We have three (3) pairs of Congo African Greys. We started out with one brooder and 3 baby cages in the corner of our dining area and quickly out grew the space. We have been fortunate since all three pairs are producing clutches. We set up a nursey room in the house. All our pairs are wonderful parents taking excellent care of their chicks until 3-4 weeks. The closed bands are put on at this time. The pictures above show where they start out once they are pulled from the nest. They are exposed to various colors, sounds and lots of older grey advice from residents Cheyenne and Spanki who frequently hang out in the room. They learn by watching and listening to the older birds.
They remain in the brooders until they are fully able to maintain their body temperature. The brooders are covered until the little ones start peeking around and then are just covered on one end for them to go to when they prefer not to be seen. We use bran cereal for substrate. It provides good footing and no worries if they should eat a little of it.
Before I feed the babies I hold each one close and speak to them in a soft voice. They are fed with a syringe so they taste every bit of their meal. After feeding the babies, I hold each one individually again and speak to them as well. I receive very cute verbal responses back. They seem to enjoy being petted especially on the head and face. Their different personalities show immediately and, in my opinion, all of them are endearing.
They grow amazingly fast. They move into an unheated aqaruium for a few days before moving into their first cage. The aquarium is covered with a fleece blanket to keep the drafts out They really start enjoying the playgym at this age. After I feed them they are put there to get a little stretching and more exposure to various toys. They begin flapping their wings building up the muscles needed to actually take flight. The chicks are very curious and begin to play more with toys.
A few days before they are supposed to leave, they take their first trip in the car to see the vet for a checkup. I talk to them along the 20 minute drive and they are answering me back with their pleasant little voices by the time we get there. This is good for them to experience a short trip in the car, different environment and strangers touching them. They usually get home and take a long nap because it was so tiring. When they go to their new homes, they aren't as afraid of the car trip or the strange environment once there. One time in the carrier and car is enough for them to realize it is not a bad thing. They are that smart.
When the day arrives they go to their new homes, it is a bittersweet day for me. I miss them all very much. There are about a million different opinoins out there about how to raise baby birds. I have read and heard lots of advice since we started with our pairs. We do what we feel necessary to raise happy healthy chicks.
We feed our babies pellets, fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, cooked veggies, cooked pasta, beans, etc. I believe greys love to eat. They are very active birds and eat throughout the day.
We alternate them in the larger cages, which are 30" wide by 24" deep and have lots of toys to play with. During this time frame they are learning to fly. They love to fly. After a bit more practice they land precisely where they want to land; sometimes hovering over my head before landing.
These are our three pets, Cheyenne on the left, who is about 4 years old, with Spanki in the middle, our first baby hatched, and "Spud" which has been changed to Sidney, our newest addition pictured below. They are all quite the characters.
The chicks move into their first cages and adjust very quickly to the new environment. Our baby cages are 24" wide x 17" deep and provide a low wood perch for their first attempts at perching. We also have a nail trimming perch and cotton perch for them to choose from. There are hanging tubes covered in faux fur at floor level for them to feel safe in the first few days. After they begin to perch higher, the hanging beds are raised up for their convenience. It is not uncommon for them to be perching within a matter of hours after being put in these cages. Once perching, they go right for the food bowls and pick at the pellets. The chicks are so fun to watch as they learn. They fall off the perch only a few times befure they master it and then move on to more exciting ventures. They do not give up and continue to progress at a rapid rate.
Then for the next few weeks it's pretty much just fun, learning new things and trying just about anything they are given to eat. The chicks go through phases. Sometimes they look so pitiful plastered up against the wire begging with those big brown eyes to let them out. They are let out several times a day for playtime.
They are taught the "up" and "down" command very early on. There are times when they don't particularly want to get "up" and voice their opinion about the matter. Patience and persistence are the keys even when they run backwards, sideways or move just out of my reach, I get the step ladder out and don't give up with my word "up" until they do it. They are then praised.
I also try to get them used to being "toweled" as they would be at a vet's office so they are not afraid. Fear is what we try to keep out. Our goal is to not let anything they consider "bad" to happen because they never forget anything.
Our chicks normally leave around 16-18 weeks of age. This age seems to work well with the adjustments of a new home.
The only way you can tell they are still babies are the dark eyes and dark tipped tail feathers; otherwise they appear as full grown greys.
This youngster is practicing her flap.
To hear how excited she gets after flapping, listen to the audio clip below. African Grey babies make the cutest sounds. They all squeal with delight and swish their little tails when happy.
