family endeavor, and for whom integration into
the family environment is important. These are my methods and
rationale-not the only way, but what works for me! There are
links on my site to excellent resources. There are also articles
with pictures, for example, on my outside aviary enclosure and
discussing interactions with my birds. Please note that where
specific brand names are mentioned, these are not necessarily
endorsements of that brand.
Part 1 of 5–Parrotkeeping
Aviculture, like virtually all animal
husbandry endeavors, is labor-intensive, and those involved have
to enjoy what they do to stay motivated to continue. In a home
aviary, because the birds are literally part of the family
environment, balancing total family needs with aviary activities
becomes crucial for long-term integration of human and avian
relationships and enjoyment.
Overcrowding of birds is asking for failure of
the endeavor and less than best care for the birds. Imposing
birds on human household members who are hostile to them is
detrimental to the success of the companion bird integrating into
the household. Birds are totally dependent on best judgment and
practices of their aviculturist caretaker!
I have been raising small parrots since the
early 1990's, and I have tried different environmental
manipulations, feeding regimens, and handling techniques.
I've learned a lot the hard way, as well as the easy, natural
way, and I continue to learn each day from others and from my
birds. Most of my experiences are with smaller hookbills,
formerly including cockatiels, Bourke's parakeets, and
rosellas, and currently including Pacific parrotlets, Pyrrhura
and Aratinga conures, and Indian Ringneck parakeets.
The majority of my birds are inside, with
adults and juveniles in my living/family room areas for
sociability and interaction. Most get out in the evenings, and
they can fly to and from various play/feeding
("foraging") stations, some of which hang from the
ceiling and some of which rest on top of cages. The flock
dynamics are very interesting!
I also have several indoor/outdoor (connected
by portal) flights, some of which house Pyrrhura conure breeding
pairs, and larger ones which house Indian ringnecks. I have
enclosed the entire outside aviary area to keep out large
predators. This also allows me to go outside and enjoy the fresh
air with flighted pet birds.
Basics and Variables
Type and size of cage and lighting, schedule
of feeding, and environmental enrichment are all considered for
successful breeding.  What makes it difficult for the beginning
breeder is that there are many ideas on what is the
"best" way to raise and maintain birds. There are some
"basics" (and many books and articles expound on those)
and some personal-choice "variables" (and just as many
books and articles discuss those). Each person has to choose the
variables they prefer and which work for them. Following are my
choices.
Cages – We all accept that parrots
should be in appropriate cages – type, size, sturdiness,
functionality – for their species, use, and maintenance. My
"house" birds are almost all in powder-coated cages,
because these are the easiest to clean and they "look
good" in the home. In the past few years, because of
competition and sources from other countries, powder-coated cages
have become affordable for most people. Some of my cages are
dometop, and some are flat-top with perches and playstands on
them. This provides variety and allows preference for those birds
that like one type better than the other. These cages are sturdy
and durable, and they can also be rolled out on the back patio on
a rotating schedule for power washing.
Lighting – Fluorescent lights,
usually four-foot suspended, with full-spectrum tubes provide
lighting to indoor cages. There are several brands of these
"full spectrum" tubes, but they should be for birds,
not just plants or reptiles, as the right lighting, including UV,
is important to birds. My lights are on timers, so that the birds
can have relief from the bright light in the afternoons, when
they are most apt to nap, and so that they go off at staggered
times in the evenings for a gradual reduction of light for
nighttime. The house birds go to their cages quite easily when
the lights dim. I also have small nightlights in each area, so
that the birds are not in total darkness.
Feeding and Watering – Bowls in
the bottoms of cages (not under perches) provide water and afford
bathing opportunity for all cages. The bowls are rinsed and
refilled daily, and sometimes twice daily if the occupants foul
the water or splash it all out of the bowl. I use large 10"
bowls for small and mid-sized conures and ringnecks, filled about
1" deep, and 4" bowls for parrotlets, filled about
½" deep.
Most of my birds LOVE to bathe in their water
bowls. Also, when a hen is laying, she will get her belly wet and
thus regulate humidity in the nest box. Some people mist their
indoor birds because of the low humidity in the home. I rarely do
that, but rather keep that water bowl full enough for bathing.
Some of my birds, when out playing, will fly over if I turn the
kitchen faucet on. They will either jump on a plate I hold
beneath the faucet, or they sit in the palm of my hand and enjoy
a quick shower.
Foods and Feeding
Feeding a balanced diet to a mixed group of
parrots offers a challenge because what's required by one
species may not be perfect for another; what's available for
the birdkeeper may be limited; and what the birds will actually
eat may not be what is the most desirable. Product names
mentioned are for examples, but are not necessarily
endorsements.
Because of the many books and articles
expounding the necessity and merit of different diet types (much
like for humans), it can be very confusing to the beginning
breeder. One person will tell you their success has to do with
feeding mostly pelleted feeds, and another will tell you they
never feed pelleted feeds. One says sprouting is too problematic
because of mold and bacterial problems, and another says that
sprouting is easy and necessary for healthy birds. It truly is up
to the aviculturist to do research for themselves, use common
sense, and make decisions based on what works for them and their
birds.
Birds in the wild forage and eat a variety of
foods, including "live foods," such as plant parts,
flowers, insects, etc. Providing a suitable diet can be a
challenge for the aviculturist, and there is more than one
opinion on how best to do this.
Sprouts – Sprouting is one method
of providing living, growing food, and the variety of grains and
seeds available offer choices that fit species size and
aviculturist's needs and preferences. For me, sprouting is
easy, and if you follow a few basic rules -including using high
quality seeds and grains and following basic cleanliness
procedures - there should seldom be any problem with providing
fresh, living sprouts for food. I never feed sprouts from the
store, because the chance of bacteria colonies, such as e-coli,
is just too great.
 Vegetables and fruits – As a daily
staple, in the morning, I typically feed kale, collard or mustard
greens, or broccoli for the dark green vegetable, and carrots for
the yellow-orange. I occasionally use parsley or celery for
variety. Apple is the usual fruit offered, although occasionally
banana, grapes, or other citrus may be offered as a side dish.
Knowing the source is important. For example, I do not feed
grapes grown outside the U.S. I wash the fruits and veggies well,
often using a produce rinse, such as an apple cider vinegar
solution or GSE.
I put the green veggies, carrot, and fruit
(cut into large chunks) into my food processor,  pulse a few times
to coarse-chop, and add to the bowl of drained sprouts in the
morning feeding. I sprinkle a powdered mix that is mildly
antibacterial/antifungal and aids in digestion (cinnamon, ginger,
garlic, cayenne, wheat grass, spirulina, aloe), and toss all
lightly. I also keep back a few small stems and leaf pieces of
the vegetable and put atop the soft foods in youngsters'
bowls for them to nibble on and play with. In the late afternoon,
I feed a small amount of frozen mixed vegetables, which have been
thawed under running hot water, drained, and sprinkled on top of
any morning soft foods still remaining in bowls. In the evenings,
I remove ALL soft food bowls from the cages, so that they
don't attract night marauding insects and so that the birds
don't try to eat them in the morning before I get fresh food
in the cage for them. I also remove water bowls and replace with
fresh in the morning.
Growing food – I do not have time
to garden, but being able to control the quality of vegetables
and fruits more than just looking for "organic" in a
store is obviously desirable and healthier-for your human family
as well. You can also grow what may not be readily available
locally, e.g., rose hips, an excellent food for birds which grows
on a lovely, if very prickly, fruiting fence hedge.
Seed mixes – I believe that
conures and other small hookbills need some seeds. Since I am
never 100% satisfied with most available commercial seed mix
blends, I add to them. I start with a good,  clean, small hookbill
seed product, such as Volkmann's, Higgins, Hagens, and other
well-known mixes containing small to medium seeds and grains
(e.g., millets, buckwheat), and with SOME safflower and sunflower
seeds, but not heavy on these, as they contain a lot of fats. I
usually do not get a mix that contains peanuts, as there can be
issues with aflotoxins in raw peanuts. I then add a variety of
other grains or seeds, depending on what I have. It doesn't
have to be the same all the time! Typically, I may add small
amounts of split green peas, rye or barley flakes/grains, oat
groats, pepitas (hulled raw pumpkin seed), flax seeds, dried red
pepper flakes, and dried herbs (e.g., Italian seasoning with no
salt).
Pellets – Most of my birds have
free choice pellets in a separate bowl, unless they use them for
play, wasting instead of eating-and in that case, they are
rationed. Pellets make up about 20% of my birds' diet. Some
love the pellets; others eat them sporadically; and a few others
leave them. There are good choices in pellets on the market now,
and there are differences of opinion on colored vs. uncolored
pellets. I find that my birds eat best the Zupreem Fruit Colored
Cockatiel blend, so that's what I feed, but it's
certainly only one of many choices.
"Bird" bread – The baked
specialty bread I make is nutritious and appealing to the birds.
There are many recipes on the internet, but I usually make some
variation of the recipe I have on my web site. During breeding
season and for youngsters, I will crumble blocks of the
"bird" bread into the morning soft food and or put
small chunks of it besides the soft food in the bowl.
Cooked mixes and hot mashes –
There are recipes galore for cooked mixes and mashes, and I have
fed many of them, as enticements for youngsters, as soft foods
for parents feeding chicks, and just for special offerings. In
the winter months I will often feed a small amount of cooked
brown rice/lentil mix to birds in the indoor/outdoor cages (on
the unheated "bird porch"), to youngsters inside, and
to a limited extent to adult birds. One has to be careful about
spoilage with these, removing from the cage in 3 to 4 hours, if
possible. Most birds do not need constant high protein in their
diets. Cooked beans and rice, particularly, should not be fed a
dietary mainstay or frequently because of the high protein
levels, which in excess could cause gout.
Meat and live "protein"
– I do not feed raw meat of any kind. Occasionally, I will
feed a small piece of baked chicken breast to my sun conures, who
enjoy it as a treat, but I do not typically feed meat or insects
otherwise to my birds, as they do not need heavy concentrations
of protein.
Other specialty foods and supplements – To the
soft food mix, I add the same spices I add to handfeeding
formula, sprinkling lightly over. I also add a supplement, such
as Higgins Snack Attack Proteen 25 or Quiko Classic (both egg
foods), if it is breeding season and if I have lots of
youngsters.
With experience, one learns to notice when a
bird is "off" or appears to be sick-most of the time.
It is not possible to be the "guardian angel" that
always catches a sick, distressed, or injured bird before it
happens!  Accidents and problems that individual birds have in
response to their environment are sometimes unforeseen and
unavoidable, but they can be lessened through careful, watchful
husbandry practices.
Health
Aviculturists need to develop a relationship
with an avian veterinarian, and it is wise to have at least one,
preferably two other veterinarian names and phone numbers, as
well as the location and phone number of an animal emergency
clinic. Emergency clinics may or may not have someone experienced
enough in avians to provide appropriate care-but sometimes you
have no choice!
Having a readily available
"hospital" cage-small, dark and with a heat source-is
also essential, as when a bird is ill, trying to maintain its
body temperature stresses it further. An emergency cage can be a
pet carrier with a towel over it and a heat source (e.g., heating
pad or reptile heat lamp) to keep it warm. Care must be taken to
be sure the bird can't make physical contact with the heat
source and that it doesn't "cook," however.
"Well bird" examinations and
preventive health care –  Routine examinations with full
work-ups (blood panel and cultures) for all birds are wise, but
not always practical when one has many birds; however, testing of
new birds is good animal husbandry. There are diseases that can
be dormant in birds for years and then become active. If one has
had no health problems related to disease issues (polyoma,
psittacosis, megabacteria, worms, etc.), then "spot
checks" of the aviary and random testing may be enough to
ascertain that you do not have serious health problems. There is
lots of information available on types of diseases, their
symptoms, prognosis, and treatment, and each aviculturist should
educate themselves.
Biosecurity and Quarantine – There
are commonsense approaches to ensuring the health and safety of
aviary birds. State and federal health web sites have protocols
for disease prevention, including the types of precautions that
should be taken by aviaries. It is essential to be familiar with
these protocols, because if a public health issue arises in your
area, you may need to implement the most stringent of these,
e.g., Virkon-S footbaths, etc.
As a matter of good avian husbandry,
understanding the basis and procedures for quarantine is vital to
all breeders, including small hobby breeders. If you bring a
diseased bird into your home and expose all your other birds, you
may lose every bird or incur huge veterinary bills trying to save
or treat them.
Remember that birds can hide their illnesses
until they are too sick to do so any longer – it's a survival
mechanism for them, so even if a bird looks very healthy, at a
bare minimum. it is important to quarantine all new birds in
areas that don't share air flow with your current stock, and
to feed these last, for at least 30 days and up to 60 days. This
is particularly important if you are handfeeding babies, as their
immune systems have not developed, and they can contract a
disease for which an adult may has immunity. I realize that is
sometimes difficult to do in a household with limited "bird
room," but it does help protect your birds to follow proper
biosecurity precautions.
Part 1 — Parrotkeeping
Part 2 — Breeding Birds
Part 3 — Handfeeding and Raising Youngsters
Part 4 — Selling Birds
Part 5 — Legislation and References
(Copyright) Marcy Covault: No part of
this article or its photos may be used for any reproduction without the
written permission of the author.
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